Driving I-70 through the Rockies in the winter... (Denver, Glenwood Springs: home, law)

[chilaili]

This is why I hate the fact that it's getting increasingly difficult to buy a manual drive car in this country. I know a lot of people drive safely thro the mountains in an automatic but I never feel safe in one of those. I want to be the who decides when to change gears, not the car. I use my manual gears to slow the car down without having to stomp on the brake and in 16 years have only once spun the car on an icy road (which resulted from going around a bend too quickly). By the time I get around to selling my vehicle I bet there won't be a single new, stick-shift vehicle anywhere in North America

[Montana Griz]

Originally Posted by jazzlover

>>>>>>> downgrades. I nearly always shift my 4WD vehicle OUT of 4WD on slick downgrades-because the front axle drag in 4WD can actually cause a loss of steering control when coming downhill. .......... Having 4WD is of zero benefit on downgrades, ............................"

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Originally Posted by superorb

......................many people "cook their brakes" on long downhill grades. People must not notice all the signage that tells you to use a lower gear and keep it slow for several miles ahead.

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Of all the info contained in this 'Thread"............the above quoted info is..IMHO..some of the most important.

I've driven I-70 west out of Denver into Utah and other western states (Way before the "tunnel" was constructed..) started doing that drive in 1965....Vehicles were: RearWD cars, RearWD P.U. FrontWD cars, 4WD P.U. .... and many times:a 4WD P.U. loaded with hunting gear--pulling a 4-Horse trailer>>>>over the top of "Loveland Pass (11,400')" in a Blizzard & 11 to 16 inches of snow on the road--plows could not keep up--. "WHY you ask"?------Because ELK HUNTING SEASON opened the next day....and we were on our way to our "elk camp" up Deep Creek Canyon west of Glenwood. Probably did THAT drive and many others like it (without the trailer) 150 times ----in LOUSY, snowy, wind-blown conditions---. But as stated above & in this thread: 1/..weight over the drive wheels; 2/ keep it out of 4WD going down grade; 3/ shift into a lower gear going down grade. 4/..have tire chains & a Tow Strap & (various other "common-sense" winter items" in the vehicle---just-in-case.

But don't worry..................if you go "over-the-side"......they usually find you in 2 to 3 days

EDIT: Need to correct myself: the elevation of the highway (Old CO Hwy #6) as you went over LOVELAND PASS, was 11,992 feet, obviously 2-lane and virtually no shoulder area. It was that type of dangerous highway until 1973 when the west bound lanes of the Tunnel were opened & in 1979 the east bound lanes were opened.

Up until I992 there was nothing but a two-lane highway (at river elevation) through Glenwood Canyon for 16 miles, the Interstate stopped at Gypsum. In '92 the present section of I-70 opened.

If you want a "Thrill".............find yourself on the top of Loveland Pass (11,992 feet) at 9 pm in a Blizzard...lying on your back on the snow-covered pavement...under your P.U.....re-setting the H.D. Tire-Chains on all 4 wheels,------because you now will begin the long drive through the blinding snow on the west side of the Continental Divide, ----continuing to tow the 4400 pound horse trailer behind you--loaded with 4800 pounds of LIVING HORSE FLESH!!and obviously with the 4WD transfer case disengaged to the front axel (wheels). I'm sure that God was extra generous with the amount of "good-luck" he handed out on nights like that!!!

[McGowdog]

Originally Posted by Dogmama50

Once you're past Vail it should be a fairly easy drive, if there has been a recent storm Glenwood Canyon may have some icy spots, just take it slow, keep good distance between cars and drive smart, you should be just fine.

I'd agree to a point, but I drove my brother to California in his Trailduster and a U-hall in tow just the day after a Bronco/49er Superbowl debacle, and once we got somewhere into Utah, we were coming down a pretty good grade, and we came upon a snowstorm that approached like a fog bank... we started to slow down and what we saw ahead was a traffic jam on the ice. Due to the fact that I was down to 20 mph and the jack-knifing of my trailer, I was able to go around a stalled vehicle on I-70, drive around the shoulder, and back onto the road. From then on, we drove in 4wd high with the transmission in 2nd gear for a bit.

