Tips for Pike’s Peak Highway

[GunMonkeyINTL]

I’m on an epically long business trip through the western states (which will include a day off for the Assault school in Tooele in a couple weeks). Tomorrow morning will find me in Colorado Springs with nothing to do until mid afternoon.

So, I think I’m going to take my truck up Pike’s toll road. Having never driven it, I wanted to see if there were any tips for getting up there and back without breaking anything, as I still have another 3k miles or so until home.

I’m assuming I lock out gears down to 2 or 3, and take it slow. ??
Am I going to hate driving something this wide up there? I watched enough rally footage back in the early 2000s to probably drive it with my eyes closed, but I understand there have been some significant changes in the last few years, and don’t know what to expect.

Anyone drive their Raptor up there recently?

Thanks in advance.

 

[GordoJay]

You'll have no problem. They paved it a few years ago. Locking out higher gears will get you down safely. Enjoy. Hopefully the smoke will blow the other way and you'll have good views.

 

[RaptorAddict1]

My wife and I were just up there last month for a trip. You won’t have any issues with width. Unfortunately, we were in a rental ram and not my raptor but I don’t believe a Raptor would have any trouble with the width. They are doing quite a bit of construction at the very top. Looks like it will be really nice when they get it finished up. Coming down you will want to stay in the lower gears. They will check the brakes for ya coming down

 

[SSWIM]

It's a mountain road. Nothing a Civic couldn't make.

Enjoy it. Neat drive.

Sam

 

[sward]

Must be a Prius owner...

 

[Sonicsunspot]

Gen2 ? Should have hill descent mode, this will save your brakes from overheating. They check them on the way down for overheating. Seems all the cars in front of me had to stop for a brake cool down. Mine were fine.
going up was fine but coming down was a blast. I turned off lane correction, just didn’t like wheel corrections up there.
Last time I was there I couldn’t drive all the way up. Had to stop about 90% of the way to the top and shuttle the rest of the way.

 

[mprice1234]

Going up is a walk in the park now that its paved. Coming down the only issue will be if you ride your brake causing them to over heat. I've seen red hot rotors coming down on white knuckle drivers.

 

[SuthJL]

I was up there last Friday. They don't let everyone drive all the way up because of the construction. At first we were stopped halfway and had to stand in line for a shuttle. Thankfully they decided to let 10 people drive up and we were chosen. I was in a crap rental with a CVT though. Great drive though.

 

[NHbeast]

^^ I ran into the same thing.^^ Had to shuttle to the top. Call ahead or check on line. Parking spaces are limited at the top due to construction.

The Rulz Linky

I drove from sea level to the summit in two days. I was very light headed, cut top time short, and headed down.
Used the tranny to limit speed and save the brakes.
There was a pit stop where they checked the rotor temps of all vehicles going down the hill.

 

[GunMonkeyINTL]

Gen2 ? Should have hill descent mode, this will save your brakes from overheating. They check them on the way down for overheating. Seems all the cars in front of me had to stop for a brake cool down. Mine were fine.
going up was fine but coming down was a blast. I turned off lane correction, just didn’t like wheel corrections up there.
Last time I was there I couldn’t drive all the way up. Had to stop about 90% of the way to the top and shuttle the rest of the way.

The toll booth operator mentioned that you had to stop at Mile 16, and take a shuttle... mask... Covid... blah blah blah. I told her I couldn’t wear a mask... **** Covid... HIPPA... blah blah blah, and she gave me a summit pass.

I’ll admit that I was nervous on the way up, just trying to imagine how my brakes weren’t going to give out on the way down.

No sweat on the way down. The paddle shifters in D were brilliant. I barely touched either of the pedals on the way down. A bit of brake on a dozen or so switchbacks, and a bit of gas in the dips. Otherwise, I drove with the paddles.