# Is Sonora pass open ?



## Pierre (Jan 29, 2004)

The caltrans page says 'no restriction', but the other page with the calendar of past years for all passes doesn't display any opening date. Just wanted to make sure - if it's open I'll go next week-end - doing the detour through Monitor pass makes it much longer. Thanks!


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## Sagebum (Dec 9, 2001)

Talked to a CalTrans guy in Markleeville. He said Somora is open. They had closed it temporarily for some repair work but got it back open for Memorial Day weekend.

I'll be riding it this week and will give you a report and pics.


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## Sagebum (Dec 9, 2001)

I had two chances to do Sonora this week but high winds, rain and big gravel trucks on it did me in. I did get some good rides in down around Mammoth/Tioga though. Tioga is great when it is open to cyclists and closed to traffic.










Anyway, have fun on the east side.


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## Don Duende (Sep 13, 2007)

Open, yes definitely. I drive by it twice a week.


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## LouD-Reno (Mar 28, 2006)

Don Duende said:


> Open, yes definitely. I drive by it twice a week.


uhhhh..... so what are we gonna do about it ????? 

race ya to the top !!! :yesnod:


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## Ridgetop (Mar 1, 2005)

Heading for Ebbetts tomorrow afternoon. Unfortunately too much going on to go down to Tioga or Sonora. I'm in pretty lousy condition this year with very little riding in so far so I'd probably collapse and die on Sonora anyway .


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## Sagebum (Dec 9, 2001)

Hey Ridgetop.......

If you see a bunch of folks doing a highway clean-up around Turtle Rock park, stop and say hi. It is our Alta Alpina highway section.


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## Ken Roberts (Oct 3, 2007)

I rode Kennedy Meadows over to Leavitt Meadows and back on Wednesday. The road is in very good condition, and with all that snow around the views on both west and east sides are fantastic. Like a visit to Europe.

Ken


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## poff (Jul 21, 2007)

How cold was it? Do I need a warm jacket or baselayer and a LS jersey would be OK?


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## Sagebum (Dec 9, 2001)

When I rode nearby Tioga on Wed, it was short sleeve jersey, shorts and a wind shell for the descent. If t-storms are forecast bring a rain shell. Depends on the day of course.


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## Don Duende (Sep 13, 2007)

LouD-Reno said:


> uhhhh..... so what are we gonna do about it ?????
> 
> race ya to the top !!! :yesnod:


Can you do it mid-week ?


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## Ken Roberts (Oct 3, 2007)

poff said:


> How cold was it?


Wednesday afternoon last week, about halfway up the west side: 


















But then descending _late_ afternoon felt pretty cold even with a windbreaker on.

Ken


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## Sagebum (Dec 9, 2001)

Nice pics Ken.......you didn't mention ou did this on a loaded bike....Whoa! Which direction did you go after Sonora?


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## Ken Roberts (Oct 3, 2007)

This is the guy who did it on a loaded bike









I think he said he was going to all the way to Las Vegas. His original plan was to go over Tioga. Quite a change in difficulty, from W side Tioga to W side Sonora. He did make it over the pass, and continued to Bridgeport.
(My bike only has mini-paniers attached to an ordinary rectangular bag on my rear rack. My travel bike also has very low gears.)

continuing up the West side climb









into the upper steep section









then gentle toward the top









East side road is not as well-known, but I think rather pretty in the springtime soon after the pass opens . . . 

ski tracks on left side of photo from top of my East side descent









midway down East side









snow peak (with ski tracks if look closely)









almost down to Leavitt Meadows Pack Station









After that I just turned around and climbed back up the East side, with more time to savor those views.

I'll see if I get time to post some photos also from the (even more spectacular) West side descent last Wednesday.

Ken


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## Ken Roberts (Oct 3, 2007)

the West side

plunging down the upper steep section









pause to look back up -- sunshine welcome









crags on the north side of the road









looking back again









snow peak on the south side of the road









continuing down









still snow here surprisingly low for early June









coming to the lower steep section









down into it, with a car just below the notch









warning sign at bottom of lower steep at Kennedy Meadows









? Most exaggerated road steepness number in U.S.A. ?

Ken


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## Ridgetop (Mar 1, 2005)

Nice Ken. Haven't made Sonora yet this year. Just the stuff around Markleeville. What amazed me the most was the shear amount of water running off from the rapidly melting snow. I think every creek around was a brown raging torrent.


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## ukbloke (Sep 1, 2007)

Ken Roberts said:


> ? Most exaggerated road steepness number in U.S.A. ?


Could be! I think that 26% grade, and the similar number on Highway 4, must have been measured over a one yard distance on the inside of a steep switch-back!

Awesome pictures - many thanks for posting.


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## Sagebum (Dec 9, 2001)

*Percents*

Great pics again Ken. The most I have ever recorded on Sonora is 20% and the most on Pacific Grade (Hwy 4) was 17% Here is my favorite Sonora pic.....last ramp east side.


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## Ken Roberts (Oct 3, 2007)

Yes the top of the East side is quite a plunge. I liked the east side a lot: more variety, less slogging.



ukbloke said:


> I think that 26% grade, and the similar number on Highway 4, must have been measured over a one yard distance on the inside of a steep switch-back!


I once had a similar theory of that measurement.

Having seen lots of % grade signs in different U.S. states and European countries, my conclusion is that highway departments everywhere deliberately exaggerate. For reasons that make sense to them. (How many truck or car drivers ever complain because a road was _less_ steep than they expected?)

But the signs for Sonora Pass have taken exaggeration to a level beyond.

Ken


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