Need your input

I think Saluda is steeper. I have never pulled a heavy trailer up Black Mountain. But I go across Mounteagle several times a year. Set cruise at 58, climb at 55 in 4th gear. Jellico is about the same as Mounteagle, maybe a shade less but close. Saluda took 3rd gear. Don't think I was carrying that much (if any) extra weight. As I said above Black Mountain is crooked, much more so than any of the other interstate grades in Southern Appalachia that I've been across.

Black Mountain is fun on a motorcycle. :)

This "Black Mountain" has certainly become a legend it seems.

So I don't know where that thing is. Is that an interstate that runs up and down it?

How does it comp0asre to what i refer to as Saluda Hill/Mount on I 26 as you go north toward Ashville.

CarlT described it pretty well.
Saluda is a fairly straight up and down where Black Mountain is curvy up and down. I do believe they are both 6% grades.
I would much rather do Saluda than Black Mountain.

I-40 crosses Black Mountain in NC. It is a long, fairly steep, and curvy decent. It is longer with more curves than the Saluda Mountain grade on I-26. But it is the same type of grade.

This "Black Mountain" has certainly become a legend it seems.

So I don't know where that thing is. Is that an interstate that runs up and down it?

How does it comp0asre to what i refer to as Saluda Hill/Mount on I 26 as you go north toward Ashville.

Thanks everyone.

zackyboy3rs wrote:
Kinda hard for me to "experiment" being in eastern NC we are flat as Marcy Darceys chest & the last time I pulled an rv over any mountains was 8 years ago.

I tow in and around the Western NC mountains on a regular basis. I come across Sam's Gap (6% grade) every time we come to the Asheville/Brevard area from Johnson City. Which is at least 4 times a year. We're coming to the KOA East Asheville the end of this month. We went to the Georgia Mtn. Fairgrounds a couple of years ago through the Nantahala National Forrest, 8% grade with switchbacks. We didn't mean to go that way but everything worked out. I drive a gasser too, and like some have said, my tow/haul will downshift when I tap the brake and pretty much hold a safe speed, not sure how your Chevy works but you'll be fine. A 6% grade is really nothing to fret about... Enjoy the ride!

Never been able to use T/H on my 2007 Dodge. Slams gears when down shifting pretty bad. I use E/B and manually downshift as needed. 6% is easy as can be. Generally will go down in 4th or 5th at 50-55mph on such grades unless there are turns which require slower speeds.

Beaker wrote:

I must have came down Black Mountain coming home from Jacksonville NC a couple of weeks ago on I-40.
Don't remember anything special.
Probably had the cruise set at 65 or 70.
No big deal.

Hope that was a sports car. No one in their right mind would go down that mountain at 70 on cruise even in a car.

Also kind of hard to go DOWN Black Mountain going west to Kansas.
zackyboy3rs It’s hard to give you real specific advice when we have different trucks but. Try to hold a target speed of about 40. I would start in 2nd gear with your rear end. The trick is start slow, it’s easy to speed up. If you feel comfortable going faster, go up a gear.
6% for 5 miles is the same at 2500’ as it is 7500’ going down. Black Mountain is crooked, which is what makes it worse than say Mounteagle.

I must have came down Black Mountain coming home from Jacksonville NC a couple of weeks ago on I-40.
Don't remember anything special.
Probably had the cruise set at 65 or 70.
No big deal.

Hope that was a sports car. No one in their right mind would go down that mountain at 70 on cruise even in a car.