Just incase anyone cares, 23:30 and beyond, to the left is where Marines go for cold weather training and where I went for almost 2 months in January. Looks way different without 5ft+ of snow.
Between Kennedy Meadows and the top of the Pass I counted about 6 hairpin turns (both full and half hairpins), and about a dozen on the backside. It's definitely better once you get to the bottom of the pass toward the 395.
Just took the SR-108 all the way to Strawberry today. It was amazing! Shame it is always closed during the winter. God bless this road for making it so easy to get to snow!!!
It's a gorgeous area. I was just there in August (biking to the summit from US 395), and the top of the pass had a decent amount of snow on it, not too different from your video. Luckily for you, the sky was mostly clear; I witnessed a couple of surprise rain showers when I was there.
A great Christmas Gift from InterstateKyle this Christmas Day. Great scenery over Sonora Pass. & once again thanks for mentioning that the pass sits on the Great Basin Divide. One of my favorite series you did in the early days of your channel was of US 50 in the Sierra Nevada & driving over Echo Summit. Hopefully one day you'll revisit that route.
Thank you! That route has changed a lot due to the Caldor Fire in 2021. The whole drive up to Tahoe is nothing but burnt trees. It's really sad to drive these days. :/
I drove up from Crowley and rode Sonora Pass from the 395 Jct about 10 years ago. It’s not the highest but still around 3k ft.. and I went over the Pass and a ways down toward Dardanelles to add some miles. It’s my favorite of the Eastside passes. Lots of green and lots of water. And it was late in the season so not much traffic. Great road for the skinny tires
Thanks for the video. I plan to travel this road in a week or so and am glad to know what I am in for! Also, your music choices are excellent. Other road trip suggestions for you: LaPorte Rd. in Yuba County to Quincy CA--very little traffic, lots of hairpin turns and beautiful scenery; Hwy 88 over the Sierras--amazing fall colors near Silver Lake; Beckworth pass (one of the lowest Sierra passes for those pulling trailers, etc.) from Reno to Quincy, then, because Hwy 70 is closed for major road repairs, Hwy 36 through Chester and Lake Almanor to Chico.
Beautiful drive Kyle. Gorgeous area. May I suggest a short drive for you? The Pintlar Senic hyw. From Anaconda Mt to Drummond Mt. About 70 miles of equally stunning Vistas
Great video! The pass is so different from when I first crossed it in 1970. I was a kid, headed to a summer camp for "inner-city youth". The road was just one lane then (similar to Ebbetts Pass). And, we were crossing it in a large bus! The trip scared the crap out of us kids---it was no road for a bus. Seeing those warning signs only added to our fear. Also, I suspect that there had been a recent fire on the eastern slope of the pass. The trees were few, and none were more than 10 to 20 feet high. I do have a question though. At the bottom of the pass on the eastern side (just prior to U.S. 395) there is a large resort-looking complex, off to the left. That parcel used to be a Marine Corps training base. What is it now? Looks too posh to be military.
@@RicoMancin Yes, I was surprised the USMC MWTC wasn't mentioned as it was passed. It's quite a sight, with a fascinating history. Other than that, great video! (as usual).
It's funny, there are many hair-raising less traveled highways in California and you see Californians cruising with no fear like they're on I-5 in LA. I gained a lot of respect for CA drivers after living there for a while. Despite the trash talk, they are some of the best drivers in the country.
Just incase anyone cares, 23:30 and beyond, to the left is where Marines go for cold weather training and where I went for almost 2 months in January. Looks way different without 5ft+ of snow.
Between Kennedy Meadows and the top of the Pass I counted about 6 hairpin turns (both full and half hairpins), and about a dozen on the backside. It's definitely better once you get to the bottom of the pass toward the 395.
Just took the SR-108 all the way to Strawberry today. It was amazing! Shame it is always closed during the winter. God bless this road for making it so easy to get to snow!!!
Great Christmas present; thanks for sharing. This is my favorite road in the world!
Thank you for tuning in!
Wow, what a scenic drive! I concur with you that this has to be one of the most beautiful mountain drive!
