How steep was it?

:)

I have ridden those highways to and from Nevada City on motorcycle.
No matter the math, they are steep, curvy, fun, and few have a pucker factor rating of 9 out of 10.

Not to hijack the thread but my inlaws live on the Big Island in Hawaii and I took their Honda Pilot (4WD) down the road to the Waipoi Valley which is the steepest in the country. It is one way with pull offs every few hundred feet to pass. Uphill traffic gets right of way and quite a white knuckle ride! All locals on the road and not something I will likely do again!

For a good visual, consider a common ranch style house roof pitch of 4:12 which is 33%. Now make a road that steep!

There is a stretch going up to Jefferson Lake outside of Jefferson Colorado that is extreme. We took the Cree up it with out 75 E 100 with a 300 inline 6. Going up was one thing, coming down was another. The 2500 lb Cree had no brakes and the van had drums. Luckily it's a shorter drive.

Our first trip with this trailer we decided to take the short route between Horse Tooth and Red Feathers. It may have been shorter but the speeds were much slower. The paved was 2 lane with 30-50 mph curves. The dirt was a logging road that at times had the Expy down to 15 mph in first and had hairpins at 10-20 mph warnings. There was beautiful scenery coming into the area from the backside, we even saw a moose. On the way home we took the long way, it took much less time.

OP here: Yes, I was just trying to share an interesting experience. Wasn't looking for a remedial math class. I guess it is impossible to post anything here without someone wanting to argue. :S

The folks at Cal Trans have been engineering the roads in California for quite some time and if they post a sign that says "31%" trust me it is a 31% grade (and yes that is 31' of drop for every 100" of horizontal travel. If anyone out there knows more than the engineers at Cal Trans I am sure they would love to hear from you. Break that down anyway you like, it is a very freaking steep road.

In conclusion all I can say is "lighten up", downshift and please don't ride your brakes. :R

smkettner wrote:
Percent means parts of 100. 31% is 31 foot rise over 100 foot forward distance.

BINGO

And the winner is ....... smettner

I am a highway project manager and have been building highways since 1970. The percent signs mean exactly what smettner said. 7% = 7x vertical rise per 100x horizontal run.

No ifs ands or buts!

ReneeG wrote:
Usually the percentage of incline is relative to the terrain and not that bad.

Huh? Percent slope is relative to only one thing, 45 degrees. At 45 degrees you go up/down 1 foot for every 1 foot horizontal.

There is nothing relative to terrain.

The steepest paved road I have towed on was over 20%, and I have been no dirt that was steeper but I am not sure how much.

I think the OP was just trying to make the point it was a freakin' steep hill and beware. Then it turned into math class.

:B

Right Shadow4, I think the OP was just trying to make the point it was a freakin' steep hill and beware. Then it turned into math class.