12    EL CAPITAN PASS elev. 4983'

            (on Arizona highway 77 between Globe and Winkelman, AZ)

            The summit of El Capitan Pass is about 8½ miles south of the junction of US 70 and Arizona 77 (about milepost 162½.)  There is a brake check area at the top.  There are warnings posted for traffic in both directions—"Trucks—vehicles pulling trailers check brakes and equipment."

            The northbound descent begins with a sign—"8% grade next 3 miles."  The grade eases some after 2 miles but starts down at about 6% a mile later.  The 6% lasts for about a mile for a total descent of about 4 miles.  The road rolls along the top of the pass for about 1½ miles and the southbound descent begins about milepost 161.  There is a brake check area following the usual warnings about checking equipment.

            The southbound descent begins with a sign—"7% grade next 7 miles."  The last 2 miles of this hill are posted at 8% grade.  The descent is fairly steady with 45 mph curves.  There are two runaway truck ramps.  The first is at milepost 156 and the second is 1½ mile farther down the hill.  They are 4¾ and 6¼ miles down from the top of the pass.  In both cases the road makes a curve to the left and the escape ramp exits straight ahead.  The 8% grade continues for about 1 mile after the second escape ramp.  There are some rolling hills after that with a few short 5-6% descents.