Summer Trip

[wat42]

Would like to take 3-4 months this summer and go from Cleveland, OH out to Yellowstone National Park. From there do most of the touristy attractions, go to Salt Lake City, then down to Grand Canyon then Texas before heading back home. Wife suffers from anxiety (even w/meds) very concerned about mountains. We have a 34' Fifth Wheel and a Ford F-250 diesel truck. How bad are the mountains and where are the worst downhill drives. Thanks.

[doxiemom11]

I am also a nervous rider in our motorhome. We solved that. I drive our Jeep and tag along behind the motorhome. DH now has a trailer that he pulls with the motorhome with his motorcycle and our scooter on it. Problem solved and it's really not that costly for the gas for the Jeep.

[wat42]

Thanks everyone for your information, really appreciate it. My wife will be ok at the Grand Canyon, it's getting there. She has such anxiety on the roads (couple accidents not our fault), but very nervous on the mountain grades. We do Jellico Mountain going to Fl and she's much better now with that one, but even the WVA Tpke. freaks her out anymore & we've traveled that many times. Planning on getting a 19' travel trailer instead of the big RV, so hopefully she'll calm down a little. Any more info greatly appreciated.

[4runnerguy]

How do you think your wife will deal with the Grand Canyon? Are her fears mostly while driving, or will the cliffs of the canyon give her problems, even from a safe distance back? If you are concerned, another option might be Zion Canyon rather than the GC. At Zion, you're at the bottom of the canyon looking up. Different type of experience but good for those with acrophobia.

Grand Teton is another good park to visit, as you're looking up at the mountains, rather than driving in them.

While some here are advocating the Mountain Directory, it will only tell you about grades, not whether there's exposure on the side of the road. I know of roads that don't have a very steep grade, but it's 1000' down if you head over the edge. Sometimes street view on Google Earth can be your friend.

[Matt_Colie]

You need to get some planning software to run during the excursion. You also need at least the Western Mountain Directory - Might as well buy both while you are at it.

Run the planning software for a route and then plot it in the mountain books and see what gets a yellow triangle. If you are using Street Atlas, you can mark those roads as no good.

Going into Yellowstone from the east will take you over Bighorn. That might not wash, but you can by-pass that by going into Montana and entering the park from the north.

You can do this, but most of the western states are not as flat as Ohio.

Matt

[Hank85713]

you CAN do colorado just have to avoid certain parts and research will tell you about them. The 'million dollar' highway is one to avoid if you have any fears of looking down, there are several 10000+ft passes but most are tree covered and wont bother ya. even going across Wolf Creek pass you dont have but maybe 1 or 2 high overlook places. Southern utah is real nice again research what ya want. Forget the road but its out of escalante co to the highway up by loa. It can be intimidating as you are on the spine of a ridge but the road is good (we were on a motorcycle) and we actually ran into a cattle drive going down the roadway. Pretty neat. cedar breaks is around 10000ft and you DO look down into a crater so avoid that maybe? Make sure you go to Teton NP, and stop in jackson for the national elk refuge. They have a great visitor center and its well worth the time to visit.

[Dick_B]

Get a copy of Mountain Directory West to help you plan the trip. The mountains are, well mountains, and they get easier the more you travel up and down them.

[agesilaus]

If you stay on I-80 you be fine. Avoid the north entrance to Yellowstone via Hwy 212. YNP is high altitude often around 8000 ft. And I-80 in WY does cross the 8600 ft Sherman pass. It has 5 miles of 5% grade but I don't recall any dramatic drop-offs being in sight.

Just stay out of Colorado. Dropping down thru Utah and Arizona and then getting on I-10 will avoid serious mountains as well. Sticking to the interstates avoids most serious climb and descents.

Don't do the Moki Dugway in southern Utah or the Apache Trail in Arizona....heh.