it's a total no-brainer to take the old 2 lane hwy over Donner Pass.
far prettier slower, and old, route.
I've even used it to get home after snow baording while CaTrans and the
radio and everyone was saying ......
"I-5 closed indefenitly"  .........
and they were not telling anyone about the plowed old two lane road.
So take this road.
Far gentler assent.
easy to access from either the east ( Trukee ) end of the lake, or the West
end of Donner Lake.
The freeways are not the best way to travel in pretty areas, generally, of
course.

----- Original Message -----
From: "Ted Titcomb" <ted@TITCOMB.COM>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Tuesday, June 16, 2009 10:14 AM
Subject: FW: Sierras

>   Ted  Titcomb
>
> Titcomb Bros. Mfg.
>      508-833-1168
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Paul Titcomb [mailto:pault@titcomb.com]
> Sent: Tuesday, June 16, 2009 1:11 PM
> To: ted Titcomb
> Subject: Sierras
>
> Ted,
>
> This is Uncle Paul over in Tracking. We've been doing some analysis on
> the boys' route over the Sierras and I've attached the results. Our
> concerns center on the area just east of Donner Pass, where Velma will
> be seeing grades up to 6.8% before attaining an elevation of about
> 7000 feet at the pass. Weather conditions this morning at the pass are
> fair: mid 60's with a good chance of passing thunderstorms.
>
> Down the western slope, they've got a long descent into the Central
> Valley, where they'll be dropping about 5000 feet over the next 30
> miles. There'll be some grades in the 6's again and we do advise
> caution in case of rain. I don't have to remind you of the importance
> of frequent position updates from our onboard telemetry system, as
> there is a crucial need to monitor engine performance on the big climb.
>
> (Please advise the boys that there's mighty good train viewing around
> Emigrant Gap and Yuba Pass.)
>
> That's all for now...