When decending on snow, go slow and use your gears, imo. Don't ever tailgate. Let the jerks pass you. Stay in the slow lane. What's the rush?

You might have to treat yourself in Vegas one night if the weather is good enough for you to make the 16 hour trek... in good weather that is.

[superorb]

Originally Posted by Montana Griz

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EDIT: Need to correct myself: the elevation of the highway (Old CO Hwy #6) as you went over LOVELAND PASS, was 11,992 feet, obviously 2-lane and virtually no shoulder area. It was that type of dangerous highway until 1973 when the west bound lanes of the Tunnel were opened & in 1979 the east bound lanes were opened.

Here ya go, I took this last Sunday. It was at the top of the pass. You can even see I-70 in the background if you look carefully enough.

[phetaroi]

Originally Posted by Montana Griz

If you want a "Thrill".............find yourself on the top of Loveland Pass (11,992 feet) at 9 pm in a Blizzard...lying on your back on the snow-covered pavement...under your P.U.....re-setting the H.D. Tire-Chains on all 4 wheels,------because you now will begin the long drive through the blinding snow on the west side of the Continental Divide, ----continuing to tow the 4400 pound horse trailer behind you--loaded with 4800 pounds of LIVING HORSE FLESH!!and obviously with the 4WD transfer case disengaged to the front axel (wheels). I'm sure that God was extra generous with the amount of "good-luck" he handed out on nights like that!!!

Ah, why exactly would you do that?

[Montana Griz]

Thanks "superorb"............. I drove through Colorado last year coming back from my 60th high school reunion and came over Loveland Pass. It still kinda lets you know how majestic those Colorado Rockies are.

Way back in 1967 a hunting buddy and I crossed over the top of "Mt San Louis" on horse back during a 7 day "High Country Quality Deer Hunt"..(F&G regs in those days: had to be above 10,000 feet, and you could only harvest a 4-Point or better Buck.) We were well inside the boundry of the LaGarita Wilderness Area. Never saw another human for 6 days.

Edit:.....forgot to mention the elevation of the game trail over the top was 13,996 feet and those special hunts were from Sept 1st through Sept 7th........Timber Line (a I remember) was about 11, 900).

[clgil77]

While I know this trip has passed (I am knew to this site). I recently looked at those steep downgrades outside of Denver in on I-70. Yaw were brave. To do those in the winter time?? Whew! I would have flown but it was probably cheaper for a family to drive. How did it go?

[Montana Griz]

Originally Posted by clgil77

While I know this trip has passed (I am knew to this site). I recently looked at those steep downgrades outside of Denver in on I-70. Yaw were brave. To do those in the winter time?? Whew! I would have flown but it was probably cheaper for a family to drive. How did it go?

Originally Posted by phetaroi

Ah, why exactly would you do that?

When you're young, (mid thirties), somewhat fearless and love Elk Hunting you do things like that.

And you gotta remember..................this was before the days of the Interstate............nothing but 2-lane highways back in the 1960(s).............and only about 3 feet of shoulder.
Wouldn't trade those memories for anything.

[DOUBLE H]

It wasn't that many years ago that Interstate 70 was just that-a two lane highway. In fact, Interstate 70 was a two lane road going through Glenwood Canyon until that massive (and costly) job was finished, it being completed I'm guessing in the early 1990's. There was also a stretch between DeBeque and Palisade where the designation on road maps was not I-70, but U.S. 6. The Eisenhower tunnel was completed in 1973, am thinking around Easter. The eastbound (Edwin Johnson) tunnel was completed six years later.

And yes, the roads were narrow. But I enjoyed those roads as the state had only 25% of the population as it does now.

[Montana Griz]

Originally Posted by DOUBLE H

.................................................. .................................................. ..................
And yes, the roads were narrow. But I enjoyed those roads as the state had only 25% of the population as it does now.

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..................and that's why I moved to Montana