Trip planning for elevation limits

Stay out of the Rockies and you should be fine. Yellowstone was a shade over 7000. The Appalachians top out at 6644 and you have to hike a little to get to it.

We love the Mountain Directory. It has all of the info you need for your situation.

doxiemom11 wrote:
Mountain Directory West will give you grades and elevations for the western states. There is also a Mountain Directory East. Check for it online, or Amazon also has the books for sale.

+1

You should be fine anywhere in CONUS except when crossing the Rockies. Some passes there can be 10,000-11,000' elevation. Check and verify with your Road Atlas if you venture that way.

Old fashioned print maps, as in atlases 1-2 page per state, give elevations for many passes and some peaks. With digital maps (e.g. Google Maps) you may have to activate 'terrain mode' and zoom in to get elevation contours. Western state DOT websites have pass information, often with webcams and weather. Elevation is given, and sometimes grates on either side. You can also look up major highway passes by name on Wiki.

I'll assume you know about elevations in NC and neigbhoring states.

Denver is about 5000 ft, and is typical of the high plains next to the Rockies. The Continental Divide is the high point from south to north. It's highest in Colorado, well above your target.

I40 is highest in western NM and eastern AZ, roughly Gallup to Flagstaff - that's in 7000' range. I10 is lower.

I80 across WY is in the 7000+ range. Yellowstone Lake is about 7000.

I90 across MT and ID has several passes. Butte is highest town.

US2 across northern MT is lower.

Washington State passes (paved at least) are all 5000 or less. Oregon ones are a bit higher; highest around Crater Lake.

California is highest on I80 and south along the Sierras.

In Utah, Bryce is the highest Nat Park; Cedar Breaks the highest Nat Monument.

Mountain Directory West will give you grades and elevations for the western states. There is also a Mountain Directory East. Check for it online, or Amazon also has the books for sale.

I use Co-Pilot on my phone... you can have the left and right tabs sent for different things... mph... direction... elevation in real time.

inRoute for iPad & iPhone has elevation, curviness, and weather information (temperature, humidity, precipitation and wind speed) for planned routes.

http://carobapps.com/products/inroute/

Thanks, We are assuming 7000 is no problem, I drove D out to Mount Mitchell in NC el. 6684, when she got out , walking more than about 50 yds started winding her. Just riding in the truck she was fine. We are trying to get house sold and to roll for a couple years and were concerned about having to get too high, Had assumed someone had an app for the tablet or phones, and local knowledge for an area is always welcome.
Russ

I can tell you if you can make 7,000 feet you are safe on almost all of the "major" routes in California. Donner Pass on I-80 is just under 7100 feet. Highway 50 is at 7300 feet. 395 has the highest pass for a "major" route and it's at over 8000 feet. Now if you get off on the other mountain passes on two-lane highways, some of those go up to 10,000 feet.