OTTO
Western Washington/Gold Canyon, AZ
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I know there are alot of RV Net members here who live in New Mexico. We are in the early stages of planning a trip for later part of next year and could use some advise on terrain in New Mexico.
We will be coming into New Mexico from the West on I-10. We want to spend some time in Albuquerqie for the Balloon Fiesta and also want to spend a day or so in Ruidoso for the Chuck Wagon cookoff Championship. We will depart the area headed for Texas hill country, San Antonio and then RGV before heading back West to AZ.
Question is: are there any difficult mountain passes that I should avoid? We drive mountain passes all the time living in the Pacific Northwest so we are used to that but I want to avoid anything that is "over the top" (no pun intended) in terms of % of grade. Thanks.
On Edit, there is a chance we may want to come in from the West on I-40. Is this route more difficult than I-10--We would be moving through there in late Sept.
* This post was
edited 10/14/09 10:37am by OTTO *
Gary
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cruiserjs
Aurora, CO, USA/ Mesa AZ/ openroad
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I 10 or I 40 - both are good routes with no extreme grades to worry about. Ditto for the rest of your itinerary. Sounds like a great trip!
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eubank
Angel Fire, NM, USA
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Any route on an interstate into New Mexico will be fine. There are no serious grades to speak of on those routes.
As for small mountain roads, get yourself a true-blue New Mexico state map, available for free at many locations. There are some roads around that you'd want to avoid with an RV. (One of those leads into the valley where I live, for example. It's not super steep, but it is a single-lane paved road with no chance to move over in many areas.)
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OTTO
Western Washington/Gold Canyon, AZ
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How about getting into Ruidoso with a MH? I would like to stay there for a few nights if possible. I pulled up a terrain map and there are several mountain ranges in the area-just don't know what the grade would be getting there.
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milo
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Mountain passes in New Mexico..where?..your kidding right! oh yeah north of Chama  ... There are some hills in New Mexico (Sandia Mountains..a bump in the road) but no mountain passes like you have in the northwest or like they have in southern Colorado. I-40 from the west to Alb. is relatively flat with the same on I-10 then up I-25. You should have no problems.
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OTTO
Western Washington/Gold Canyon, AZ
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milo wrote:Mountain passes in New Mexico..where?..your kidding right! oh yeah north of Chama ... There are some hills in New Mexico (Sandia Mountains..a bump in the road) but no mountain passes like you have in the northwest or like they have in southern Colorado. I-40 from the west to Alb. is relatively flat with the same on I-10 then up I-25. You should have no problems.
This is good to hear. Thanks.
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johnna
Southwest, Utah
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To get to I-10 one must deal with the LA area. Not fun. If you are coming down I-5 take route 58 east from Bakersfield to I-40 and save yourself a lot of trouble.
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AGBAT
NM
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Ruidoso is an easy drive from any direction but using 70 is the easiest. If you come in on 37/48 from Carrizozo, there is a short steep grade near Alto on 48 but it has passing lanes, wide shoulders and is barely noticeable as a pass.
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