Traversing The California Grapevine
TRAVERSING THE GRAPEVINE:
THE STEEPEST GRADE IN CALIFORNIA
The California Grapevine, also known as The Tejon Pass, (pronounced TEY-hon,) is a stretch of highway that links the Los Angeles basin to the south and the San Joaquin Valley to the north. It is the source of much frustration for travelers who end up with overheating radiators or worse, stuck halfway up with an inability to make it down the other side without chains during a snowstorm.
Geography and History Of The Grapevine
The highest point of this impressive climb lies 75 miles northwest of downtown Los Angeles and 47 miles south of Bakersfield, near the northwestern-most corner of Los Angeles County, north of Gorman. The pass has a gradual rise from its southern approach of 1,362 feet at Santa Clarita, but a precipitous descent through Grapevine Canyon toward the San Joaquin Valley on the north, where it ends at 1,499 feet.
During the pre-Columbian era, it is believed that the area on the Grapevine right around Gorman, the highest peak, was used as a rest stop by indigenous Californians, who would have stopped there when it was the Tataviam village of Kulshra’jek," a trading crossroads for hundreds to thousands of years.
In1861 this pass was regularly used by the Telegraph Stage Line, which stopped at almost all of the former stations, including Gorman's, where the horses were changed. Six horses were required for the pull up from Bakersfield to Gorman’s.[1]
Weather
The weather going over the Tejon Pass during the summer poses no traveler problems other than overheating, but during the winter months snow and black ice can quickly delay even the most daring of travelers. As such a major thoroughfare for California industry, the pass is traversed by thousands of big rigs each season, leaving the possibility of a mishap that could shut the route down for several hours, with no way for travelers to escape except by way of a multi-hour delay from Los Angeles to Bakersfield using Highway CA 58.
Tips For Traversing The Grapevine
If you are traveling during the summer, the risk of overheating your radiator as you climb up either side of The Grapevine is very real. However, with a little paying attention, even drivers in older model cars can make it safely over this grueling climb.
During The Summer
Check your radiator water level as well as your coolant level before beginning the climb.
On very hot days, turn your air conditioning off, roll down your windows and enjoy the fresh, California air instead of overtaxing your already hard-working engine on this climb.
Carry a couple of gallons of extra distilled water in your trunk in case your engine does overheat.
Don’t push it. Stay in the second to right lane out of the way of slow-climbing trucks, and set a reasonable speed of around 65 miles per hour.
During The Winter
Make sure to check weather conditions prior to your trip over this treacherous pass. The California Highway Patrol has shut the pass down when it becomes too icy for travelers to traverse safely.
If a snowstorm is expected, carry chains. The CHP will often require them and if you don’t have them, you will be turned back.
Because of the high altitude and steep grade, it is not unusual for cars and semis to lose control, especially in conditions that have black ice. Follow at twice the distance behind the cars in front of you whenever inclement weather is present.
In hazardous road conditions, keep your speed well under the suggested limit and avoid passing unless truly necessary. Stay in one lane and avoid driving when groggy, as this could slow your reaction times if an accident in front of you unfolds.
Whether you plan to traverse this beautiful stretch of California highway during the winter, fall, spring or summer, you will get to see California at its finest, either covered with a light dusting of snow during some winter months, or blooming brilliantly with multi-colored flora and fauna covering the hills and mountains this windy stretch slices through.
If by chance you do run into trouble, remember that Grapevine RV Sales and Service has you covered, whether you are in your motorhome, pulling a trailer, in a car or in a big rig. Keep our number handy and call us. We are prepared to rescue you and get you back on your way with a cost-effective, efficient and quick solution.
Be safe and enjoy your journey over California’s steepest, and certainly one of its most scenic, stretches of highway in the state!
Grapevine RV Sales and Service
(661) 857-2673
2081 Lebec Rd, Lebec, CA 93243
© 2018 Elisa Fortise Christensen
Author Bio
Elisa Christensen is a published poet, author and professional content writer who lives in the California mountains above the clouds. She is the mother of two boys, ages 11 and 12, the lucky daughter of an adored 86-year-old mother, and the mom to a Boxer and Yellow Lab.
Her content writing can be found at www.wordfortitude.com. Her writing on parenting can be found at www.parentingfortitude.com, a website she started for parents in less than ideal situations, such as custody battles or parental alienation.
Elisa Christensen
wordfortitude@gmail.com
805-229-1159
