I guess that's why Rocky Mountain Motors is there!  Does everyone run a
Subaru?  The WBX can't breathe at sea level very well either.

Stuart

-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of
Robert Stevens
Sent: Tuesday, October 16, 2012 12:15 PM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Re: Kens trip & can Westys climb mountains?

"Those guys in Colorado don't have anything over us in the NW!  I took my
worn out '85 up to Hurricane Ridge in Olympic National Park this summer.
That's a 5200 foot climb from sea level in 17 miles."

Not much of a comparison between starting at sea level and going only to 1
mile high, vs starting at over 8000' and going to over 14000'.
Ask your engine what it's like to try and breathe at altitude. It's where
the power is lost due to the loss of molecular density.

There are not many places in the NW that compare in altitude to what is
everywhere, anywhere in the 3000 mile stretch of the Rocky Mountains, with a
high elevation of 14,400'. McKinley is over 14K but you can't drive to that
elevation. There are roads all over CO that reach elevations between 7500'
and 14K' (about 49 at last count), and that low CO elevation is the
topping-out elevation of 99% of all the high passes in the PNW.

Length and steepness of grade is quite different when climbing between sea
level to 5K, 6K feet, as compared to starting at 8k' and topping out at
14K'.

I've driven a lot of miles in both environments (lived in PDX for 6 years
and have been back many times), and have been in the Rockies since '79, and
there is just no comparison.

Horse power makes a big difference.

Bob