Baker Grade

USA / Nevada / Sandy Valley /
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In just 19 miles Interstate 15 climbs steadily from Baker (exit 246), 960 ft. above sea level, to Halloran Summit Road (exit 265), at 4,130 ft. Engineers responsible for designing car radiators are very familiar with the Baker Grade.
Nearby cities:
Coordinates:   35°19'59"N   115°55'58"W

Comments

  • In 1983 I was coasting West on the road shoulder when a California Highway patrolman stopped me. He approached and said. "Are you aware that you are not supposed to drive on the road shoulder." I replied, " If you will look at the rear wheel you will see a bicycle chain wrapped around two little wheels." He laughed, "Oh, it's a bicycle. Have a good time." Later in Baker he and his partner stopped and looked at the machine when I stopped at the Mad Greek's. He declined a chance to ride in it.
  • It's not just any grade. It starts near Baker, California which in the summer gets quite hot by anyone's standards. Tomorrow for instance the forecast is 117 F (47.2 C). There is a giant sign advising travelers to shut OFF their air conditioning to help avoid overheating your engine. I drove an old jalopy through there when I was a kid and I had to turn ON the heater to try to get the temperature gauge unstuck from the "high" pin (I made it through).
  • I often use Baker Grade in my website appliedspeed.com. I specialize in cooling products and I recall towing my race car to Vegas on several occasions when I stopped to help other racers who had broken down due to overheating. Yes, heat, hot asphalt, and the grade facing west adds to the heat like a solar panel. When towing you need two to three times the cooling ability from performance radiators fans and hoses.
This article was last modified 10 years ago