(If you would like to see a Winter version of this drive
click here.)
I would like to share a visual representation of my commute with you all. You can follow along this drive by plugging in the following directions into either Google Earth or Google Maps:
From: Damonte Ranch Pkwy, Reno, NV 89521
To: Incline Village, NV
This commute starts in Reno, Nevada at 4,500ft of altitude, traverses the summit of Mount Rose at 8,900ft., then drops back down to 6,350ft. in Incline Village, and I drive it 4-5 days per week, all year round. The main route is Mount Rose Highway, Nevada SR 431. The grade is often 6-7%. The total distance in each direction is 27.2 miles, and the speed limit on Mount Rose is 50 MPH.
Here I see my target, Mount Rose, in the distance. Vertical ski runs and one lateral road transition can be seen on its face:
After traversing 1.3 miles in a residential neighborhood, and 2.3 miles on SH 395, I begin climbing the Galena Foothills, where Mount Rose Highway meets SH 395. The summit is 17.1 miles away. Notice the snow on the mountain on the right (today is July 1st):
Yes, this is a long grade:
Here's a shot of my SGII on this grade. I'm in 4th gear at 50 MPH, and this is what I'll average for the whole trip into Incline Village:
Approaching Thomas Creek Blvd., which lets me know I'm nearing the top of the steeper part of this grade:
The Galena fire house, which contains the Ambulance and secondary rescue vehicles that respond to accidents on Mount Rose. There are more accidents on this little highway than anywhere I have ever seen before. I am still 13 miles from the summit here:
Entering Galena Forest:
Beginning to climb Mount Rose proper:
A glimpse of the backside of Slide Mountain (named for the tremendously huge double mudslide that it produced back in the 1980's):
Heading into our second hairpin turn, which is part of a series of 3 that are very close together:
Climbing out of that hairpin turn (this is a 12 MPG segment - owie):
Climbing through a slight turn before the next hairpin:
Lining up for the 3rd hairpin in this section, as I pass through 7,000ft. of elevation. Notice the ridged centerline (the shoulder lines are ridged as well), for "driving by Braille" in the snow:
A majestic view of another mountain:
Notice the rough lines across both lanes. These are divots from the snowplows. Between these and the center and shoulder ridges, "ridge riding" is out:
Entering the mid-way hairpin:
This is the garage of my best buddies, the Mount Rose Snowplow Drivers! If it weren't for these folks none of us would ever make it over this mountain in the Winter. As soon as it starts snowing they start running non-stop, 24 hours a day, and when it gets really bad they bust out the world's biggest snowblower:
A decent view of the Washoe Valley:
Continuing to climb, and you can see another section of the highway on the next finger:
Here's a nice grade, as I pass through 8,000ft. of elevation:
This is the main entrance to the Mount Rose Ski Area, which doesn't look like much right now, but is a major local hangout during the Winter. This is where I learned how to snowboard last season:
Climbing to the summit:
A finger of the summit, accompanied by an avalanche warning:
Final summit approach:
A view of the peak of Mount Rose, which has a lot of antennas, and the top end of several ski lifts:
This picture needs no narration:
Now comes the descent to Incline Village, 6.3 miles away.
This is the saddle at the summit, a favorite of hikers in the Summer, and sledders and snowmobile owners during the Winter. I FAS past the other end of the saddle:
Now I'm in a 3rd gear DFCO on a steep grade:
Here's a shot of my SG II in this section:
Still traversing the grade. You can see that the side of the trees that face the road are destroyed, and dead. This is due to the huge snowblower I mentioned earlier:
Even in a 3rd gear DFCO I'm gaining speed. I was doing 45 MPH at the top of the grade, and now I'm doing 50. I'll be doing 55 MPH before I hit the big turn:
Another majestic mountain view as I enter the area of Incline Village:
A small view of Lake Tahoe as the grade increases again:
Approaching SH 28, Lake Tahoe Blvd., which loosely follows the shoreline on this part of the lake:
That's my commute to work.
Yes, it is dangerous, especially in inclement weather, which happens all too often in the colder months. The tourist influx the mountain sees at key points of the year greatly compound the problems.
But it is also beautiful, exhilarating and challenging. You should ride with me on a Spring or Fall morning, when the sunrise is bright yellow and at a low angle, as I traverse one of the "sky climb" sections. It is absolutely breathtaking.
Time to go home!
This intersection at Village Rd. and Lake Tahoe Blvd. is my nemesis. I only catch it green about once per month, it is usually congested, and I have to accelerate from a dead stop on a hard grade when I get the green:
Continuing up Village Rd.:
I approach my second nemesis, which is a stop sign at the merging point that will put me back onto Mount Rose Highway. That's right, another climbing start on a hard grade from a standstill:
And here I start the climb up the backside of Mount Rose. This wide shoulder area is provided to let you start accelerating outside the flow of traffic. Notice the hardcore erosion controls on the left (West) side:
Continuing to climb the initial grade:
This photo doesn't apply to my commute, but I wanted to show that there is still a lot of smoke from the Angora fire just to the south of my workplace:
Climbing out of the saddle right before the summit:
Approaching the summit from the South side:
This is a section of the descent back into Reno that I can FAS for a little over a mile, at about 8,000ft.:
Hooking a tight turn:
Another view of the Washoe Valley:
A view of the Virginia City Foothills and Geiger Grade (SR 341). For some reason a lot of tourists tend to get vertigo and freeze up around here.
:
A view of the Southernmost side of Reno:
Entering the hairpin by the snowplow garage:
Entering another hairpin:
Another view of the Virginia City area, with Geiger Grade visible on the left:
A 3rd gear DFCO section which makes me nervous due to uphill traffic always managing to cross the center line (and my wife wonders why I tend to hug the outside of my lane wherever I drive now):
Another FAS section, at the top of the Galena Foothills:
This shows my speed dropping as I traverse the uphill side of this little saddle, which causes me to move onto the right shoulder as I continue FAS'ing:
3rd gear DFCO section just below Thomas Creek:
My last big FAS segment, from the top of the 395 entrance...:
... all the way down to the bottom of the first exit almost 2 miles away:
This is my last FAS starting point, which continues all the way into our garage. Our house is a few 90-degree turns and 2 blocks into the subdivision you see:
I'm back home now!
Since you're still with me, here are a few signs along my commuting route that some of you may not be familiar with.
No Stopping - Avalanche Area:
Bear Crossing Next 2 1/2 miles:
Solar-powered "Snow Tires or Chains Required":
Twisting Road Next 17 Miles:
Truck tipping warning due to a tight turn and intermittent (but often) hurricane-force winds:
Slow Vehicles Must Use Turnouts (if only they all did...):
Runaway Truck Ramp 2 Miles:
Linear Mode
