Sonora Pass Open

[Paul Wagner]

From CalTrans Highway information;

SR 108

[IN THE CENTRAL CALIFORNIA AREA & SIERRA NEVADA]

No traffic restrictions are reported for this area.
 

Backpackers, start your planning. Only Tioga Pass in Yosemite remains closed.

[jscott]

I once barely made it over Sonora pass,  driving in first gear, in my old beloved Toyota Tercel. It was about 16 years old  at the time. Once on the other side of the pass, I worried that my brakes would overheat coming down. So I was in second gear all the way.

I’m guessing that modern cars would have no issues with Sonora Pass. I thought it would be less steep than Tioga/120. Not at all! I’m still a bit traumatized after all these years.

How traumatized? I’ve had a good number of bear and snake encounters out backpacking. I’ve made my way over dangerous stretches of ice/snow where one mis-step  would result in death. I’ve been stupid a hundred times. That damn pass still freaks me out. None of other things do.

[Alex Wallace]

Thanks for the heads up, Paul.

108 can be dicey. One time a friend and I found ourselves driving over around midnight, eastbound, and a nearby forest fire had blanketed the pass in thick smoke. Visibility was limited. My headlights were reflecting off of the falling white ash, so I tried driving with just my parking lights. Seemed better till a group of deer suddenly appeared on the roadway. I was only going like 15 mph so I was able to stop quickly. Scared the bejeezus out of us (and the deer)!

[Author]

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