Finally, our first trip... Albuquerque to Colo Springs

[Chief T]

Wife and I been chomping at the bit to take the TT out on its maiden voyage. Well, just made a reservation just south of Colorado Springs. Gonna take our time and stop overnight in Raton. An NRA training facility just south of Raton has several RV sites available.

Since first time out, any tips on negotiating the Raton Pass would be greatly appreciated.

[Big1]

Wow, that sound like fun enjoy yourself and let us know how it goes.

[Blackrock]

The NRA Whittington Center is a great place to stay. They have a nice museum at the visitor center. Happy traveling folks.

[fanrgs]

A great place to stay on your way home from CS is Sugarite Canyon State Park just east of the town of Raton. Tree-shaded, FHU and E/W sites at the Lake Alice campground. Great wildlife viewing (deer, elk, black bears, wild turkeys, bald eagles, and hundreds of hummingbirds--bring a feeder!) and good fishing at Lake Maloya with your NM fishing license and at Lake Dorothey with a CO fishing license. Our favorite NM SP campground--we were just there in July

[Chief T]

Originally Posted by fanrgs

A great place to stay on your way home from CS is Sugarite Canyon State Park just east of the town of Raton. Tree-shaded, FHU and E/W sites at the Lake Alice campground. Great wildlife viewing (deer, elk, black bears, wild turkeys, bald eagles, and hundreds of hummingbirds--bring a feeder!) and good fishing at Lake Maloya with your NM fishing license and at Lake Dorothey with a CO fishing license. Our favorite NM SP campground--we were just there in July

Thanks, sounds great. Will keep in mind for another journey. Cheers

[mgarland48]

Originally Posted by Chief T

Wife and I been chomping at the bit to take the TT out on its maiden voyage. Well, just made a reservation just south of Colorado Springs. Gonna take our time and stop overnight in Raton. An NRA training facility just south of Raton has several RV sites available.

Since first time out, any tips on negotiating the Raton Pass would be greatly appreciated.

It's all interstate. Take your time downhill. It is an easy pass for sure.

[carlsbad]

It's an easy pass. The road between Santa Fe and Las Vegas is far worse in the winter. In the summer both are a breeze.

[Harris85]

Congratulations on your new travel trailer. Have a fun and safe trip! Enjoy!

[curteric]

On the way home last March we stayed a couple of days at the Whittington Center. The campgrounds are very nice, We were one of 3 rigs there. It was very quiet and peaceful. The day we left it was raining to the top of Raton pass, then changed to snow . It was slow going and the wife white knuckled until we reached a lower elevation. I don't think the pass would ever be a problem in good weather.

[hollandsam]

You'll love the NRA center. Stayed there last spring. Loved the scenery and wildlife. Be prepared to wash your unit if it rains. We got ours filthy but it washed like new. Raton Pass is not too bad. Take your time and enjoy the drive. Better than sitting on a couch watching soaps or news thats for sure. Enjoy the trip.

[elchilero53]

The only tip I would offer is to take it easy going up and use the engine to slow yourself going down the other side and stay off of your brakes. We towed a 2000 Rockwood Ultralight 2602 with a 2001 Chevy Silverado 1500 Extended Cab with the 4.8L V8. It was a nice truck and towed well. The climb from the south is a lot like coming up I-40 from Edgewood to the top of Tijeras Pass. The climb from the north is more like the climb from the east side of Albuquerque to the summit of Tijeras Pass up Tijeras Canyon only longer. La Bajada Hill and Glorieta Pass are similar to each other in terms of climbs.

Hope you have a tranny cooler in your truck. The one I drove did have one and it never got hot going up a good climb. Your truck should handle but it will be slow. Have fun and a safe trip - and watch your speed going down hill.

[Brother Les]

just got back from a campground between Colorado Springs and Canon City, Mountaindale campground. Full hookups, nice CG and very nice people. We were there for five days... Dozens and dozens of Deer in the campground. could walk up to five feet for many of them. Also, There were 4 bears that came into the campground every day. One large male and a female with two cubs.... Do not leave any food or coolers out at night. one had the back of his truck tore up, as he had a bag of dog food in the back of the bed. if you have small animals, do not leave them unattended. Be aware that of the wild life (man and beast) in the campgrounds and on the roads. Nice weather, but it did rain every day for about a half hour.

Do you have tire minders? you should get some.

We did also drive up Pikes Peak.... if you go, take time, as the drive up and down could be a little nerve racking. Have more than half a tank of gas if you go. Coming down, drive in low gear at 5-10 mph. Half way down, they will check the heat of your brakes and make you stop/pull over for a half hour to cool them down.

[Walholler]

You didn't mention what tow vehicle you have so my comment may or may not be useful to you. I live in the very flat land of southwest Louisiana. Our tow vehicle is a Chevy 2500HD diesel with the exhaust brake and our TT is a 32 ft. 5th wheel. I drove our rig to Idaho going up and over the Raton Pass. I had no difficultly going up or down the mountain with our rig. I actually did not use my brakes at all, just turned the exhaust brake on and let the engine hold it back. There is a nice RV park at the summit of Raton Pass, it was a great escape from the August heat I encountered in Texas and New Mexico.

