Durango to Montrose

[Maw__Jim___Jake]

Any info on the best route from Durango to Montrose driving our class A gas powered Grand Star MOHO pulling our 4000 pound toad is appreciated.
We went from Grand Junction to Durango via Moab as our Semi Truck GPS suggested (adding 100 miles to the trip) but wondered if there are more direct routes that would be alright and shorter. Our GPS suggests 160 to 145 to 62 to 550. Any steep climbs or descents there?
Thank you.
JMAT

[RCtime]

Just traveled Durango to Montrose 4 days ago. Silverton-ourey-Montrose.
L
there is some steep climb and down hills, no road contructions.
I used extensive use of my retarder, to me it was a piece of cake, most beautiful dive. some narrow two lane twist, turny and basicly slow driving.
Lots of lower gears in parts. the drive is outstanding

[JimM68]

Te different opinions are interesting. We did it in the knight, towing, last summer and loved every minute. No problems, no downshifting, no smoking brakes. left the exhaust brake on (and of course we have active brakes on the toad...) and enjoyed every minute.

[TEO]

The next time I take a motorhome and toad from Durango to Ouray, I'll go via Chicago! Seriously, I'm a flatlander, living in Florida and never more than a few miles from the ocean. My wife and I were TERRIFIED!!!!! My carburated engine could hardly make it over some of the passes. I might do it in my Jeep, but never in my motorhome.

Paul

[TripleE]

Right now there is a lot of construction on 550 between Silverton and Ouray. We just came this way last week. Would we drive it again - HECK NO! Even doing 20-25 MPH (traffic and big rigs due to construction) it was not an enjoyable drive. This road is on our do not drive list. Sorry to those that enjoy it, we didn't. Any I didn't think it was that scenic. We have driven many mountain roads and this one tops the worst list.

[Busskipper]

Busskipper wrote:

Maw, Jim & Jake wrote:
Any info on the best route from Durango to Montrose driving our class A gas powered Grand Star MOHO pulling our 4000 pound toad is appreciated.
We went from Grand Junction to Durango via Moab as our Semi Truck GPS suggested (adding 100 miles to the trip) but wondered if there are more direct routes that would be alright and shorter. Our GPS suggests 160 to 145 to 62 to 550. Any steep climbs or descents there?
Thank you.
JMAT

Lizard Head Pass is one of the more gentile drives in the area -- Beautiful drive you should enjoy -- should be a little cooler than Utah -- lots of great little stops along the way -- When we stopped at Trout Lake I was ready to move in -- Dunton is a neat area and Telluride -- then Ralph Lourain's fences, before you get to Ridgway.

Beautiful area .

BOL,

I may just have a hard time with the English Language but there were two questions possed.

1. Our GPS suggests 160 to 145 to 62 to 550. Any steep climbs or descents there?

And if I am correct I have never heard of anyone who had a issue with this Route. Very easy and Beautiful -- by the time you reach 550 on this route, it is fairly FLAT IMHO.

2. "wondered if there are more direct routes that would be alright and shorter?"

In my mind, a direct route would usually mean straight and fast. 550 throught Silverton might be shorter but in no way is it straight and fast.

All that said, my suggestion, is to read any one of the thousands of posts on the Million Dollar Highway and decide for yourself as to your comfort level, on 550. IMHO, Even the most seasoned driver would enjoy the drive more, or again, in a car, so my suggestion is to get to Ridgway or Ouray , spend a few days and drive all over the area in your Explorer, this is some of the Best 4X4 trails in all the country -- in those drives you might even back track and see 550 again or for the first time.

Last but not least keep yourself appraised on the Wildfires in the area so as to not have a problem.

Hard to Drive a road in Colorado that is not Fun or Beautiful.

BOL,

Busskipper

[MarcW]

My opinion on 550.... heading north to Ouray is one thing. You're on the inside of the road with the OMG dropoff on the other side. Not so bad because you're not on "the edge". Going the other way (Ouray to Silverton) isn't something my wife could stand, sitting on that side of the coach and looking over the edge would be more than she could handle. We've driven our car and our motorcycle over that route several times and it's a spectacular and enjoyable ride but if we do it heading south with the RV she is going to follow in the car

[BillMFl]

I love the drive on 550 and if they are north bound the "no guard rail" is less of a factor. However, many folks think the passes over the Blue Ridges in NC and Va are scary. So anybody who is bothered by sheer drop offs, tight turns and steep grades should do 550 in their toad. The average flat lander would suffer severe white knuckle sydrome. Experienced mountain drivers would let the tranny do the hard work and try not to be distracted by the grand scenery. I sometimes wish I had a third eye on one side of my head so the other two could focus on the road. Going to the Sun, coastal Big Sur and 550 are all in that category as top road trips.

[Executive45]

Scott..maybe I was reading too much in the OPs opening (and only) posting. He indicated he was concerned with, quote "Any steep climbs or descents there? close quote. That indicated, to me anyway, some inexperience or concerns with both and 550 meets those standards in spades...you are correct though, we should probably limit advice to the question posed.

To the OP.. "Any steep climbs or descents there?" Answer: Steep Climbs: Yes, 25 miles mostly straight UP, with many switch backs and speeding cars. Descents: Very steep descent if you mess up on one of the switch backs because there are no guard rails......Dennis

[2lazy4U]

My cousin is the head of the road dept. for Ouray County and he can tell LOTS of stories of RVs trying to do Red Mtn with drivers who don't know how to drive such steep windy roads.