I drove this route for the first time this past October. We were westbound though. Nice seeing it in the other direction.
Were there any fall colors when you passed through?
@@InterstateKyle No fall colors it was very early in October, the 4th to be specific. But still stunning.
It's a gorgeous area. I was just there in August (biking to the summit from US 395), and the top of the pass had a decent amount of snow on it, not too different from your video. Luckily for you, the sky was mostly clear; I witnessed a couple of surprise rain showers when I was there.
That must have been quite the endurance ride!
A great Christmas Gift from InterstateKyle this Christmas Day. Great scenery over Sonora Pass. & once again thanks for mentioning that the pass sits on the Great Basin Divide.
One of my favorite series you did in the early days of your channel was of US 50 in the Sierra Nevada & driving over Echo Summit. Hopefully one day you'll revisit that route.
Thank you! That route has changed a lot due to the Caldor Fire in 2021. The whole drive up to Tahoe is nothing but burnt trees. It's really sad to drive these days. :/
I drove up from Crowley and rode Sonora Pass from the 395 Jct about 10 years ago. It’s not the highest but still around 3k ft.. and I went over the Pass and a ways down toward Dardanelles to add some miles. It’s my favorite of the Eastside passes. Lots of green and lots of water. And it was late in the season so not much traffic. Great road for the skinny tires
It’s so beautiful
It really is!
Thanks for the video. I plan to travel this road in a week or so and am glad to know what I am in for! Also, your music choices are excellent. Other road trip suggestions for you: LaPorte Rd. in Yuba County to Quincy CA--very little traffic, lots of hairpin turns and beautiful scenery; Hwy 88 over the Sierras--amazing fall colors near Silver Lake; Beckworth pass (one of the lowest Sierra passes for those pulling trailers, etc.) from Reno to Quincy, then, because Hwy 70 is closed for major road repairs, Hwy 36 through Chester and Lake Almanor to Chico.
Congratulations on your new job
Merry Christmas. TY for this ride. It was wonderful.
Thank you!
Beautiful drive Kyle. Gorgeous area. May I suggest a short drive for you? The Pintlar Senic hyw. From Anaconda Mt to Drummond Mt. About 70 miles of equally stunning Vistas
Thanks for the suggestion. I'd love to go back to Montana, Probably in my top three favorite states to visit.
Thanks!
Wow thank you very much!
Great video! The pass is so different from when I first crossed it in 1970. I was a kid, headed to a summer camp for "inner-city youth". The road was just one lane then (similar to Ebbetts Pass). And, we were crossing it in a large bus! The trip scared the crap out of us kids---it was no road for a bus. Seeing those warning signs only added to our fear. Also, I suspect that there had been a recent fire on the eastern slope of the pass. The trees were few, and none were more than 10 to 20 feet high.
I do have a question though. At the bottom of the pass on the eastern side (just prior to U.S. 395) there is a large resort-looking complex, off to the left. That parcel used to be a Marine Corps training base. What is it now? Looks too posh to be military.
It's still military. Specifically, the USMC Mountain Warfare Training Center. (MWTC).
@@RicoMancin Yes, I was surprised the USMC MWTC wasn't mentioned as it was passed. It's quite a sight, with a fascinating history. Other than that, great video! (as usual).
Beautful drive Man..Im gonna make this epic drive next spring.....I live in Oregon...come up here and explore our desert/cascade roads....Cheers
I miss Oregon very much!
great videos!
Great video- I’m coming from Fl- pls tell me where I should fly into to start this drive if 108 to 395? Thx much
If you don't have good brakes, it's Sayonara Pass
Great video and drive....how much were the tolls? --charlie, sacramento
This road is free to drive. The views are priceless!
Enchanting
It's funny, there are many hair-raising less traveled highways in California and you see Californians cruising with no fear like they're on I-5 in LA. I gained a lot of respect for CA drivers after living there for a while. Despite the trash talk, they are some of the best drivers in the country.
So beautiful but I might get a tummy ache. So curvy! 😅
I know these mountains backwards and forwards
Thanks!
Thank you very much friend!