[elchilero53]

Originally Posted by Walholler

You didn't mention what tow vehicle you have so my comment may or may not be useful to you. I live in the very flat land of southwest Louisiana. Our tow vehicle is a Chevy 2500HD diesel with the exhaust brake and our TT is a 32 ft. 5th wheel. I drove our rig to Idaho going up and over the Raton Pass. I had no difficultly going up or down the mountain with our rig. I actually did not use my brakes at all, just turned the exhaust brake on and let the engine hold it back. There is a nice RV park at the summit of Raton Pass, it was a great escape from the August heat I encountered in Texas and New Mexico.

His signature line says he drives a 2003 GMC Sierra 1500 with a 4.8L V8. I presume it has either a 4-speed or a 6-speed tranny. It'll tow it up and over Raton Pass but it will be slow going up.

[Chief T]

Originally Posted by carlsbad

It's an easy pass. The road between Santa Fe and Las Vegas is far worse in the winter. In the summer both are a breeze.

Thanks Carlsbad, appreciate it. Actually going to avoid the Glorieta Pass and go east on 40 towards Santa Rosa, then Rt 84 north to Las Vegas. Just want to avoid all the hills of the pass.

[Chief T]

Originally Posted by hollandsam

You'll love the NRA center. Stayed there last spring. Loved the scenery and wildlife. Be prepared to wash your unit if it rains. We got ours filthy but it washed like new. Raton Pass is not too bad. Take your time and enjoy the drive. Better than sitting on a couch watching soaps or news thats for sure. Enjoy the trip.

Thanks. Only an over-nighter, but looking forward to it anyway.

[Chief T]

Originally Posted by elchilero53

The only tip I would offer is to take it easy going up and use the engine to slow yourself going down the other side and stay off of your brakes. We towed a 2000 Rockwood Ultralight 2602 with a 2001 Chevy Silverado 1500 Extended Cab with the 4.8L V8. It was a nice truck and towed well. The climb from the south is a lot like coming up I-40 from Edgewood to the top of Tijeras Pass. The climb from the north is more like the climb from the east side of Albuquerque to the summit of Tijeras Pass up Tijeras Canyon only longer. La Bajada Hill and Glorieta Pass are similar to each other in terms of climbs.

Hope you have a tranny cooler in your truck. The one I drove did have one and it never got hot going up a good climb. Your truck should handle but it will be slow. Have fun and a safe trip - and watch your speed going down hill.

Thanks elchilero53, appreciate it. Yes the GMC has tranny cooler. Tow pkg with 3.73 gears. We took the TT out on Saturday to see how she handles on the highway and how the GMC managed some grades. Headed west towards Grants with a couple 4% grades and the pair are a perfect couple. Engaged tow/haul mode, kept in 3 and worked as a charm. Didn't need to brake going down. Actually it was a bit of a confidence builder. Have a old Navy buddy that used to live in Weatherford.

Cheers

[Chief T]

Originally Posted by Brother Les

just got back from a campground between Colorado Springs and Canon City, Mountaindale campground. Full hookups, nice CG and very nice people. We were there for five days... Dozens and dozens of Deer in the campground. could walk up to five feet for many of them. Also, There were 4 bears that came into the campground every day. One large male and a female with two cubs.... Do not leave any food or coolers out at night. one had the back of his truck tore up, as he had a bag of dog food in the back of the bed. if you have small animals, do not leave them unattended. Be aware that of the wild life (man and beast) in the campgrounds and on the roads. Nice weather, but it did rain every day for about a half hour.

Do you have tire minders? you should get some.

We did also drive up Pikes Peak.... if you go, take time, as the drive up and down could be a little nerve racking. Have more than half a tank of gas if you go. Coming down, drive in low gear at 5-10 mph. Half way down, they will check the heat of your brakes and make you stop/pull over for a half hour to cool them down.

Thanks Brother Les. We're going to be staying at the same campground. Looking forward to some R&R. Tire minders and a rear camera are on my list to get over the winter.

[dwayneb236]

Made a few trips through the Raton Pass, but this was during winter heading to Colorado to ski. The wind that blows through there can be a bear. Was driving along and saw the trailer of a big rig in front of us start to blow and slide sideways. So I'd be mindful of the winds. I know they can be strong but don't know about any season other than winter.

[fanrgs]

We just towed our trailer over Raton last month. Going south was a problem because we were in one of the hardest downpours I have ever been in--crosswinds, limited visibility because the wipers couldn't keep up, traffic slowing to 35 MPH all the way up. Coming back north on a cool, but dry, day, we had no problems. Light traffic moved well, used my exhaust brake to keep from going 75 downhill, and there was no wind.

In good weather, Raton is never a problem--it's a 7900-ft, high pass on a 4-lane Interstate, not 12,000-ft., barely 2-lane Independence Pass!