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Old 05-27-2017, 10:05 AM   #1
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Iowa to Yellowstone Planning Help Please

DW and I are "discussing" (and cussing) our proposed route to Yellowstone in early September. I planned on going via I-80 to Rawlins then north. DW ( a former long haul truck driver) has warned me about the stretch between Cheyenne and Laramie as being quite difficult. She says there is a way around it on Hwy 210. She says it's a little 2 lane road that stays in the valley and eliminates the climb/descent.

She is mostly worried about the brakes and the pulling power of our 100k mile '92 Pace Arrow (460 Ford).

How tough is it? are there any other features on our proposed route that we should be aware of? I want to make this trip as easy as possible, even if we have to go a little out of our way.

Thanks!
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Old 05-27-2017, 04:32 PM   #2
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I've been over that stretch of I-80 many times, the only remarkable thing about it I remember is wind. While Sherman Summit is the highest point of all I-80 from coast to coast, it's only at 8,640 ft., much lower than other highways in the Greater Yellowstone/Teton region.

If your wife worries about the engine power and brakes on that stretch of Interstate, what about when you get to YNP? You'll have to navigate Dunraven (8,859') and Craig Passes (8,262') on the grand loop road. The max speed in YNP is 45 mph, so not as much pressure to go fast.

Downshifting is the key to handling elevation change.

Going up, a lower gear gets the engine in the best torque range. You won't be a speed demon, us the pull outs to let other traffic by, but you won't overheat the engine by lugging it. Higher RPMs mean the coolant circulates more, you shed heat through the radiator.

Going down, downshift to use engine braking instead of friction braking. Use the brakes to scrub off 10 mph or more, then foot off the pedal until the next need to reduce speed. The folks that ride the brakes to maintain a slower speed are the cause of brake fires, smoke, and brake failure.

I'm sure you'll do fine, stop and view the scenery when things get too warm.

Leaving YNP, the road to Cody goes over a rise to 8,600' then down to Cody at 5,000', but it's over a 40 mile stretch.

Going out the South Entrance, if you go on U.S. 26, Moran Junction to Dubois is over Togwotee Pass at 9,658'.

So, as you can see, you'll encounter many grades that make the one on I-80 at Sherman's Summit the least of them since it's 2-3 lanes wide in each direction.
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Old 05-27-2017, 04:57 PM   #3
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Thanks

Thanks for the tips and the advice. The only other times we have driven in the immediate area, we were on our Goldwing. About got blown over on one trip. THAT was scary, and we don't want to repeat that. Another time on the bike, we got snowed on in early June at the Old Faithful Lodge.

Because the bikes' engine and brakes are so powerful I guess I never realized the elevations changes were that much. I tend to ride that thing like a sportbike anyway when nobody is looking......

Because of our relative inexperience with our rig, we want to take it easy on ourselves, and our equipment as well. We will be going on this trip with new tires all around, pads and rotors on the front and new shoes on the rear. Hopefully, we wont get those too hot, but decently bedded in before they have to be used in earnest.

Proper gear selection seems to be the key to successfully navigating in the area. I'll have to practice locally before we get out there.

Thanks again for the great advice!
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Old 05-27-2017, 07:59 PM   #4
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You may have read it already, but I asked a very similar question in this post.

http://www.irv2.com/forums/f42/enter...ns-341905.html

Have fun,
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Old 05-27-2017, 08:46 PM   #5
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Originally Posted by jlckmj View Post
You may have read it already, but I asked a very similar question in this post.

http://www.irv2.com/forums/f42/enter...ns-341905.html,

Have fun,
Jim
Yeah, we saw that one, and that was what prompted our question about I-80. MY Linda (not yours) was worried about the climb out of Cheyenne to Laramie, and we just wanted to make sure our old, decrepit rig would make it. Depending on when you are going, we might see you there!

Jim

(The OTHER Linda and Jim LOL!)
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Old 05-27-2017, 08:53 PM   #6
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I've been on I80 many times and there has never been an issue with it. Sometimes the winds can get a bit testy, but it is a very easy drive.
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Old 05-28-2017, 04:05 PM   #7
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Some general information about YNP (some general items apply to GTNP also)

YNP is about 45 miles E/W and about 65 miles N/S (2.2 mil. Acres total). The figure 8 loop road inside the park is about 140 miles around. The lower loop is 96 miles and the upper loop is 70 miles around and yes, it is bigger than the states of Rhode Island and Delaware combined.

Whatever time that you think you will need to see YNP you better double it, or to say it another way is that you will see one half as much as you planned on in the allotted time. The Bison think that they own the road (they do!) and will slow down the traffic to walking speed or all stop for 1/4 mile or more blocking both directions of travel, the thermal attractions also tie up traffic and with a 5 month long summer tourist season that coincides with a 5 month long road construction season and a 45 MPH radar controlled speed limit it will take about a full day to see each loop and then you will only see the main attractions. In addition to the occasional construction delays they will also sometimes close whole sections of road (for uninterrupted night construction) between 10 PM and 8 AM in the morning, if you are running late and get caught at night in the wrong area it CAN be a LONG way around to your CG! (The entrance stations will have current construction information or go on line to check it out)

Then there is the elevation- YNP ranges from a low at Mammoth- 6239 ft to 7784 ft at Fishing Bridge or higher if you go hiking! Drink plenty of liquids and pace yourself when walking.

