Running I 80

I agree, Donner is just not that big of a deal. It's just long but it doesn't go downhill the whole time. It flattens out, then goes downhill again etc. I have never seen anyone smoke their brakes on Donner and I've been over it hundreds of times.

Now in the winter it can be the hardest driving out there.

 

I've never been out there....

At 80k with a 13/18 speed call it a 9 speed for conversation do you go down most of donner in like 6th or 7th ?

Or do you need the low side of the tranny in spots..?

 

You don't need low side. Not even close. You run that slow down Donner and you're gonna get plowed into.

 

I would just follow what the signs say on your first time. You should know which gear to be in, which level your jakes should be set at, and how heavy you're loaded in order to maintain a certain speed at a specified grade. Using cabbage as an example, you might go down at 18mph @80k lbs by following the sign. A couple of people might get pissed, but they can go around. Next time you do it, you might be comfortable at 35mph. As you get familiar with each grade, you'll know when you can start coasting or which curves might need the service brakes before entering them.

 

Going east, with this 10 speed dog fleet truck I have and peaked out weightwise, most of the steeper descent portions of Donner, I'm in 9. There is about 2 miles of it I'll drop down to 8, but much of the real slight descent angles it will hold ok in 10 as long as I don't get to pushing on the gas pedal when I probably shouldn't .

Going west, it's a bit different. Most of the drop is confined to a shorter distance but it's still not too bad and there is only about 2 miles where 8th gear might be prudent but many will do it in 9 and use 30% of their braking ability 3 or 4 times, trying to hold less then 50 mph, but I don't recommend this, even if it's all dry.

The Fedex Ground contractors ... they have a different approach.

 

Sorry thought it was a mountain grade.....

 

The biggest problem I have with Donner is that it plugs up me ears.......

 

To me the worst part of 80 is actually Elk Mountain in Wyoming, actually all of 80 in Wyoming during winter. If you have not been to Wyoming you just won't realize how hard the wind can blow and how much ice and snow there can be. It's not the grade but the godalmighty wind!

Elk Mountain was probably the spot that provided me with my greatest pucker moment in my whole career. Drove an empty tanker over it. Blinded by snow, ice everywhere and I'm going 3 mph and the wind is literally making my truck slide. It was ridiculous that night.

Donner is easy as long as there is no winter weather up there. Cabbage (officially known as Deadman Pass if you are looking up conditions through ODOT) is worse but even that is not too bad.

 

It is, it's just not a consistent downhill. Like I said it flattens out and then drops again. I think Eastbound is a bit harder but only slightly.

 

First time going thru Donner was in training.The mountain itself isn t bad but the big signs scared me because I've never seen those signs before.Someone that's never left Iowa till I started driving many things intimidated me.But you are correct Donner isn t bad.I think what scares most is just the name.Its a pretty famous mountain.