driving in Colorado

[krisbw]

we will be driving west for the first time next summer with out 36' TT. intend on spending time in Colorado or Arizona mountains but have concerns about tall mountain driving. Any words of wisdom to calm my fears or areas to avoid?

[Drippin]

The other thing to remember is that if you do pull off to take a rest at the top of a long climb do not shut the engine off when you stop. Let it idle to help take the heat out for five to ten minutes before shutting down.

[krisbw]

we have a 36' cruiser enterra, pulling with a silverado 2500 hd with upgraded rear end. last weight check we were at 17560 combined weight.

[rmnpcolorado]

unless you love the smell of your brakes, SHIFT DOWN SHIFT DOWN SHIFT DOWN!! It amazes me how this is not obvious to people, even just in cars. We came down Pikes Peak (not towing of course) and there are signs everywhere to use lowest gear. Yet when we hit the mandatory brake check, people get pulled off and told to stop and wait for 20 minutes because their brakes are too hot. Me, she looked at me, chuckled and said "you've done this before - keep it up for the rest of the way down!" I wish I was a native. Enjoy!

[Passin_Thru]

Thanks to Lowsuv after being raised in NM and learning to drive truck in NM and CO I am now skeered to venture past Kansas because there might be a brake warping downhill there. If you want to call me I will walk you through any part of CO you want to go to. I just came back from Wolf Creek Pass with a 31 ft Arctic Fox and grossing 18900 lb. Scottykrug has the proper statement. Find your gross weight at a truckstop scale and let us know, Well help you route it.

[dave17352]

As others have said make sure to use your tranny to control speed going downhill. If you don't you can completely lose your brakes which of course can be catastrophic. But if you use your tranny to control speed you will be completely safe. I learned this the hard way years ago!

[scottykrug]

Great advice here. Another point I have seen and follow "use the same gear downhill that you used uphill".

[avoidcrowds]

As a couple have said above, use your lower gears to control your speed going downhill. Don't rely on your brakes, or you will burn them up. Downshift at the top of the hill, before you gain any speed. Don't even think about going down steep hills at the speed limit, or you will be braking at every turn, which is bad.

Pull over if you are climbing a hill and there are more than 10 vehicles behind you. You can get a ticket if you don't allow them to pass.

Be very wary of roads that show lots of curves on the maps. Going up is a slow process, and going down can be nerve-wracking. Many of the roads have steep drop-offs to one side, and it is normal to be skittish on those roads. But, being too cautious and using part of the oncoming lane is dangerous, so if you are not comfortable with that type of road, don't use it. Independence Pass is very narrow, winding, and steep. Don't even think about pulling a large trailer over it, as there is a section on the west side of the pass that is one-lane.

Speaking of one-lane and narrow roads - if oncoming vehicles meet on a one-lane road, the vehicle going uphill has the right-of-way. If you are going downhill, you will have to back up to the nearest wide spot. Avoid narrow roads.

Enjoy Colorado! There is much to see and do; just be aware of what is up the road. Most of our roads are fine for trailers, but some are not. Can't list them all, so pay close attention to a good map.

[BB_TX]

Your tow vehicle must be adequate for your trailer to tow it over high mountain passes. Don't over rev the engine and watch for overheating. Pull over and rest it if you feel it is needed.
And your vehicle and trailer brakes must be adequate for keeping it under control going down the other side. Don't ride the brakes. If needed pull off and let them cool when possible.
Otherwise it is just a matter of using common sense and taking it slow and easy on the steep grades.

[69_Avion]

Good advice. With that length trailer you may not want to take it up to Silverton. With the right TV you can do it, but you have to be set up for it.

[TucsonJim]

Kris - I live in Arizona, and drive to Colorado frequently to visit family in Telluride. Let us know what kind of tow vehicle you have and we can give you some tips to be successful and not have pucker marks in the driver's seat when you get to your destination.

No matter what kind of vehicle you have, when you're going down a steep grade, the transmission shift level is your friend. Your profile says you are from Florida. On flat lands like Florida, you probably put the tow vehicle in drive and motor to your destination without giving it a second thought. When you are going down a steep grade, you can save a lot of wear and tear on your brakes by down shifting. It's not uncommon to drop all the way down to 2nd or 3rd gear depending on your transmission.

When going up hill on a steep grade, just stay in the slow lane unless you absolutely must pass. Let the engine do it's work and keep an eye on the engine and transmission (if equipped with a gage) temperatures. Here in Arizona, there are warning signs on some steep grades to turn off your air conditioner during the climb in order to keep the engine temperature in an acceptable range.

No matter how slow you think you're going, you'll likely enounter slower vehicles on steep grades. So if you're putting along at 40mph in a 65 zone, you'll likely get slowed down by a big rig hauling 40 tons of freight. Resist the urge to get right on their tail and then pull out to pass. If you get slowed down to 20-25 mph behind them, you'll likely not have the get up and go to pull out in the fast lane and pass them. Try to anticipate when you see a slow truck up ahead. When you see a significant break in traffic signal your lane change and move over to pass as quickly as possible. Sometimes your best intentions can't be met, and you'll get stuck behind a slower vehicle. If that's the case, just be patient and sooner or later, there will be a very large break in traffic and you can take the time to pass, or the climb will conclude and you'll both start moving faster.

[Lowsuv]

Be Careful going downhill .
The interstate that goes through the Eisenhower Tunnel is a brake killer .
The drum brakes on your trailer will be useless , halfway down .
Compression braking from using very low gears is your friend .
Diesel compression is even better .
It is possible to warp the front rotors of your pickup if it is a half ton or smaller .
Too much grade for a long stretch .
Gotta go slow or pay to have your brakes fixed , prematurely .

[2oldman]

Get the Mountain Directory West.

[98coachman]

Take your time! You'll love every minute of the scenery! It is all up hill, but you will be fine!:B Have a great trip, Bill