How to Drive Your Semi-Truck Through the Mountains

Driving a semi-truck through the mountains is no easy feat! It not only requires quite a bit of skill but an impressive amount of patience as well. If you have plans to travel through mountain territory on your next trip, we encourage you to read our helpful tips below! With our advice in mind, you should be able to navigate through bad weather or steep hills with no problem.

Take Things Slow

When climbing or descending the road in mountainous terrain, it’s incredibly important to act cautiously. Overconfidence can lead to a driver quickly losing control of their rig, resulting in a serious accident. When ascending or descending a steep area, remember to always pay close attention to the nearby grade signs to determine the correct speed for your rig. If you feel like you may be losing control of your semi, try using the heavy gravel of the shoulder to increase traction or slow your speed. 

Be Prepared 

It’s very common to see snow and ice while navigating through high altitudes, even if winter has already passed. If you’re planning on hitting mountain territory, it’s important to check the weather forecast regularly, and bring along a set of snow chains just in case. If weather conditions do get bad, remember not to follow in the tracks of other cars, and set your wheels to spin at the top of their RPM range. If an area looks extremely steep and icy, we advise trying to navigate around it or staying put until conditions improve. 

Before you test your skills on a mountain’s narrow roads and sharp inclines, we recommend getting your semi-truck a quick tune-up to ensure it’s ready for the challenging terrain ahead. If you’re located in the states of Colorado, Nevada, or Wyoming, we encourage you to visit us here at McCandless Truck Center to take advantage of our superior semi-truck service centers and parts departments.