Million Dollar Highway in a half ton truck with LE2?

[routlaw]

Anyone here ever done this? Planning another trip to the SW and would like to explore more of CO and this road trip is on the bucket list but given the steep grades and descents not sure a half ton with 6 cylinder Ecoboost engine will provide enough engine braking compared to an 8 cylinder or diesel. 

Curious to hear what others have to say or have experienced.

Thanks

Rob

[jd1923]

@Mike and Carol Mike wrote he towed the Million Dollar Highway with a half ton truck (when in another thread I wrote I was too chicken for that route)! We went to Ouray then back out to Ridgway, south to Telluride and took CO 145 down through Rico and to Delores.

We're heading back up there for a few weeks late Sept to mid Oct. Love the area! If you're ever in Delores go to the Delores Market. It's an amazing market with onsite butcher, fresh local produce and amazing baked goods! It will be our first stop on the way up and last stop on the way back! 😂

[routlaw]

7 minutes ago, jd1923 said:

@Mike and Carol Mike wrote he towed the Million Dollar Highway with a half ton truck (when in another thread I wrote I was too chicken for that route)! We went to Ouray then back out to Ridgway, south to Telluride and took CO 145 down through Rico and to Delores.

We're heading back up there for a few weeks late Sept to mid Oct. Love the area! If you're ever in Delores go to the Delores Market. It's an amazing market with onsite butcher, fresh local produce and amazing baked goods! It will be our first stop on the way up and last stop on the way back! 😂

You are not the only ones who have opted for the alternate route via 145 for the same reason. I have been to Delores in the past but don't recall the market but will certainly look for it if there again. Have an old forest service friend who lives there too. I understand CO 145 is also very pretty as well. 

[Mike and Carol]

We have done 550 several times each way with our previous Ram 1500’s.  The grades up and down were not a big issue.  Traffic moves at a leisurely  pace and almost everyone drives cautiously and at a reasonable speed.  You have to respect the road.  We’ve also done the drive between Durango and Ridgway many times towing with our 2500, braking is mostly taken care of by the engine brake.  We’ve also done the trip west through Delores and Rico on 160 and 145 that takes you by Telluride.  It’s scenic in a different way, a little longer but a nice way to go.

We’re currently camping in Durango visiting our son and family on our way to the PNW.  He commuted up 550 weekly to Grand Junction for a year when he was working there.  He said it was closed a few times due to heavy snow, but other than that he never had an issue.  Mike

[routlaw]

Thanks @Mike and Carol all helpful info. When I get down that way just might try both routes just to experience it all. Surprised CO actually plows this route in the winter. Our roughly equivalent Beartooth Highway up in this neck of the woods certainly doesn’t. It’s closed for over half the year. Love Durango, nice town.

Edited 3 hours ago by routlaw

[Mike and Carol]

2 hours ago, routlaw said:

Thanks @Mike and Carol all helpful info. When I get down that way just might try both routes just to experience it all. Surprised CO actually plows this route though in the winter though. Our roughly equivalent Beartooth Highway up in this neck of the woods certainly doesn’t. It’s closed for over half the year. Love Durango, nice town.

Rob, going north on 550 keeps you mostly in the inside lane against the mountain.  Going south you’re mostly on the outside lane which can seem more intimidating.  This is all between Silverton and Ouray.  The western route takes a little longer but we enjoy it too.  Ditto on Durango, we love it here.  Mike

[johnwen]

2 years ago on our way back from Glacier we traveled the Million Dollar Highway in our 2019 1/2 ton Silverado, 8 cylinder 5.3 L, 8 speed automatic, with tow package.  A couple of stretches had me gear down to 2nd gear at 30mph to keep engine below 4000 rpm.  As we are full timers we were just below 7000 lbs on the trailer and about 100 lbs below max weight for the truck.  Didn't mind going uphill, but downhill we still needed the brakes more than I would have liked.  It was a beautiful drive but once is enough.  With 140,000 miles on the truck now I don't need to push my luck.  Back then we probably had 80,000 miles on the truck.  BTW we had our 1 and only flat tire on that highway and we didn't even know it.  Another motorist tried to get us to pull over for several miles.  I finally found a place to pull over and sure enough the tire was shredded...luckily no damage other than needing a new tire and rim.  The next week I installed a TPMS.

[Patriot]

Rob, just our 6.7 diesel 1 ton, and we absolutely loved the Million Dollar Highway. We let our diesel engine brake do all the work.
We would drive it again in a min.🤩 

 

 

[routlaw]

5 hours ago, Mike and Carol said:

Rob, going north on 550 keeps you mostly in the inside lane against the mountain.  Going south you’re mostly on the outside lane which can seem more intimidating.  

This is what I keep hearing from some YouTube videos. Might be a better route on my return trip vs on the way south.

[routlaw]

2 hours ago, Patriot said:

Rob, just our 6.7 diesel 1 ton, and we absolutely loved the Million Dollar Highway. We let our diesel engine brake do all the work.
We would drive it again in a min.🤩 

Ah the beauty of a big diesel engine when it comes to engine braking. All that compression truly becomes helpful on these steep descents. A definite disadvantage for gas engines especially the 6 cylinders, turbo boost or not. A couple of years ago I learned this lesson all too well while going over Teton Pass dropping down to Jackson. By the time I was halfway down my then 2013 Ecoboost and Ollie brakes were all smoking. Even 2nd gear was not much use on a 10% grade that runs for about 10 miles. Not something I would ever like to repeat.

We were not the only ones that day smoking brakes either. A fifth wheel just in front of us being pulled by a 3/4 ton truck was also in trouble and had to make an emergency pull over. Thus my caution on the Million Dollar Highway.

[routlaw]

4 hours ago, johnwen said:

2 years ago on our way back from Glacier we traveled the Million Dollar Highway in our 2019 1/2 ton Silverado, 8 cylinder 5.3 L, 8 speed automatic, with tow package.  A couple of stretches had me gear down to 2nd gear at 30mph to keep engine below 4000 rpm.  As we are full timers we were just below 7000 lbs on the trailer and about 100 lbs below max weight for the truck.  Didn't mind going uphill, but downhill we still needed the brakes more than I would have liked.  It was a beautiful drive but once is enough.  With 140,000 miles on the truck now I don't need to push my luck.  Back then we probably had 80,000 miles on the truck.  BTW we had our 1 and only flat tire on that highway and we didn't even know it.  Another motorist tried to get us to pull over for several miles.  I finally found a place to pull over and sure enough the tire was shredded...luckily no damage other than needing a new tire and rim.  The next week I installed a TPMS.

Point well taken, and great info. I do run quite a bit lighter than you but still. Presumably the flat was on the Ollie and not your Silverado surely? Scary stuff. Likewise I keep a TPMS on ours too, monitors heat and pressure.

[johnwen]

2 hours ago, routlaw said:

Point well taken, and great info. I do run quite a bit lighter than you but still. Presumably the flat was on the Ollie and not your Silverado surely? Scary stuff. Likewise I keep a TPMS on ours too, monitors heat and pressure.

Yes, on the Ollie.