Highest Elevation - which was yours?

[suny07]

Hi

our highest point towing the Montana was 9,584 Ft - Continental Divide.
The RAM pulled like charm

Mike

[mlh]

I’ve bookmarked at 9200 feet on Union Pass Wy in the middle of the summer. Frost every clear night and up to the seventies by noon.
Lynwood

[scottz]

In Colorado we don't start counting until it hits 10k. We have been over these many times:

Red Mountain 11018'
Monarch 11312'
Eisenhower 11158'
Molas 10910'
Spring Creek 10901'
Wolf Creek 10850'
Coal Bank 10640'
Lizard Head 10222'
La Manga 10230'

However, you probably need a Ford if you are going to try these.

[BB_TX]

Only 9,424’ (La Veta Pass) multiple times on trips to South Fork CO area. The previous 2007 F350 pulled it well. Current 2012 F350 pulls it great.

[samroll]

Monarch Pass 11,312'

[twindman]

I have done Wolf Creek and one in Utah near Cedar Breaks that was over 10,000 at one point. Oh, and when I started out without the Mountainous Driving books, I went west to east over the 'Oh My God' hill in the BigHorns of Wyoming. 8 miles of 8% and 10 miles of 10%. 25mph and I think it may be around 9000 ft.
Also, Lynwood, I don't know how you get a trailer up to Union Pass!!! I have driven the truck up two or 3 times, but it is a struggle because of narrow and washboard stuff. Once I got about 2/3 the way from Dubois west, and talked to some campers. They said it got worse continueing on West!!! So I turned around and went back.

[TLightning]

All diesels are turbos now...no problem at altitude.

[mlh]

Originally Posted by twindman

I have done Wolf Creek and one in Utah near Cedar Breaks that was over 10,000 at one point. Oh, and when I started out without the Mountainous Driving books, I went west to east over the 'Oh My God' hill in the BigHorns of Wyoming. 8 miles of 8% and 10 miles of 10%. 25mph and I think it may be around 9000 ft.
Also, Lynwood, I don't know how you get a trailer up to Union Pass!!! I have driven the truck up two or 3 times, but it is a struggle because of narrow and washboard stuff. Once I got about 2/3 the way from Dubois west, and talked to some campers. They said it got worse continueing on West!!! So I turned around and went back.

I gave my fireplace to a MOC member when he got to my home he ask how I got my camper up to your house. You haft to cross a 12 foot wide bridge 90 degrees from the pavement and come up our winding road. I started to tell how I did it and instead I just said ‘I have a Ford’. He had a really nice 3500 Chevy. He said ‘that is why I ask. When we all quit laughing his wife said ‘I think Tom got you, and I said I think so.
The real answer to your question is you put your truck in 4 wheel drive LOW and just ease along. It’s really easy with a Ford. I’m sure with a Chevy to.
Lynwood

[Creeker]

We've done several at 10k to 11k+ while traveling Colorado. One of our favorite NF campgrounds is at 10,500. We've dry camped there many nights.

Wolf Creek pass was the toughest pull we've done.

[padredw]

All of these but one and some additional ones. Probably more I don't remember.

Red Mountain 11018'
Monarch 11312' at least 10 times
Eisenhower 11158' Many times
Molas 10910'
Spring Creek 10901' Not yet, Slumgullion has held me back
Wolf Creek 10850' 6 or more times
Coal Bank 10640'
Lizard Head 10222'
La Manga 10230'

Freemont Pass 11,319
Tennessee Pass 10,423
Togwotee Pass 9,659

[jeffba]

Have done Monarch Pass with the Chevy will see how I like the engine brake on the Ford. Really liked the engine brake on the Chevy

[WeBeFulltime]

Originally Posted by twindman

Oh, and when I started out without the Mountainous Driving books, I went west to east over the 'Oh My God' hill in the BigHorns of Wyoming. 8 miles of 8% and 10 miles of 10%. 25mph and I think it may be around 9000 ft.

Did the same thing only East to West this past summer pulling our 3791RD.

[suny07]

WOW
And I thought I am the only exited one about that topic

[twindman]

My only trip up the Oh My God hill was with a 2004 Silverado. They only had a 5 speed Allison trany. And that engine (made for only 1 1/2 years) overheated often. Diesel palce forum had a thread on the subject and how to fix it that was 1700 posts long!!!

So anyway, I crawled up at 25 mph and kept thinking I MUST BE near the top. Finally I found a pullout and stopped. Pretty much the whole way it was running about 10 degrees above normal - not too bad. I let the engine run to cool down and after 5 minutes it hadn't changed. Thinking maybe I remembered wrong, maybe I should shut it off. WRONG. I got about 20 feet from the truck and radiator started boiling over. Ran back and started it again. I added a gallon of water and fluid (after cool down) and got it ready to go. Continued on up the hill and turns out the top was 1/2 mile farther!!! Of course..

And while stopped, another pickup said just a few weeks before, a family with kids, and an aunt or grandma was going down the hill - on their first ever rv trip with a diesel pusher. They rode the brakes which eventually went out. Over the cliff and all were killed. By the way, my wife won't let me take that road again!!!

[rames14]

Most of us in the west routinely do those elevations. Our driveway at 7500 feet is worse than any of those passes. We recently pulled the Montana through Death Valley. That was a good test. Temps in the engine got to 233 degrees. But the Ram never faltered. Again, I have a harder time on the drive. I have to go up in 4 wheel low.

[paul01]

Linda and I have been over it two times. And the Ram pulled our Rl3635 effortlessly.

[WaltBennett]

Originally Posted by samroll

Monarch Pass 11,312'

I know we went over that too, but I believe we hit a bit over 11,400 somewhere else.

[Hamlej]

Wolf Creek Pass, in Colorado 10, 850. Gas mileage was not the best but the Ford Power Stroke made the climb with ease pulling 16k.

[h2ojocky]

Wolf Creek Pass 10,850 feet. No problem!

[N2BchMtnMrsh]

Eisenhower Tunnel this year. The Chevrolet 2500 did just fine pulling the 15,000 pounds up and over. It would pull up to the top of Pikes Peak, 14,000 feet, if I asked it to!