When is a hill a hill?

[Spindrift]

In an earlier post I described my test pull.

Today I spoke to a regional Pennsylvania DOT engineer who told me that the grades I was pulling are between 20% and 25%. He called the hills Chester County "rollers". To be more exact, I was on SR 352/Baltimore Pike. Stage coach paths a few years ago that went over more rock than dirt. When our forefathers built the roads, they didn't have the equipment to move the rock so these rollers are their gift to us. He also said that the maximum allowable grade on an interstate is 8-10%. I wasn't able to verify the guy's credentials.

This experience got me to thinkin'. What's the steepest and longest grade you've ever pulled? And what's the location?

[Tough Guy]

There are some pretty good grades in South Dakota near Rushmore...8%-10% and for a long ways with lots of corners....With my 5vr in tow, it was a good work out for the 6.5 and tranny!

Cheers

[a5150nut]

There is a little hill out of Bishop California that is 16.5 miles of 6.5%. As far as a 20% grade, unless it is only short distances I would question that.

I have built some driveways in the hills that were 21%. That is max for a fire truck and that is only on the streights. Curves are limited to 11% max.

[Spindrift]

a5150nut...there were four of these bad boys; one right after the other. I estimate each hill to be 1/2 to maybe 3/4 miles in length.

[tanker]

Spindrift, not sure what the %grade these were, but "Powder River Pass" 9660ft. on US-16 between Buffalo and Worland Wyoming, always made my Suburban moan :rolleyes: going up, and smile smile.gif going down. "Wolf Creek Pass" 10,850ft. on US-160 in Southern Colorado, also said I need more power :D But we arrived at our destinations ok.
Chester County hills, eh? :rolleyes: I also roll along on them thar hills. You can't be that far from us! ;)

[a5150nut]

You must have been headed south. North out of Bishop is 16.5 miles. Pulled it once whith my 74 3/4 ton towing a 54 Ford 1/2ton, both loaded. My wife was driving so I told here to pull over at first chance. She told me she could drive the hill ok. I told here she was going to but pull over anyway. I jumped in the 1/2 ton, both trucks loaded and still hooked with tow bar. I waved at her to go and droped the clutch. The 3/4 was an automatic and the 1/2 was 4 gear. We crested the hill Push-pull at 65mph!

3/4 was a C25, 350 and auto. 1/2 was 283 chevy and topshift 4 gear.

Worked well on the next grade up by Mono Lake too. Except I had to back off on the curve because I could see the back of the 3/4 starting to drift out. Just as I got back into the 3/4 a CHP passed going south...... :eek: Don't realy know the legalities of driving two vehicles while attached with a tow bar tongue.gif

[rwpierce]

On Vancouver Island from Qualicum Beach on highway 4 to Port Alberni I encountered 12% grades.We were going to the Pacific Rim National Park fortunately without the trailer that was left at a beautiful provincial park in the Giant Redwoods just west of Qualicum Beach.

[MartyB]

In Seattle proper is a 18% grade for one mile, James st, in Kent is James Ave, or the other way around as far as St vs Ave, is 15% for 1 mile, there a number of other roads here in King county listed as 10-15% from 1/2 - 1 mile in length. Supposidly there is a road in Tacoma that is listed in the mid 20% range. I had a client with a 100 yd long driveway that was 34%!

Marty

[tanker]

Wow talk about getting far off the subject. :rolleyes: The steepest street in the US that I know of is "Filbert Street" between Hyde and Leavenworth, in San Francisco, 31.5% :eek: It'll make a native San Franciscan gasp. :D Of course the Famous "Lombard Street" is 40%, but with the installation of the switch-backs its about 16%. Down hill only, keeps the brake shops busy. :D

[DogDiesel]

The grade of all grades I have pulled is the 29 mile 9% killer out of Yakima Washington.

Bill Heath refers to this hill as his cooling system test.

I agree.