I recommend that you get up EARLY, leave the CG and be back by 4 or 6 PM have dinner and be sitting in your recliner drinking a cool one when your neighbor drags himself back to the CG at 8-10 PM. Remember that from mid May to mid July in YNP the sun doesn't set until shortly before 10 PM then there is a long twilight.

Cell Phone Service- Only at the major visitor centers, otherwise spotty.

Clothing- Especially in the early or late season it is not unusual to have a 30 or even the occasional 40 degree temperature change throughout the day. Dress with easily shed layers of clothing. Also dress in bright easily seen clothing. I am sure that we all have been to a sporting event, parade or Disney World etc. and we blink our eyes and our partner/child has disappeared. My DIL was born and raised in HI, you guessed it, every Xmas, b-day or Father's Day I receive a Hawaiian shirt. One of them is shiny black with 4-5 inch dia. bright flowers. Not many of them in Wyoming and in YSNP, that is what I wear. If your partner has on a Violet blouse and a Orange scarf with a Pink hat I guarantee that she will be the only one within the boundaries of either NP. It can save you a few anxious moments.

Water- Now I will have to contradict myself, at the altitude of YNP yes, drink lots of water! HOWEVER, be aware that the flush toilet restrooms are are in the major tourist areas- Mammoth, Canyon, Fishing Bridge, Lake Hotel, Bridge Bay, Grant Village, Old Faithful, Madison Junction etc. The geyser basins and other thermal attractions areas have only pit toilets. I have seen the pit toilet line at the lower Geyser Basin 25 or more feet long (bless the tour buses) So be smart about drinking your water and use the major tourist area R/Rs before leaving the area!

Sun- At YSNPs altitude the sun is intense (uv) have and apply sun screen, wear that old floppy wide brim sun hat, wear sun glasses!

If your luck is like mine Old Faithful will have just erupted when you get there and you will have up to a hour and 10-20 minutes wait for the next one. Tour the O/F geyser basin while waiting for the next eruption. Old Faithful INN is a must see, reportedly the largest LOG building in the US. (meals are "A-OK" also).

We have lived about 110 miles (4739' my driveway elevation) from W. Yellowstone, MT since 1964, go there 3-4 times a summer (normally before Memorial Day and after Labor Day) and haven't seen it all of it yet! So don't be discouraged that you didn't have the time to see all of YSNP. Just plan on coming back another time!

I honestly don't mean to scare or discourage you but to give you a heads up as to what to expect! After all there was 4.1 Million visitors in 2015! And as far as I know didn't lose one of them!

Note- I have seen on this blog and others about folks "day tripping" from YNP to GTNP. It is done all the time (myself included) however, remember this is BIG country, and with the 45 MPH speed limit, you will be doing a LOT of driving. From the Grant Village visitor center (extreme S/E corner of the lower loop road) to Jackson, WY is about 80 miles with Coulter Bay being about 1/2 way. Then from Grant Village you have to add the distance to your CG it will be a LONG days trip. A point of clarification, There are two (2) CG's at Coulter Bay, I forgot their names! One a full service "RV Park" with FHU's that takes reservations, the other "CG" has no hookups and no reservations. They are located basically across the road from each other.

When in the Jackson area I highly recommend seeing the Bar J Chuckwagon dinner show! If you go, MAKE RESERVATIONS and BE THERE EARLY TO PICK UP YOUR MEAL TICKETS/SEATING TABLE ASSIGNMENTS! They seat you by when you show up to get your tickets NOT by your reservation number. Tim, their fiddle player has won the "Idaho state old time fiddle contest 7 times and the US open fiddle championship twice". If you decide to go you will sit at picnic type of bench seats/table, they get pretty hard, I recommend that you take along a blanket/pads to sit on. We day trip it there 2-4 times every summer just to see them! Disclaimer- We have no financial or other interest in the Bar J only that it will be the best $$ value for your money for your trip! Check out their website.

Bar J Chuckwagon
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Old 05-28-2017, 06:02 PM   #8
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Then there is the elevation- YNP ranges from a low at Mammoth- 6239 ft to 7784 ft at Fishing Bridge or higher if you go hiking! Drink plenty of liquids and pace yourself when walking.
Those elevations may be true for some of the attractions, but the Grand Loop road varies much more than that. There's Craig Pass, Dunraven Pass, and many other points where the elevation varies more than from 6,239 - 7,784.'

In leading over 500 adults and teens through the area over the years, the only health issues have been from dehydration. One gal took a fellow teacher's advice to save pack weight and not take water on the 7 mile hike over Mt. Washburn (10,223'). At the end, back at the van, she had a panic attack thinking it was having a stroke. An ambulance ride to Lake Hospital and 4 hours of hydration, she was perfectly fine, except her wallet was $800 lighter.
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Old 05-31-2017, 07:59 AM   #9
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We did the route you suggest-I 80 to Rawlins, the north through Lander and DuBois. We were towing so we unhooked our toad I believe in DuBois for the final ascent over and in to Moran. I don't remember the name of that pass but when you crest the peak you have a beautiful view of the Tetons and valley. I usually unhook the toad for the big hills so I make it as easy on the drivetrain as possible. We have the W24 chassis with the 8.1 liter. I would also echo the comments on the wind. We had a slide topper awning come unfurled as we were driving in WY, but caught it early and was able to get it rolled back up. Enjoy your trip.

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