Mountain driving for a flat lander

The elevations are the biggest difference between East coast and West coast driving. Power loss with the lesser oxygen content...but that 8,600 elevation isn't anything! Colorado the biggest example I-70 at the Eisenhower-Johnson tunnel the west portal is 11,158', and there is more climbing to Vail Summit. If you are over-height (14' trailer for example) you will have to take an alternate route over US 6 and top out at 11,999'. With that said...the run across WY isn't that drastic. The elevation of Rawlins is 6,834 and most of WY keeps you at the 5500-7000 ft elevations, with the climbs only offering a 1000-2000 foot climb from bottom to top, very similar (and less dramatic than the TN or WV climbs). Now compare the "gradual" climbs in WY (about 2-4 miles in length) to Siskiyou in OR (I-5 south bound) beginning at Medford (1382 elevation) to the summit at 4310' and traveling 23 miles at a 6% average climbing 3000 feet. (Siskiyou summit is the highest elevation on I-5). OR also has the east bound climb up "Cabbage" on I-84, Pendleton, OR at an elevation of 1200 with the climb to the summit approximately Meacham, OR at 4964' and traveling 14 miles...a 3700 foot elevation climb.

WA has an Interstate a "reputation"...Snoqualmie Pass...the summit is at an elevation of 2600' and the "climb" begins at Issaquah at a mere 108'...of course beginning at Seattle (sea level). This climb of 2600 feet is 53 miles. CA has some interesting notable climbs on US 395 (south bound) from Walker (5403') to Conway Summit (8143'). Not to forget the "infamous" Grapevine on I-5 beginning at Wheeler Ridge (955') up to Frazier Park (truck stop Flying J, approximately 4600') accomplished in only 14 miles a 3600 foot climb.

NV across I-80 has 6 passes that begin at the 5500' elevation (from the valley floor) and top out at 7200 (highest) but most all have at least 1000-1500 foot elevation climb. ID has several, but the most severe is White Bird on US 95...The modern multi-lane highway was completed 40 years ago, following ten years of construction which concluded with the opening of the bridge at the base over White Bird Creek in June 1975.[SUP][1][/SUP] The treeless northbound grade climbs 2,700 feet (820 m) in 7 miles (11 km), an average gradient of over 7%.[SUP][1]

The list of good climbs in the west goes on...but here are some good examples of the difference in West (coastal range to the Rockies) compared to the "hills" in the East. Personally...I'll stay in the west with snow and leave the ice storms and freezing rains to our eastern/mid-western drivers[/SUP].

 

Gotta be real careful on Parleys. Lots of England trucks on it and even their students.

 

so a big hill is like a small hill only bigger?
the biggest problem is the drivers that are skeered making it a problem
nothing anywhere is better then common sense
the 2 lanes in PA are twice as bad as 80 in NE and WY
one of the best things is not much traffic

 

most of the england trucks take 84 around particularly with students

 

anywhere east of the Mississippi River maybe

 

It should be a piece of cake in the summer. Have a safe trip and enjoy the ride. It will be a ride of your life. Just watch for the wind pulling a box.

 

It's not going up that's the problem. It's having enough patience to go down safely. Just remember, you can go too slow as many times as you want, but you can only go too fast once. I was taught when pulling mountains to go down in one gear lower then the gear that got you to the top. That was just a guideline I used when I was a new driver.