Duramax @ Shasta Caverns

[Craig M]

Visited Lake Shasta Caverns this weekend. To access the Caverns they have an 800 foot climb over a 2 mile one lane twisting "road". Their new 24 passenger bus is a GMC C5500 with the Duramax and Allison. They have 3 of them that they use. They had to use and old WWII landing craft to get them to the location. Will be interesting to see how well they hold up. Mileage will be low, but stress high.

[More Power]

Don't know what a 24 passenger bus weighs empty, but 24 people and gear could weigh up to about 5K. If the bus weighs 15K by itself, that's still a reasonable load, especially when considering most 5500's are geared low.

MP

[OC_DMAX]

About time they replaced those old buses. It was a little scary going up that hill in them (not to mention the trip down). Looks like the lake is almost full. Thats amazing, since last fall when I was there for two weeks it was down about 100 feet.

[Craig M]

Yes Lake is full, within 3 feet of maximum elevation, about as full as they want it. Drove our rental Houseboat under the I-5 bridge and just cleared it. We were up there late December last year and it was as low as I had ever seen it. On the way down the hill the GMC never got out of 1st gear, and driver still had his foot on the brakes most of the time. I did not see what gear he was in going up, but suspect it stayed in 1st most of the time.