14' trailer through Eisenhower tunnel ?

Some of you mentioned short of breath.

Esienhower is right at 12600 feet or so MSL.

The last time I ran that tunnel I had a medical concern that was progressing to a genuine emergency. Short of breath was first symptom. Then coming out of the tunnel I lost feelings in my legs. Since the truck was at cruise under computer control and automatic that took care of the jaking and shifting I was able to continue on.

The loss of feeling progressed higher than my waist towards the ribcage and the heart. I knew that if I did not remain awake long enough to make Denver which is only about 5000 feet and change I would be in trouble.

Vail did not go well. By that time there was maybe two passes left prior to Denver and I don't remember these two, one was 9000 and the second was 7600 I had myself checked out at denver and the doctors clucked over me for a while in the ER with me on supplemental oxygen.

I was a smoker up until that week. I had two choices. Quit the rockies or quit smoking.

I quit smoking. A second episode a year later in Casper WY which was around 4000 to 6000 if memory serves, the hospital detected pulse ox od 92 on room air and put me on supplemental oxygen a while until I cleared up. The possible diagnosis was either onset ashama or mountain sickness. Im leaning towards mountain sickness as we were running hard that night to get clear of a oncoming storm and no chains on the tractor. We were on our way again that morning.

Normally the altitude was not too bad for me either in trucking or in aviation either with a light plane (My limit was 13000 in them old days of flying) or 5 hours or less in a wide body jet if the Pilot was maintaining the Cabin air at a percentage of outside air at very high altitudes. Usually a 737 can maintain 8000 plus feet at 35,000 but if you were in a plane closer to 42 as you would be in a Embraer or similar the atmosphere inside the cabin could be closer to 12,000

Most people who are healthy can maintain a adequate pulse ox saturation in room air at 12,000 of around 94% or higher. Some like myself would be at 87 or roughly which if this was the case here in Arkansas at 250 feet MSL on room air, they would be putting oxygen on me. Anything lower than that is life threatening.

That's enough of story telling regarding mountain air. I would not worry about returning to the Rockies again but would probably have a tank of oxygen ready to go in case I have trouble again up there.

 

I say drive fast and put the whole tunnel thing on YOUTUBE

 

Drop the air out of your bags at the approach, then air them back up once you enter the tunnel.




Disclaimer: TTR nor dirthaller is responsible for the outcome of this message.

 

Just remember you can't stuff 20 lbs of crap in a 10 lb bag.Thats my 2cents.

 

Drive to the tunnel, when the lights get you, stop. Dump your air (assuming you can dump the trailer), when they measure you you should be 13'6". Jump in your truck and wave with a smile on your face as you flip the dump valve back.

 

I didn't see this till after I posted... But, yeah, what he said...

 

I do this drive every day. (and I"m a Colorado native).

Loveland pass (US6) from Silverthrone back around to the Loveland pass ski area (last exit before tunnel on east side) is 10 miles further than taking the tunnel. Takes about 1/2 hour more than taking the tunnel in a fully loaded truck. Top of the pass is 12,000 feet. It's a long freaking way down with little or no guardrails. Yeah, fuel haulers got balls. The tunnels are at 11,000 feet on the east side and 11,100 on the west side. You can't take hazmat thru the tunnels either, you have to go over US 6. You want to get off before the turn over the tunnel or you have to go all the way back down on the west side back to Silverthorne.

The tunnels are 1.5 miles long and on the west side (Silverthorne) it's a 10 mile 7% grade. Straight up and and up. You cannot brake your way down this, gear down!!!! (every day I see someone smoke their brakes). On the east side it's 10 miles of 5 and 6% grades. (to Georgetown), again, you cannot brake your way down this, gear down!

BTW, everyone (me included) calls them the Eisenhower tunnels. But only one is the Eisenhower tunnel, the other one is the Johnson tunnel. (I think Eisenhower is the westbound side, there's a plaque above just as you go in). But it's not Lydon Baines Johnson it's named after, it's a old governor of Colorado who pushed for (read bought) to get I-70 thru the mountains in the 1960's" Edwin Johnson.

 

I used to haul beer grossing 78-79,000 going down the west side down grade of the Eisenhower with no Jake, talk about taking your time going down.

 

No they are south of 70 and there are plenty of signs warning trucks to use the middle lanes if you do ever go under them