Date: Thu, 24 Jul 2008 09:49:13 -0700
Reply-To: Donna Skarloken <dskarloken@GMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Donna Skarloken <dskarloken@GMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: Least Steep Passes over the Sierra Nevadas? (for a stock
VanagonWesty)?
In-Reply-To: <001601c8ed9c$bf4c7840$4001a8c0@gateway.2wire.net>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1
Donner is best. Carson not too bad. I never had any trouble with any of
these passes until my current Syncro; I wonder if the motor is bad. 1st
gear east bound on Sonora pass, didn't think we would even make it. Never
had that trouble before, not even in our 73 or 74 Westfalias.
Donna, 87 Syncro passenger van
On Thu, Jul 24, 2008 at 7:51 AM, Don Hanson <dhanson@gorge.net> wrote:
> Here's a site with lots of info on that area you are talking about. Page
> around and I am sure you can find somewhere on the Deathride site where
> each
> pass's actual profile is given. As I recall, Carson Pass is much less
> steep
> than Ebbits Pass, but longer and more subject to possible headwinds. There
> really is no easy way over the Sierras, as the Donner Party learned long
> ago..
>
> http://www.deathride.com/maps.html
>
>
> Don Hanson
>
> Date: Wed, 23 Jul 2008 17:29:15 -0700
> From: Michael Hart <mjhart853@YAHOO.COM>
> Subject:
>
>
> I am planning a round trip loop through the Sierras in California starting
> next week (starting from the San Francisco Bay Area)
> The Sierras have gradual gradients going East, but coming back West is a
> different story. Last year I took Highway 4 (Ebert's Pass) both ways (most
> convenient for our planned destination), but the West direction is VERY
> steep (25% for the last mile close to the summit), so I was down to 1st
> gear
> in my fully loaded Westy (temperature gauge running at the high side on a
> very hot day > 100F and strange sounds coming from the
> engine/transmission).
> Also, the approach to Ebert's Pass from Highway 395 over Highway 89
> (Monitor
> Pass) was pretty steep too.
> No apparent damage to the engine or transmission and since then I've had
> VolksCafe completely rebuild the cooling system (new radiator, stainless
> pipes, etc, etc.) [btw - great work by Peter at VolksCafe!], so I'm not too
> worried about overheating, but I'd rather not stress the engine so much
> again. Hence I will NOT be taking Ebert's Pass West again and need an
> alternate route.
>
> I've tried to find out the gradients of the other major passes, without
> success.
>
> So to my question - can someone tell me how steep Highway 88 (Carson Pass)
> is going West from the Lake Tahoe area? (I've driven this before, but not
> recently or in my Westy, you don't notice the hills quite so much in our
> other car, a 2.8liter V6 VW Jetta...). Any other ideas for the 'least steep
> pass' over the Sierras?
>
> Thanks,
> Mike
> '87 Westy (stock 2.1l)
> '97 Jetta GTX (2.8l VR6)
> '00 Cabrio GLX
>
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