Eastern mountains versus Western mountains

I agree that the mountains in the east are steeper but shorter, to a degree. My experience is that as long as your on the big road this is true, but there is indeed a pucker factor when your taking an oversize across some of the other passes out west. I think that the biggest difference is that you really have to select the right gear, and use your jakes out west more because the downhills are longer so there is a bigger chance of brake failure. My first time over Cabbage Pass, a guy from NC set his brakes on fire by the time we hit the bottom. It was his first time out there, and after I put the fire out for him, he swore he would never be back.

 

well there are a couple in wv and one in md that would make you reconsider your position on the mtns in the east not being enough to pucker up.

I vividly recall my early days with no engine brake going down after climbing them with a 315 cummins.that comment is for all the mtns.

 

Eh driver, relax. I think you're gonna like the western mountains more, frankly.
They're not quite as steep, but you're gonna be looking at the same hazards you do in the east- but it's drawn out.

I say this with the same amount of experience as you, but I've been doing work west/east of the Mississippi since my first day in a sleeper.

 

Just remember out west you hold up a line of cars on a one lane road and can't speed up.

Get over on that shoulder & let em by ... etiquette.

They like to write those impeding traffic tickets in the northwest.

That Columbia is beautiful to drive along.

You'll feel like Kevin Costner in dww.

 

A mountain is a mountain..and each and everyone is a little different. Treat each one with the professional respect it deserves and you'll not have any problems. Like you said , you have your skills down and are comfortable in the knowledge you have...use them along with a dose of "common sense" and you'll see that whether it's in the North , South , East , or West , a mountain is ALWAYS mountain....

 

I recently went down Cabbage Hill for the first time in Oregon. I followed the speed recommendations for my weight and was able to keep my truck in check with 44k in the box with the Volvo Engine Brake running between 1 and 3 and hardly used my service brakes VS other drivers charging down the hill, brake lights on and stinking up the joint.

Basically I followed what I did at Stevens since back when I drove there Stevens Transport trucks didn't have engine brakes.

 

The mountains is the east are way worse because, well, you're dealing with the east coast. Plus it's more annoying up and down over and over again all day long. At least out west it's longer and more drawn out, then the flats are longer and more drawn out. It's more scenic and you also have less east coast morons to deal with.

 

East coast morons....says the guy from CHICAGO. Anyway, some are pretty tame, Snoqualmie, Donner, Siskiyou, etc. Some, like Wolf Creek in Colorado and Cabbage in Oregon can get tricky and will get you if you don't keep your head up.

 

I wondered about that as well.must mean that there are no morons to deal with out west.