High Mountain Driving – part 1
By Jerry Smith
Director of
Environmental Affairs for the United Four Wheel Drive Associations
Most
4-wheelers think that high mountain driving is the same as wheeling other
terrains.
While
there are many similarities, there are many differences. We will try to explain
some of those little things that you may or may not have heard of.
Yep, the
Colorado high country can turn white with deep snow ANY time of year. Yes, it
can be that cold over about 9000 feet.
You can start in
the morning to a blue-sky day and sometime during the day, a dark cloud will
appear coming over the mountain. Some of these storms are surprisingly
violent.
Many of us like
to run with the top down or off and the doors off our vehicles. Where are you
going to ride out the storm?? Will you have some warm clothes that will keep
you dry??
This is why the
United Four Wheel Drive Association and the Colorado Four Wheel Drive
Association both preach; "Go prepared to spend at least one overnight out
in the country EVERY TIME YOU VENTURE into the Colorado high country. I live
this no matter where I go.
You never know
about a calamity that will strand you for a day or two in the mountains.
Landslides, rockfalls, washouts, wildfires, and blown down trees are some of
the possibilities. Has anyone ever had a breakdown?? These things can happen
before or after you pass by and then you cannot return to your camp or hotel.
Be ready to survive a cold night on the mountain.
Can you build a fire?? Do you have at least
warm clothes to wear?? Blankets or a sleeping bag are even better. A small tent
or tarp will be like a palace. Food and water are other necessities. If it rains, will you be wet and cold or at
least semi-dry?? You’re going to be
cold. One other thing, you need to drink plenty when in the high country. The air is usually drier than most people understand and will dry you out. This will eventually cause altitude sickness to more easily invade your self, and it is often too late when you notice the effects.
How about a flashlight and spare batteries
you can find? These seem like such a hassle
and will take up a lot of room. One cold
dark night without all this stuff while you're stuck under a tree high up in
the mountains and you'll think of this warning long and hard. Some of us speak from experience.
I was out with two others one day reopening a
trail that Nature had closed a long-time ago (maybe 25+years). We had made good progress and were near the
end of the loop when it got dark and we were stuck behind obstacles in both
directions. Crossing, either way, would
have been dangerous in the dark, so we set up “camp”. One of my companions had awakened late and
had zero with him (no coat, food, or other warm clothes).
Between all the gear I pack and the third
guy, we were able to feed and outfit the second with enough to keep warm that
very cool night and feed him again the next day. People have always told me I carry too much,
but the second man had no such thoughts.
Your first gear purchases
The first thing I bought when I purchased my ’73 CJ5 was a Hi-Lift Jack. It was a few months before I could afford a
winch and that jack saved me a few long nights out digging my way out of
deep snow I insisted I could drive through.
In the years I owned that first jack, I literally wore out the pins and
springs and rebuilt it once.
With
the attachments they have for the Hi-Lift Jack now, you are a fool not to have
one with the attachments you may need (IMHO).
Learn how to safely use that Hi-Lift before you’re out in the bush in
bad conditions. You will thank me for
that advice.
Your second gear purchases
The
same advice applies to your new winch.
Learn the proper use of the winch and the recovery gear you’ll need to
use it.
You’ll
need some stout recovery anchor points on both ends of your rig. Those are NOT a maybe thing, those are
mandatory. You don’t want a recovery
point being jerked off the vehicle flying around looking for someone to hurt.
You
will want to KNOW how to rig a winch in differing configurations to do what
needs doing when the time comes. Not all
pulls will be straight ahead. There are
plenty of videos on the internet to learn from.
Next
will be another piece of recovery gear… the kinetic snatch rope. This will be called to duty many times if you
wheel often. Hopefully, it will be to
pull others out of a predicament, but the first time YOU need it, the cost to own one will no longer mean much.
Get
to KNOW the difference between a tow strap and a kinetic snatch strap if that
is the way you choose to go. The snatch
strap can be used to tow, but except in dire emergencies, never try snatching
with a tow strap.
****
One note of interest about snatch straps you seldom hear. Snatch straps have a very limited use
cycle. Each time you make a pull/snatch
with it will make it less stretchy.
After about 10 of these hard pulls, most will have no stretch left and should
be retired. *** This is why I recommend using a kinetic ROPE rather than the kinetic strap. If not abused and taken proper care of, the kinetic rope will last for 200+ hard pulls.
MOUNTAIN DRIVING
Okay,
let’s talk about the business of mountain driving and why it is different from
other wheeling you may have done.
High
mountains and their thin air will make your rig labor more than usual. That is one small thing to remember. Overheating can and will happen easier even
though the air may be cooler. Be extra
watchful of your temperature.
High
mountain roads and trails are often steeper than lower elevation roads. It is often best to stay in a lower gear to
keep from overheating or slipping the transmission on the uphill climbs and to
use the engine as a braking force rather than riding the brakes for long
distances going down. DO NOT overheat
your brakes by riding them for long distances.
Those
with drum brakes will notice brake fade before the ones with disc brakes, but
either will “fade” or diminish as they heat.
You want brakes that will stop you without fail on mountain roads.
Using
your low range and turning off the overdrive at times will help the engine hold
your speed on most hills. Try to never
use your brakes to learn this technique on a steep downhill. It can take a bit of experimenting to find
the right gears to keep your speed down.
One
more thing about the brakes. Whenever
you drive through water, slush, or runny mud, apply the brakes for a short
distance to dry them every time you exit the water. Watch the guy ahead of you. If his brake lights aren’t coming on after a
water crossing, tell him you’re watching.
Make a game out of catching each other forgetting.
Rules of Thumb
Rule
of thumb number one. Uphill traffic has
the right-of-way. In Colorado, it is a LAW, but the law states there are exceptions that should be made.
You’ll hear all kinds
of reasons for this law/rule, but here is the right one.
Have
you ever had to back down a hill on gravel?
What happened when you tried to stop??
The vehicle may or may not stop and it may change direction which can be
more than dangerous on a narrow road.
That
is the “rule”, but there are going to be exceptions to that rule. Common sense must overcome the “rule” if
necessary or circumstances make sense.
Just be VERY careful if you are the one backing downhill. Do not hurry for any reason!!
Rule
of thumb number two. Unless otherwise
marked, the legal speed limit on most mountain roads is 25 mph. Although you will seldom see this enforced,
this is one of the rules. County road speed limits will vary.
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