Date: Thu, 24 Jul 2008 10:02:29 -0700
Reply-To: David O'Shea <DOShea@GEOMATRIX.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: David O'Shea <DOShea@GEOMATRIX.COM>
Subject: Re: Least Steep Passes over the Sierra Nevadas? (for a stock
Vanagon Westy)?
In-Reply-To: A<166489.16449.qm@web54303.mail.re2.yahoo.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
3 weeks ago I took a 1.9l diesel Westy over Sonora Pass from west to
east without incident. That's Highway 108 from Sonora in the western
foothills up and over to Bridgeport in Inyo county. I don't know the
grade relative to the other Sierra Passes, but I managed it with an
occasional reduction of my top speed to 20 mph in the steepest spots
near the summit (9,624 ft.). My coolant temps were medium high, about
2/3rds of the way to the red zone, but stable (radiator fan screaming on
high speed). The outside temperature was in the high 70s in the
mid-morning.
I can tell you that Sonora Pass is spectacularly beautiful, so you won't
mind taking it slow and easy. Let me also give a plug to Bodie State
Park north of Mono Lake near Bridgeport. It's a really interesting Ghost
Town now protected by the State.
If you really want to experience steep and slow, try Berthoud Pass in
Central Colorado at 11,307 ft. I did that one also on my recent trip and
it had us down to 12 mph in 2nd gear (5-speed trans), with slight smoke
plume of unburned diesel trailing me as I reached the summit.
-Dave O'Shea
-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf
Of Michael Hart
Sent: Wednesday, July 23, 2008 5:29 PM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Least Steep Passes over the Sierra Nevadas? (for a stock
Vanagon Westy)?
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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