Driving i80 from sacramento to reno

Discussion in 'Experienced Truckers' Advice' started by moloko, Mar 30, 2015.

  1. moloko

    moloko Road Train Member

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    Been driving the i80 from sacramento to reno lately. It was pretty treacherous my first day, because I wasn't used to mountain driving. Now I got the hang of it. Downshifting on a 7% grade will put some hair on your nuts. The first time i did this route , pulling a loaded smooth bore tanker , I lost my gear and had to start back in 5th or else risked coming to a complete stop. Anybody else make this drive ?? I see a lot of nevcal trucks out there on i80 and love the scenery , except driving up donner pass at 3am is pretty chilling. Well what do you guys think , this is as difficult as it gets in trucking right ?
     
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  3. double yellow

    double yellow Road Train Member

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    Nothing that difficult about going up Donner. These days they close it before it gets interesting in the winter.

    Going down is only hairy because it is so long (roughly 40 miles). I don't think it ever exceeds 6%, it just doesn't give your brakes time to cool. Course most of you all have jake brakes so you can go down at 30mph without touching your brakes, but I don't have that luxury. My ####### is puckered in the right lane, flashers on, snub braking from 20 to 15 just waiting for the day CR England shortens my trailer...
     
  4. ethos

    ethos Road Train Member

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    I drive it all the time. I don't even pay it much mind. Just another hill. I never thought Donner was all that difficult.
     
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  5. joseph1135

    joseph1135 Papa Murphy

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    Lol. No. Not even close. Donner is relatively easy. There's mountains in Colorado that put that to shame. Wolf Creek and Red come to mind. CO 160 has a few east of Wolf Creek too. Theres one on i-8 that's not too bad, just don't let her get away from you. Then some of those fun ones up in Montana too. Oh, Washington has a couple off the interstates that can suck in the winter time as well. Meh. You'll be fine. Mountains become fun once you've conquered them and get used to them. Just never get ####y. Because they can get ####y right back.
     
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  6. miss elvee

    miss elvee Heavy Load Member

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    Nah. It can get squirelly when it ices over, but all roads can. The road surface is crap and bounces you around a good bit. The grades are long, but not steep. Is it hard? Only if you don't read the signs or know how to handle a grade.

    It's good for ya. :)

    You got your Donner stripes, now head to Black Mountain.
     
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  7. joseph1135

    joseph1135 Papa Murphy

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    By the way, there's some hills in West Virginia and PA that may not be as long, but 9-11% grades will make you want to stay on your a-game.
     
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  8. ‘Olhand

    ‘Olhand Cantankerous Crusty

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    Without a doubt the most overrated nothing of a hill in the country...it may be 40 miles till you are in the valley--but there isnt a downgrade stretch much more than a mile or so--and someone posted 6%--I dont think there is any part of it over 5....
     
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  9. truckerlife74

    truckerlife74 Medium Load Member

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    The 1 in West Virginia I made a thread about a few months back, I had to change my underwear after I finally came down. I think I earn a stripe off those downgrades
     
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  10. cnsper

    cnsper Road Train Member

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    LOL Yeah some of those roads in Colorado were made by a crew following a billy goat dragging a snake.
     
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