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Donskiman · 05-11-2023, 03:43 PM

Tomorrow we'll be traveling west on I-94. Looks like some significant ascents and descents. We have a 37 foot gasser towing a Ford Escape, roughly 4,000 pounds. Have any of you done this route? I know it will be slow going up, but how steep is the down? Just wondering if we should unhook and drive separately. It's not as high as the Colorado mountain passes we've traveled, but it looks like it may have steeper areas than I've driven before.

**Camp CA** · 05-11-2023, 05:06 PM

Suggest planning the trip in RV LIft Trip Wizard https://tripwizard.rvlife.com/?msclk...#5d94b25ceb785. It will show you the elevation and grades along the route. Plus Mountain Directory for truckers, RV and Motorhome Drivers https://mountaindirectory.com/ provides a detailed description of major grades in each state. We use both for trip planning.

Donskiman · 05-11-2023, 05:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Camp CA

Suggest planning the trip in RV LIft Trip Wizard https://tripwizard.rvlife.com/?msclk...#5d94b25ceb785. It will show you the elevation and grades along the route. Plus Mountain Directory for truckers, RV and Motorhome Drivers https://mountaindirectory.com/ provides a detailed description of major grades in each state. We use both for trip planning.

Thanks. I have those. I can see the grades and wanted to know how my gasser may handle them.

shootist · 05-11-2023, 05:13 PM

Driven it often. Not a bad idea to drive both rigs. It’s got 2 long steep grades and a few other shorter ones. Going to be warm for one and two it won’t be so hard on the coach motor. Mileage may even come out ahead with a gasser. Not that far of a drive at the speed limit up here. Which is one more plus to decoupling.

twogypsies · 05-11-2023, 05:24 PM

You're talking about I-90; not I-94.

From the 'Mountain Directory for Truckers & RVers':

Homestake Pass 6375' EL - has 2 summits about 2 mi apart and between them is a valley with a rest area at MP235. Westbound descent into Butte is 3 mi of steady 6% grade

(I-70 Vail Pass 10,603' elevation is a steady 7% for 8 miles with 2 runaway truck ramps)

We've done them both and I-90 is easier.

rk911 · 05-11-2023, 05:24 PM

The Mountain Directory shows a peak of 6400' with 6% ascents and descents. Should not be a problem for you.

Donskiman · 05-11-2023, 07:02 PM

Thanks everyone. Seems like it shouldn't be that bad.

Yes, it is I-90, not I-94. It was raining hard as we got into Billings and I saw the I-94 sign where the two merge.

Now I can sleep well tonight!

marsingbob · 05-12-2023, 12:03 PM

Drive it fairly often with a 29' Class C pulling a Jeep Cherokee. No problem, not that steep and fairly straight 4 lane road

Donskiman · 05-12-2023, 05:20 PM

It wasn't really bad at all. There were 4 ascents/descents. Didn't slow much on the first ascent or descent. The second wasn't bad either. The third descent was steep and winding for 3 miles and even using tow/haul I had to jam on the brakes a few times. The last ascent, Homestake Pass, was a bit of a grind. Got down to about 35 for a short bit, but overall not too bad. Based on the previous descent I decided to shift manually into the lowest gear before descending. That enabled me to go down at 35-40 without using the brakes at all for the steep section. Probably slower than necessary, but I was comfortable.

The elevation profile in Trip Wizard made it look more challenging than it was.