Colorado Interstate I25 & I70

[rwjejts]

We're planning a trip this year and will be traveling through Colorado on I25 & I70, I've never driven this route before and am a little concerned about up / down grades (mainly down). I have a 31' Seahawk 5th wheel (GVW 1300lbs) and 04 F250 with 6.0 PSD. Brakes on trailer are in good condition and I'm sure the truck's are still Ok with only 20k miles on them.

Are there none/some/many steep climbs & descents on these interstates, or should I not worry about it? Also, I plan to stay in tow/haul mode and let the transmisson do the up/down shifting as needed

Just trying to get an idea of what to expect as far as road conditions before we actually get there...and also any advice on my towing method would be appreciated.

Please chime in if you have any experience on these Interstates. Thanks...

[rwjejts]

We're planning a trip this year and will be traveling through Colorado on I25 & I70, I've never driven this route before and am a little concerned about up / down grades (mainly down). I have a 31' Seahawk 5th wheel (GVW 1300lbs) and 04 F250 with 6.0 PSD. Brakes on trailer are in good condition and I'm sure the truck's are still Ok with only 20k miles on them.

Are there none/some/many steep climbs & descents on these interstates, or should I not worry about it? Also, I plan to stay in tow/haul mode and let the transmisson do the up/down shifting as needed

Just trying to get an idea of what to expect as far as road conditions before we actually get there...and also any advice on my towing method would be appreciated.

Please chime in if you have any experience on these Interstates. Thanks...

[LarryFR]

Your question depends on what parts of I25 and I70 that you plan on driving. I25 does not have much except for the grades up and down Raton Pass at the south end of Colorado. Raton Pass is not a difficult pass.

I70 East of Denver is mostly flat.

I70 West of Denver has many grades of about 6%. There are relatively few curves so the car traffic travels 65-80 MPH depending on the driver. Be careful that you don't allow your speed to climb to match the cars. You don't have the stopping power of a car. Use the engine as a brake. If the tow haul mode doesnot keep you in a low enough gear to hold your speed on the downhill then you need to downshift manually.

As mountain driving goes, I70 isn't too bad, just use your engine for a brake and go slow.

Larry

[rwjejts]

Thanks Larry. We're coming from Texas so will be headed North on I25 to Denver then West on I70 to Grand Junction. Meeting up with friends there and then headed to Bryce Canyon and Las Vegas.