Wayne

[Spindrift]

Originally posted by MartyB:
In Seattle proper is a 18% grade for one mile, James st, in Kent is James Ave, or the other way around as far as St vs Ave, is 15% for 1 mile, there a number of other roads here in King county listed as 10-15% from 1/2 - 1 mile in length. Supposidly there is a road in Tacoma that is listed in the mid 20% range. I had a client with a 100 yd long driveway that was 34%!

Marty Marty...you reference a "list" in your post. Is there a publication that provides grade information for local, county, state or interstate roads?

[MartyB]

Spindrift,
My list is road signs at the top of the hills before going down!
If you or any others want a list of interstate, and state hwys, there is a book that does that, but I have the name at home, somone else may know the book, MTN dirctories of the west, and east IIRC. About $20 at camping world.

[Mudflap]

The grade up Black Mountain on I-40 going into Ashville North Carolina has fried many a motor home. It has got to be one of the longest in the East.

[billnourse]

Spindrift,

Wolfcreek Pass (Southern Colorado). Don't know the grades, but a 4300 ft elevation difference in 40 miles.

Red Mountain Pass (Southern Colorado). 4500 ft elevation difference in about 30 miles.

I-80 between Salt Lake City and Park City Utah. It's about 10 miles of three or 4 lane, and it's illegal for trailers to use the left lane. Most semi's were at 35 to 45 MPH, and this road is pretty straight.


Regards,

Bill

[Spindrift]

howieE/Tanker,

You boys have spent a fair amount of time on the "right coast". How does the pull on I64 going west over the Blue Ridge Mountains compare to what you've seen out West?

[eracers999]

When is a hill a hill, hmmm, to all of you that have posted on this topic imagine if you will being in your hard pull and then magicly having a 6.2 non turbo under the hood, hmmm would you have made it over the top??
Kent

[Colorado Kid]

The 6.2s always get to the top, if they don't get rear ended first. :D The combination of low forward speed and smokescreen is hazardous.

You used to see those rigs all the time, flat-lander in with a 5th wheel and either a 6.2 or a N/A Ford 6.9 or 7.3. The Semis passed them on the "hills" west of Denver.

[HowieE]

I just spent 3 weeks in New Zealand. After that there are no hills in this country.
The main road across the southern island at Arthur's Pass has a 16% grade for 5 or 6 miles. The only saving grace was that it was the only road in the country that had a straight run for more than 100 ft. In general they do not denote a road to be curvey if the turns on it are less than 120 degrees. The best you can hope for in the way of guard rails is the tandem trailer comeing in the opposite direction if he happens to be on the outside.

Around hear I like the road into Grand Cashe BC from the north side coming down from Grand Prairie and going north on the Icefields highway in BC. Those are 2 grades that you will remember because you get to use all your gears.

[BuffaloGuy]

I did the AL-CAN in the early 80's (before it was paved). We were towing a '62 chevy Apache 10 loaded to the hilt with a '70 Ford loaded to the hilt and topped a hill that had a rusted sign, almost buried, next to the road that appeared to say 21% grade.

Nah, couldn't be. In about 100 yards we realized the sign must be right and we were going to have a run-away on the gravel without even so much as a cable to keep us on the curving road and out of the huge gorge we saw off our side of the road.

I wasn't driving so I jumped out and jumped on the hood of the towed chevy (mine by the way), rolled over it and ran alongside the Chevy until I could get the door open. All the time we were gaining speed.

Once in the seat, I jammed the clutch in and slammed it into 3rd gear and dumped the clutch. (I started it later). Saved our tails.

It wasn't too many miles later we saw a rusted sign that said 19% grade and we payed attention this time. I made the switch while stopped at the top! Much safer.

[James Hewett]

When is a Hill a Hill?
When your gutless F, gasoline power truck goes a hour& ahalf in 2nd gear and either the tach or speedometer will climb to a higher speed and the headwind helps keep you from having to use any brakeing when you have to pullover for a rest stop , like happened to us, climbing the Rockies toward the continental devide in Wyoming on Rt.80. That's when! That's when enough is enough with a 5.4 Fd. gasoline eng.too!