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There
is an old saying among over-the-road truckers. "There
are two kinds of drivers—those who've been in trouble on a mountain
grade, and those who will be." Unfortunately, this also applies
to many RVers. Trucks and RVs have similar problems regarding weight,
engine power, and braking in mountainous terrain.
Imagine yourself descending a mountain grade in your RV. You didn't
know there was such a long, steep grade on this highway. What a surprise!
And things are not going well. You have a white-knuckle grip on the
steering wheel. The engine is not holding back all of this weight,
the brakes are smelling hot or even smoking, you're pushing harder
on the brake pedal but your speed keeps increasing. All you can see
ahead is more mountain. Your mind is racing through all of the available
options and none of them are good. "I've got to do something," you
say "or I'm not going to make it." The options include: run into
the rock wall, go over the side, hit those trees, or see if you can
make the next curve and ride it out. You choose the last option and,
if you are lucky, you make it to the bottom in one piece. You pull
over and while you are waiting for your heart to stop pounding, you
wipe the sweat from your face and you notice your shirt is soaked,
your mouth is dry, and your hands are shaking. You are thinking,
"If I had known it was going to be like that............."
Perhaps your rig has difficulty during the steep climbs. The temperature
is in the 90's and the grade is so steep that you can barely climb
it in first gear. The engine and transmission temperatures are rising.
How far to the top of this hill? You don't know if it's one mile
or ten. Something smells hot. What to do? Pull over and cool off?
But then all momentum is lost. Can you even get started again? You
wish you had unhooked the car you're dragging up this hill behind
the motorhome. If you are lucky, you can do that next time. You
are wondering how many thousand dollars a new engine and transmission
will be.
During the last few years we have heard many stories about very expensive
repairs to drive train components. Sometimes rigs are lost entirely.
A highway patrol officer in Oregon told us that in the summer an average
of one motorhome per week burns to the ground while trying to climb
Cabbage Hill on I-84 east of Pendleton. If a fire starts, the nearest
fire department is likely to be many miles away. By the time they
arrive, there is nothing left to do but hose down the ashes.
Since 1993 we have been collecting and publishing information about
mountain passes and steep grades. Combined, Mountain
Directory West and Mountain Directory
East give the locations and descriptions of over 700 mountain
passes and steep grades in 22 states. This is vital information for
anyone driving a large or heavy vehicle. The Mountain
Directory books tell you where the steep grades are, how
long they are, how steep (%) they are, whether the road is two lane,
three lane, or four lane, if there are escape ramps, switchbacks,
sharp curves, speed limits, etc. With this information, one can know
ahead of time what a pass is like and make an informed decision about
whether to go over or around. If you decide to go over, perhaps the
cool morning hours would ease the strain on the engine and transmission
during the climb. Unhooking the towed vehicle would make the climb
and the descent easier. Knowing what lies ahead
is half the battle.
Many people are under the impression that the grades in the eastern
mountains are not as serious as the grades in the western mountains.
Apparently this is because the elevations are not as high in the eastern
states. But elevation alone is not the problem--it is the change
in elevation that makes a grade potentially hazardous. If all
other factors are equal, a grade that descends from 4000' to 1000'
over 10 miles is no different than a grade that descends from 10000'
to 7000' over 10 miles. Either way you have a 3000' change in elevation
spread over 10 miles. (This example would result in an average grade
of almost 6% for 10 miles.)
A large percentage of the grades in the western states are in the
6% range. A large percentage of the grades in the eastern states
are 8, 9, or 10% and sometimes even more. The eastern grades are often
shorter but this is not always so. A quick glance through the eastern
book will reveal over 50 grades that are between 7 and 10% and from
4 to 7 miles long. There are others that are even more challenging.
The road to the top of Whiteface Mountain in New York is 8 to 10%
for 8 miles. There would be no need for truckers to use this road
but RVs are allowed. Near Cumberland, Maryland there is a hill on
I-68 that is posted as 6% for 13 miles. In North Carolina highway
181 crosses the Blue Ridge Parkway and the southbound descent is 11
miles of grade that varies from 6 to 10%. Much of it is 8 to 9%.
These grades are just as hazardous as the grades in the western states.
While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the maps
included in this book, it is nearly impossible to include all necessary
detail on such small pages. We recommend that these maps be used
in conjunction with larger, more detailed road maps.
In most cases the passes and hills are described as descents. In
other words, a pass will be described from the summit down in one
direction and then from the summit down in the other direction. This
directory does not claim to include every steep grade. In fact, because
of the enormous area we have tried to cover, we can guarantee that
we have probably missed some. Sometimes the percentages quoted are
estimates and many times they are based on road signs or information
provided by highway departments. This book does not attempt to rate
passes or grades according to difficulty. There is an enormous variety
in vehicles and equipment. A hill that is very difficult for one
vehicle may be no problem at all for a similar vehicle that is equipped
differently. Driver judgment is critical in deciding which hills
should be avoided.
The purpose of this book is not to discourage drivers from going where
they please. It is only to inform them of the conditions they may
encounter and to encourage them to make sure their equipment is in
good repair. Brakes must be in good working order and properly adjusted
and the engine and transmission should be used to slow the vehicle
whenever possible, thus saving the brakes and keeping them cool enough
to retain their stopping power. The engine's cooling system should
be in good repair to prevent overheating during the climbs. Turning
off the air conditioner during climbs may help, and if necessary,
turning on the heater will help dissipate heat from the engine.
There are many aftermarket devices that can help heavy vehicles in
the mountains. Some will help by increasing horsepower for the climbs.
These include turbos and exhaust systems. Other devices, such as
engine braking systems can help during the descents. Some products,
like gear splitters and auxiliary transmissions can help during the
climbs and the descents. Many of these products also improve
fuel economy (while delivering more horsepower) and reduce wear and
tear on the drive train.
The main ingredients involved in overheated brakes are the length
of the grade, the steepness of the grade, and the speed and weight
of the vehicle. Reducing any of these will improve the chances of
getting down the mountain without overheating the brakes. Most of
the time, the only one the driver can change is speed. Reducing speed
may keep you alive. Remember the old phrase, "You
can go down a mountain a thousand times too slowly, but only once
too fast."
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