Priests Grade in California

[aussy]

We are going to be going to the Thousand Trails Yosemite Lakes campground in the next month or so. We will be coming from the Central Valley up Hwy 120.

Can anyone tell me what to expect(both up and down) on Priests grade? I have driven this in a car but never towing a 26 foot trailer with my Ford Ecobeast.

Any advice?

[louiskathy]

It's steep but the "new side" was newly paved in April of 2012 when we did it in our Truck Camper. Plenty of turn outs but sometimes you can't see what's coming around the curve at you and you hope the other guy stays in his lane.

If I did it again I would dump the gray and the black tanks and NOT fill that 60 gal fresh water tank full. I would NOT fill fuel tanks fuel either. There's stations at the top. I'd caution you to watch your engine temp gauges and not use your a/c while you tugged up the grade.

There is a very nice transmission repair place at the top of the grade and they do a nice job putting in the cooling unit in series on a 1999 F-350. Transmission oil on the hot exhaust pipe does look like you're on fire but it's really all smoke. No need to grab that fire extinguisher and dive underneath, really.

Don't be afraid of it - You're smart to ask quesitons before you get there. I did not.

[jbbrick]

Make sure you take the newer side, not the "old" Priest Grade. You won't have any problem at all, I did it not long ago with my 32' MH pulling a car. As you do down you can look across the canyon to the folks going down the old one. It's fun and not bad at all, just gear down to save your brakes. We've stayed at Yosemite Lakes, nice park.