US 160 Over the Mts. (UT to CO)??

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Ernie n Tara

Ernie n Tara

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Joined
May 16, 2009
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4,290
Location
Ft Myers, FL
Hi,

We're looking to go to Colorado for some fly fishing and the most direct route is down 191 and then via. 160 through the mountains. How good is the route from the perspective of hills and road condition??

Thanks,

Ernie
 
Why don't you save some miles and take US491 from Monticello, UT to Cortez, CO? No big climbs or downhills that I can remember.
I guess it depends on where you if this makes sense.
 
Where are you and where are you going? We live in Cortez and travel the roads around here a lot.

Wendy
 
Wendy,
We're in Salt lake and going to Antonito, CO. Hwy 6 and 191 to 491 and then 160  across the mts. looks to be the most nearly direct route.
Ernie
 
Ernie n Tara said:
Wendy,
We're in Salt lake and going to Antonito, CO. Hwy 6 and 191 to 491 and then 160  across the mts. looks to be the most nearly direct route.
Ernie
Click to expand...

That's the route. On Hwy 6, you'll climb up out of Spanish Fork. It's a pretty good climb but nothing difficult. Hwy 191/491 to Cortez is some ups and downs but nothing hard (I think you've done this section already?). Hwy 160 from Cortez to Pagosa Springs has some ups and downs but, again, nothing much. At Pagosa, you can take 84 south to 64 to 17 and up to Antonito. I haven't been on that section of road in an RV and don't remember much about it. Or you can stay on Hwy 160 UP over Wolf Creek Pass. It's a BIG climb up (8% most of the way), but it's a major truck route, in good shape, and not a bad drive if you take your time. Once you drop down the other side of Wolf Creek (6-8%), it's pretty much flat from South Fork to Antonito. The whole run from Moab to Antonito is a real pretty drive.

Have fun
Wendy
 
Wendy said:
That's the route. On Hwy 6, you'll climb up out of Spanish Fork. It's a pretty good climb but nothing difficult. Hwy 191/491 to Cortez is some ups and downs but nothing hard (I think you've done this section already?). Hwy 160 from Cortez to Pagosa Springs has some ups and downs but, again, nothing much. At Pagosa, you can take 84 south to 64 to 17 and up to Antonito. I haven't been on that section of road in an RV and don't remember much about it. Or you can stay on Hwy 160 UP over Wolf Creek Pass. It's a BIG climb up (8% most of the way), but it's a major truck route, in good shape, and not a bad drive if you take your time. Once you drop down the other side of Wolf Creek (6-8%), it's pretty much flat from South Fork to Antonito. The whole run from Moab to Antonito is a real pretty drive.

Have fun
Wendy
Click to expand...

I suggest Wolf Creek pass instead of hiway 17 if you're going that far south.  Hiway 160 has had extensive rebuilding over the past many years and is now open and in excellent shape for an alpine hiway.  Either way works but in a RV Hiway 160 is the one, even though it goes way north after Pagosa.  A much better option (IMHO) from SLC is to stay on I70 to Grand Junction, then south on 50 to Montrose, then over thru Gunnison and down to Hiway 285 to Alamosa, then Antonito.  Maybe ??? longer but lower passes for the most part.  After Gunnison it's a very curvy road to Saguache.  There are some bypasses around Alamosa but not for the unfamiliar.  Unless you're in a hurry, the Black Canyon around Gunnison is worth several days, minimum.  The run up to Crested Butte is really worth a day, easily.

You can PM me if you want more info... regarding Hiway 50 between Gunnison and Ponca Springs.

In any event, you are traversing a beautiful part of the west... one of the best, IMHO.
 
Gunnison to Poncha Springs takes you over Monarch Pass. Wolf Creek or Monarch, either way you're going up and over the Continental Divide. Of course, if Colorado was flat, it wouldn't be the beautiful place that it is :)
 
Actually, it looks like the Grand Junction, Montrose, Gunnison, Poncha Springs route is only about 4 miles longer than the Cortez, Pagosa Springs, Alamosa route. Isn't wonderful to have so many choices ?

Wendy
 
Wendy said:
Actually, it looks like the Grand Junction, Montrose, Gunnison, Poncha Springs route is only about 4 miles longer than the Cortez, Pagosa Springs, Alamosa route. Isn't wonderful to have so many choices ?

Wendy
Click to expand...

If you wanna miss Poncha Springs, take the turn to Saguache off Hiway 50, SE of Gunnison... it's the curvy one but shorter.
 
Thanks to all. We're starting Tuesday and will likely take the route over Wolf Pass on 160. We'll be staying to fish for at least a week and may well stay in the area a month or more if it works out well.
Thanks again,
Ernie
 
This is an old topic, but I would like to ask what the experience was like. I am planning to do the same stretch in a 34ft Tiffin Allegro towing a Honda Fit on a dolly. Do you think I will make it ok.
Thanks for any feedback
 
Either route, US-160 over Wolf Creek Pass, or US-50 over Monarch Pass will be fine with your rig. 

Do you have mountain driving experience? 

If not, just remember: 
When going up hill to keep your RPM's up in the 3500-4500 range.  When you start to feel the engine going under load, press the accelerator a little harder to get it to down shift and then let up a little to keep the RPM's in the above range.  Watch your temperature gauge, if it starts to climb, slow down and get into a lower gear to keep your RPM's up.  Yes the engine will sound like it is screaming.  That is normal.  I assume you have a Ford engine.  It is designed for higher RPM's.

When going down hill, be sure to turn on your Tow/Haul mode.  When at the top, if you are starting a 7%-8% downhill grade, slow down to about 35mph, downshift to 3rd and start down.  When your speed picks up, press hard on your brakes for 10-15 seconds to get your speed down about 15mph.  If you have to do this more than once every 30 seconds you are going to fast and in to high a gear.  Slow down even more, perhaps even to 25mph and shift into 2nd gear.  You don't want to apply your brakes more than once every 30-90 seconds.  Best is to be in a low enough gear and slow enough speed to not apply your brakes more than once every 45-90 seconds, unless you have to slow for a sharp curve.
 
As noted above this is a pretty and fairly easy trip. We've done it a couple of times now the first in a 2006 Georgy Boy gasser towing a Jeep. No problems at all if you drive reasonably.

Ernie
 
Just to update. I drove over wolfpass with no problem. It was slow at the top and the mileage was low, but no problem. The way was scenic and a stop at the top is well worth it
 
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