Western N. Carolina Grade Names

[6_Myles]

I've always wondered what the official names are for some of the steeper grades around here. Here are a couple:

1.Hwy 25, starting in S. Carolina at The Cliffs and ending around Saluda. I've always called it the Saluda Grade.

2. I-40W, from Hickory to Asheville

3. Hwy 19/23N (Future 26) from Asheville to Wolf Laurel

Does anyone know they "official" names? Let me know some of the other one's that I'm missing around my parts that I should see.

 

[FaC]

You could argue on the Western Carolina part but I77 NB at the NC/VA line (Fancy Gap) is a pretty good grade - about 7mi @ 4-5%

FaC

 

[geonc]

You could argue on the Western Carolina part but I77 NB at the NC/VA line (Fancy Gap) is a pretty good grade - about 7mi @ 4-5%

FaC

Been up Fancy Gap a few times and even got stuck up there during a real bad snow storm in '78 going to Bluefield W VA

 

[Brickman]

Once you've travelled the 6-8% grades of the Rockies with 80K lbs, 4-5% seem like humps in the road.

Give Vail, Eisenhower, and Wolf Creek Passes a try in CO. I've heard that Red Mnt Pass also in CO is bad, i've never been on that one.

 

[SeeYa]

1. Green River Gorge
2. Linville Gorge(I could be wrong. didn't go that way much growing up)
3. Sam's Gap

 

[rubberfish]

Once you've travelled the 6-8% grades of the Rockies

I was thinking the same thing.
We've got several around here that
are 10's and 11's. Now those are pulls.
They give a truck a good workout.
Sorry 6_Myles, i didn't mean to steer away
from the original topic. I'll go sit down now.

 

[EDMGUY69]

I'll give a few that I know of.

I've always wondered what the official names are for some of the steeper grades around here. Here are a couple:

1.Hwy 25, starting in S. Carolina at The Cliffs and ending around Saluda. I've always called it the Saluda Grade.This would be the Green River/Tuxedo Grade

2. I-40W, from Hickory to AshevilleOld Fort Grade

3. Hwy 19/23N (Future 26) from Asheville to Wolf LaurelThis one draws a blank.........??????????


I-26 from Columbus (Hwy 74) to Flat Rock (Hwy 225) would be Saluda Grade which takes you through the Green River Gorge

Does anyone know they "official" names? Let me know some of the other one's that I'm missing around my parts that I should see.

 

[Brickman]

I was thinking the same thing.
We've got several around here that
are 10's and 11's. Now those are pulls.
They give a truck a good workout.
Sorry 6_Myles, i didn't mean to steer away
from the original topic. I'll go sit down now.

I've never drove truck in BC, but you reminded me of a couple good uns in Idaho too.

 

[Joe Mc]

Once you've travelled the 6-8% grades of the Rockies with 80K lbs, 4-5% seem like humps in the road.

Give Vail, Eisenhower, and Wolf Creek Passes a try in CO. I've heard that Red Mnt Pass also in CO is bad, i've never been on that one.

They have 6 and 8 percent grades back east and they can be quite tricky, they are just not as long as the western grades. I use to run over a 7% grade in Alabama that I swear was a lot closer to 8% than 7%.

I have been over the Colorado passes the you mentioned, including Red Mountain in winter, you never know when 1 of those snowballs that are rolling down the hill and across the road is going to start of an avalanche. Cdot has lost a couple of snowplows on that pass. If you like Eisenhower, take the road over the top of it, that is Loveland pass. Teton pass in Wyoming is the steepest I have been over, from the top you have 3 or 3.5 miles of 10% grade either way you go. If you go east, after the 3 miles of 10% you still have a mile and a half of 7%.

When my wife and I were driving the large cars, she would run any of the hills except Black mountain in North Carolina, she would always get me up for that one.

 

[RLDSL]

I've never drove truck in BC, but you reminded me of a couple good uns in Idaho too.

How about Lewiston grade and Whitebird pass.... those will give you a workout!
First time I climbed Lewiston was at night in the fog. About the time I dropped to third ( in a 72 Kenworth with a 1693 cat that was putting 500 ponies on the ground ) I knew I was on something. Next day I stopped at the top before coming down empty. first time I've ever had to catch my breath

---------Robert

 

[Brickman]

How about Lewiston grade and Whitebird pass.... those will give you a workout!
First time I climbed Lewiston was at night in the fog. About the time I dropped to third ( in a 72 Kenworth with a 1693 cat that was putting 500 ponies on the ground ) I knew I was on something. Next day I stopped at the top before coming down empty. first time I've ever had to catch my breath

---------Robert

I've been down Lewiston with a full load of lumber. Another guy I know that had trucked all over ID and OR told me that before I start down to make for damn sure I was in low range. I was sure glad he knew the area and gave me that advice.


A few years ago when I was far less experienced I was in a truck with no jakes headed down I 17 from Flagstaff to Phoenix. I was looking for a place to run off the road that wouldn't hurt too much. NOT fun.

 

[ELIHMAN]

I thought from hickory to Asheville is called Black Mountain

 

[bigbrowngoat]

OLD FORT is at the eastern base of BLACK MT. I pulled a load of steel i beams up it on a IH 4700 WITH THE dt466 AND A 6 SPEED IN IT PUT IT ALL THE WAY BACK TO 2ND GEAR