Fear of Driving to the Mountains

Good advise on gearing. As for braking let the tranny do most the slowing and when you need to apply the brake do it to slow at least 10mph and then let off the brake. When traveling in the Rockies or Cascades I will go down in the gear I went up in and I apply brake firmly as needed to slow 10mph as smooth as possible, then release and repeat as necessary. Never had an over heating of tranny or brakes. Go as slow as you need.