safulop

I took my road trip back from Calgary to Fresno this past weekend. All went well, including a trip on the Sonora Pass highway across the Sierra. I think this road shows the only '26%' grade warning sign in America. It's real easy to get a burned transmission on the way up and melted brakes on the way down. Manual shifting of the auto is a must!

One not-so-tiny mishap, I got lazy and stupid, and left a bra on my car for the whole summer. Wet weather has caused some paint bubbling on the end of the hood. Why must I be an idiot? Front end needed painting anyway. . . Everybody remember don't leave a bra on in wet weather! Don't do what I did!

Apologies to the 928 guys in Alberta who I never visited with; I was pretty busy at work.

-Sean

tv

that's right, she should take that bra off right now

Chalkboss

Just went up to that pass from the valley and back down the same way a few weeks ago- HW108. What a fantastic road when you get up above 6,000 ft. The road is perfectly smooth with undulations and curves for many miles. It was driving nirvana in the 928 with the sunroof open and no traffic ahead of me.

safulop

Yes it's a 'car commercial highway' for sure. And it does allow you to stretch the 928 handling if you aren't weak-hearted from the 1000-foot drops off the shoulder.

Bill Ball

I've lived in California most of my life but it appears I have not been on 108, at least not past Sonora. Been on everything around it. Putting it on the to do list. Thanks.

Alan

No but I've driven over this one - not in a 928 - I think that would actually be much easier than what I actually drove it in (more power, more grip etc...).

It actually hits 33% in places, makes it difficult to see the road ahead as it changes... very narrow, very twisty and pretty busy in summer - so an experience - but not a great 928 driving road.

Alan

123quattro

I have driven on 40+% irregular grades for traction control testing on previous projects.

Bill Ball

I'm not sure what Old Priest Grade off highway 120 on the way to Yosemite is, but I decided to take it DOWN once coming back from Yosemite in the family SUV. Brakes were useless and literally caught fire by the time we reached the bottom, fortunately unharmed.

Alan

according to this article its just 17%... that doesn't seem to mesh with the stories though...

Alan

123quattro

17% is steep. I don't think Interstates are allowed to go over 9%.

It's amazing how undersized brakes on cars used to be. They have only become reasonable in the last few years.

dr bob

The tremendously popular SUV's and "crossovers" seem amazingly under-braked these days. I think they generally carry the barely-capable brakes that were designed for the sedans from which they sprouted. Most are adequate for one stop. After that they are miserable at best. Exception to the Cayenne.

Bill Ball

It's flat near the top. As you go down it gets much steeper. Overall, yes, I calculated 17% from 2400 feet over 2.7 miles. But that includes a long flat section that is common to the New and Old Priest Grade. If you take the 1.8 miles that is just the Old Grade, the New Priest Grade bypassing it is 4.5 miles. I looked at some route mapping programs and they actually give far lower numbers (less grade) than I calculated. Maybe my fading memory is exaggerating the grade. Regardless, the Durango had the heavy duty towing package but it was not adequate for that tank on that grade. Route 108 and and that 30% monster you showed dwarf the Old Priest Grade.

jon928se

If I'm not mistaken that looks very like the south end of Wrynose Pass in Little Langdale. If so I've been up there in a 928. You do need LSD or PSD as the gradients on the inside of the hairpin bends comfortably exceed 33% meaning the 928 gets one front wheel and one rear wheel off the ground . In fact if you cut the inside of the hairpins too much the frame rail/chassis on the inside can hit the ground resulting in 3 wheels off the ground.

safulop

Yes Bill, Sonora is about where the fun begins! My first trip over 108, which was last year, included getting stuck for 2 hours up in the wilderness while CalTrans cleared the road. Some fool had tried to drive a semi up the eastern slope, and the clutch gave out with the truck across both lanes. The eastern slope has about ten signs saying "don't bring a tractor-trailer this way." Not enough for that joker, I guess.

Alan

Yes its Hardknot/Wrynose pass in the English Lake District between Eskdale & Langdale.

I've driven it several times long long ago - and recently again this summer while staying at Skelwith Bridge near Little Langdale.

The passengers get fantasic views - the driver doesn't get to look around too much though... especially in the height of summer.. you wouldn't want to be there in winter or too much rain - which of course they get plenty of...

Yes you are quite right on the tight inside turns, maybe a 928 is a little low... I've seen quite a few vehicles that just couldn't make it (and some drivers who probably just changed their minds...) - part of what make it a bit slow & congested

Alan