Go over Lizard Head and don't add to his arsenal. Red Mtn is not a fun drive, I don't care how beautiful. Go to Ouray, park the RV, and take the toad over it and you'll understand.

And IMO, Lizard Head's every bit as pretty.

[FIRE_UP]

Executive wrote:

FIRE UP wrote:
/snip/It's amazing to me that others TELL people not to go on this road if they've never done it. You should make that decision for yourself. It's something one has to see for themselves. Now, once you've done it and, it does not appeal to you, then you can make an educated decision as to not travel it again.
Scott

Scott..I've told people where to go, but never where NOT to go...:B....that said, with all due respect, I must disagree with you here. That would be like telling someone who's afraid of flying to get on the plane and go. If you're still scared out of your wits, it's a little hard to simply get off. Heading up 550 to Ouray is not the time for experimenting. There's not too many places to simply make a U-Turn and say "Let's go a different way"...Google maps is everyone's friend. If you're unsure of a road, simply google it, move the little man down on the road and go....I've done it, many others have too, but I agree with The Texan..it ain't for the faint of heart....Dennis


Million Dollar Highway

Dennis,
There's no problems with disagreements here. That's why we live in America, so we all can have opinions. I was not pointing at you or anyone in particular in that statement. It was a general statement and you and I have seen it many, many times on here. People simply make a statement to not go on a route like that because THEY did not like it. No one can predict what or how a person or couple will feel on this route in question. While some might not ever tackle it again, some might think it's a cake walk and continually use that route to get at their destinations.

You're certainly right about that route not having all that many "turn-a-bouts" just in case one changes their mind. In fact, there's almost none that I can remember but, my memories not what it used to be, not that it was ever that good in the first place. Anyway, a couple of more steep routes/grades are mentioned in this thread too that we've been on. The east exit out of Yellowstone and, the 14A out of Cody both are some serious steep climbs/grades.

We've been on both with a 34' Fleetwood Bounder with the V-10 and towing a 16' enclosed trailer with a 900lb. Goldwing and little trailer etc. and that, was some serious work for that V-10.

But, I guess driving these rigs in all kinds of predicaments is just not that big of a deal to me. I guess it effects others in a different manner.

By the way, I don't know if any of you remember the TV program "Dangerous Roads" or not but, they did an episode on that road, (the 550 or, Million Dollar Highway) with two fuel tanker drivers, a son and father team that do it almost daily with tandem fuel tankers. Much of the show was shot in the snow over those passes. Now that, just might bump up the heartbeat up a notch or two.
Scott

[Up2012]

Driving our brand new Oldsmobile over the Million Dollar Highway several years ago, I SMOKED our brakes! My husband said, "Someone's getting hot brakes - I can smell them." Well, guess what?! It was ours! (And I had thought I was casually pumping the brakes and not overusing them).

I will NEVER go over mountain passes like this one again - especially in an RV (even as a passenger)!

Last fall after leaving the east exit of Yellowstone (pretty creepy to us)we went to Cody, Wy. From there we were heading on over to Rapid City, SD. We both agreed to drive WAY out of the way and go north to Billings and get back onto I-90 rather than take the OMG 14A highway up over the Bighorn mountains! No regrets.

Just sayin'

[Executive45]

FIRE UP wrote:
/snip/It's amazing to me that others TELL people not to go on this road if they've never done it. You should make that decision for yourself. It's something one has to see for themselves. Now, once you've done it and, it does not appeal to you, then you can make an educated decision as to not travel it again.
Scott

Scott..I've told people where to go, but never where NOT to go...:B....that said, with all due respect, I must disagree with you here. That would be like telling someone who's afraid of flying to get on the plane and go. If you're still scared out of your wits, it's a little hard to simply get off. Heading up 550 to Ouray is not the time for experimenting. There's not too many places to simply make a U-Turn and say "Let's go a different way"...Google maps is everyone's friend. If you're unsure of a road, simply google it, move the little man down on the road and go....I've done it, many others have too, but I agree with The Texan..it ain't for the faint of heart....Dennis


Million Dollar Highway

[2gypsies1]

Maw, Jim & Jake wrote:
Our GPS suggests 160 to 145 to 62 to 550. Any steep climbs or descents there?
Thank you.
JMAT

From Durango to Montrose we always go straight up 550 through Silverton and on to Ouray. However, we enjoy mountain driving like this. Some folks don't and that's why you'll hear 'don't do it'.

The other alternative is the way your GPS suggests: 160 west to 145 up through Telluride, then 62 to 550. (NOTE: 550 at this point will be very flat. It's the lower part between Ouray/Silverton/Durango that's exciting!)

Still, on your GPSs route before you come to Telluride, you will have a climb with gentle curves. It's a nice wide highway, just take your time. Have fun!

[Norm___Deb]

I agree with most of the above replys. However, as one who two months ago did the the Cortez to Tellurice to Montrose to Gunnison to Salida trip, let me add one thought.

At the top of the "passes" or other steep grades, you WILL put the RV tranny in low gear and proceed down the hill at about 10mph (my exhaust brake would not hold the coach). If you do not do this, and you depend on your RV brakes, you WILL toast them in a heartbeat. And, depending on the brake disk's condition, they will either cool off and be OK, or they can crack and need to be replaced.