High Sierra Topix

Like you, Daisy. In fact, we got tired of worrying about the ground clearance on our old Volvo Wagon..and so bought a 2WD Ford Escape hybrid. It has loads of clearance, and we get about 35 mpg out of it. It now has almost 60K miles on it without a single problem.

Seems like a good solution,

A little off topic but relevant to those who sometimes drive steep roads that must be negotiated slowly. If you do so fairly regularly I would suggest you stay away from vehicles that have a constant variable transmission (cvt). As I understand it they work sort of like a snowmobile in that as the engine speeds up centrifugal force causes the drive train to engage. So for the cvt at steep and low speed there is less centrifugal force and there will be some slippage. That is why (but they never tell you) they say the Toyota Highlander Hybrid awd should not be driven off highway. It took me a couple of times going up a really steep, curvy paved road to figure out why the Prius smelled like burning brakes when I topped out.

I have taken the Prius over Kaiser Pass to Florence lake with no problem while a slow road it doesn't have a lot of steep. And there is no problem going over Tioga Pass either--so we are talking about real steep and real slow.

Another issue is the cvt does not provide sufficient engine breaking when going downhill. It does have a "B" for compression braking but it is not sufficient for really steep down hill so you end up having to use your brakes much more than when you can select a lower gear on a manual or regular auto transmission.

Mike

Mike/oldranger, my experience too, more 4X4's in the ditch than single axle drive. They may be more confident or there may be more of them out when conditions are dicey. I check for 4X4's on my weekly commute home on Friday's, usually very few of us two wheel drives out.

Mr. Young Man Eric, I was the guest, I think you offered to drive so I took my "baby". That was definitely a mountain road. Throw in a young driver, WEEEEE!.

I've had a VW bug, Toyota Corolla or Tercel and never not been able to get to a trailhead. The Bug once got stuck in a huge pothole at the old Granite Creek trailhead, but a family camped nearby helped push it out. Another time, I took the Tercel to the Taboose Pass trailhead. When I came out a week later, the battery was dead. I hiked down about a mile or more before I found someone to give me a jump (I was carrying cables). He had a 4-wheel drive pickup and expressed trepidation about going the rest of the way to the trailhead to give me the jump. I told him my car was a Tercel, I'd already hiked from Bench Lake that day and might have to go another mile or two more before finding someone else and so could you please give me jump? He finally agreed.

I used to drive a '73 triumph spitfire to the mountains. It was kinda fun to drive it on some of the off road trails, and even up and over the boulders in the Crystal Basin. Only had one mishap where i dropped a rear tire into a very large pothole. Pretty simple really.. my friend and i got out, went to the rear of the car and lifted it up and out of the hole. I had to run her w/o a thermostat as she was never happy living in the summer heat.

I live in Reno and am frequently in the Sierra and running off-road, so a 4x4 is pretty much required here (much like owning a Prius and living in Seattle).

Hi Duane -

Funny, I was on that Carson Pass/Winnemucca trip too, and had a 2WD sedan with snow tires that got me in and out just as well as the 4WD vehicles. That said, we have a 4WD now too and I much prefer it for the mountains whenever there's a chance of snow or bad weather (and of course for going on bad dirt roads). It's so nice to never have to get out and put on chains...

Hi Steve, I agree, if the weather is dicey, I would bring a 4X4 also, just some of the trips our buds show up with 4X4's when they are unneeded and like mentioned already, may be the only other vehicle they have or new enough to trust for the long drive. Didn't we use the Merc at Maria's east Lassen Park trip a couple years ago and I hitched a ride as my 2 wheel drive could go no further? I'm saving for a newer truck, 4X4 this time for cutting firewood and getting out when our road has not been plowed. Just about there, but keeping an eye on work still so I don't get caught in the cold.

Wouldn't be without one!
Got a 85 toyota pickup sitting on 35's for off road fun, then I use a 94 4runner, when I want a little more comfort ride, for the saline valley and death valley runs. With that said if you get one with manual hubs it's only 4 wheel when you lock it in, other wise it's 2 wd.(just like a car). Thats when I lived in pasadena,ca

But must admit since moving to the blue ridge mtns, I have bought a toyota corolla (still own the 4x4's) for the gas miles, when it's 15 miles to town it pays for it's self LOL

For driving nearly everywhere we have a Nissan Sentra and a Honda Civic. The '92 Pathfinder stays under wraps unless I am sure we will be driving some rough dirt roads. I see no need to use twice as much gas per mile as either of the other two unless I have to. In the line of geologic field work I commonly have to drive some rough road, but the most frequent use of both the high clearance capability and the 4WD comes in taking some hiking distance off to various destinations. In years past this was mostly northern Sierra and I80 country stuff, most of which barely calls for 4-low, but we use it a lot in the Hwy 168 backcountry where there are lots of jeep trails, most of which are far beyond my capability. Given that my vehicle is unmodified with highway tires, I stay away from super hairy stuff (ie Roger Mitchell Class 4 and above) but I will do standard 4WD class 3 with moderate frequency (4WD Class 3 will look and feel totally gnarley to someone who has never seen a vehicle do that sort of thing before). Some years I do a whole lot, such as the summer of 2009 when it seemed as if I was 4 wheeling nearly every week. Some years I hardly do any 4 wheeling, such as 2010, when I shifted into 4wheel low for a grand total of about 1/4 mile the entire summer (and this was probably a stretch I could have done in 2WD--but I just wanted to take it easier on the vehicle). I have friends and students who do serious 4 wheeling as an end in itself. I cannot say I share that passion. I see 4 wheeling as a way to reduce the hiking distance to a lake for me or me and my family. Like many who have done a lot of this, I do take my technique very seriously and try to negotiate the tough spots with the minimum of 'errors'.