CA Hwy 89 Monitor Pass

A friend of mine is planning on taking his 35' gasser motor home (plus toad) across Monitor Pass (east to west). Is this advisable? Anybody done this before?

I am sure people have done it before. If this helps it is a great motorcycle road. Lots of curves, lots of climbing and lots of descending. A diesel with an exhaust brake makes the descent lots easier. A gasser that can only be downshifted for engine braking downhill will be interesting. It can be easy to run out of service brakes before you run out of hill if not careful. For a few extra miles and mostly flat your friend could go to Minden/Gardnerville on US 395 then take SR 88. Probably lots easier for a motorhome. Can it be done? Sure. Does your friend want to?

X2 on that. Just because you can doesn't mean that you should.

that will be a long rig for that road.

The road is not that tight. As long as they are comfortable with mtn grades there is no other issue. If they want to avoid the pass then go to Gardnerville and take Centerville rd across to 88. Tell em to take a left at the 7/11.

nevadanick wrote:
The road is not that tight. As long as they are comfortable with mtn grades there is no other issue. If they want to avoid the pass then go to Gardnerville and take Centerville rd across to 88. Tell em to take a left at the 7/11.

This is what we've always done. No issues for any size RV.

I have taken this route. As I recall there were more bicycles than cars on the road. I had no problem.

But I don't plan to take it again.

Thanks for all the suggestions. I've passed them on to him and he's decided to go on up to Hwy 50 and go across that way.

Again, thanks

Ron