# Crossing Wyoming on route 80. How steep?



## artmo (Sep 7, 2004)

We are taking our first cross country trip in our RV. A 30 foot fifth-wheel. People (not RVers) have us concerned about crossing the Continental Divide.  Has anyone gone over this? How steep are the grades? We are assuming that since this is a major east/west road that it is kept up fairly well.  Any comment would be appreciated.


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## hertig (Sep 10, 2004)

Crossing Wyoming on route 80. How steep?

Personal experiance would be the best, and hopefully someone with some will append here.  But in the meantime, you might want to consider using Good Sams routing tool, which lists any 'significant' grades on your selected route.  This will only tell you if there are any and where.  To find out the details, they sell books which fully describe all 'significant' grades.  Compare the ID on the route with the description in the book, and you are fully informed...


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## janicenlarry (Sep 10, 2004)

Crossing Wyoming on route 80. How steep?

Truckers Guide will also give you info on grades, low bridges, etc.


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## Grump (Sep 10, 2004)

Crossing Wyoming on route 80. How steep?

Wyoming I-80 has a few grades, one from Cheyenne going to Laramie, another after Laramie toward Rawlins and then the "three sisters" between Limon and Evanston. They are long pulls, they will slow you down but you will not struggle on them. They are not the Mountainous twisty turny roads that you might be concerned about. I am guessing about 4 to 5% grades at most.


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## Larry (Sep 15, 2004)

Crossing Wyoming on route 80. How steep?

I80 across southern Wyoming is not a mountainous road.  In addition to the specific hills that Grump mentioned, you might want to know that it crosses a rolling plain with a multitude of hills of 4-5% grades but each hill is not a very long pull.  

Traveling from east to west will have you going against the prevailing wind.  There is an almost constant wind from the northwest.  Rarely is it severe but it blows almost all the time.  

You didn't say what your tow vehicle is.  If you are within the GCWR of your tow vehicle, you will not find this highway to be challenging.

Larry


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## hertig (Sep 20, 2004)

Crossing Wyoming on route 80. How steep?

Sorry, Larry, the GCWR of the vehicle is how much you can carry/tow  safely.  It does not guarantee you won't find it challanging.  Diesel
engines generally will pull the maximum load without difficulty, but all but the very biggest gas engines can be unpleasant towing up hills.

My trailer is less than 2/3 of what my truck is rated for, and it is rock solid pulling and stopping.  However, the midsized gas engine of the truck has great difficulty pulling the trailer up any grade at all. As soon as I hit an up grade, my speed starts dropping off, and if the grade is long or more than a few degrees, I can't maintain speed whatever I do.  I'm guessing the highway in question is 'similar' to I40 between Amarillo and Albuquerque, which I had an unexpected amount of trouble with.


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## Larry (Sep 27, 2004)

Crossing Wyoming on route 80. How steep?

John,

I guess I was somewhat misunderstood.  I didn't mean that your truck or any other's would pull these grades at the speed limit.  I am aware of the definition of GCWR.

What I meant was that the road could be negotiated safely.  The combination of grades and wind will almost certainly slow most RV's down even those with big engines.

I don't consider it a problem if you can only go 30 MPH up the hill.  That means that you join the 18 wheelers in the slow lane. It doesn't mean that you have a problem.    

Larry


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