Tires, tires, tires!
Posted by Last Chance Rand on April 18, 2004 at 13:31:15:
In Reply to: Eureka Valley Rd-Steel Pass posted by RJ on April 17, 2004 at 13:59:28:
Echoing the Tiller -- your rental is likely to have street tires, which the Saline side of the pass is like to chew up mercilessly, particularly if rims are any bigger than 16".
Also, there's a good chance that where you get your flat tire you'll find a bottle jack useless. Many rental SUV's today still don't carry full size spares -- imaging doing Dedeckera's staircase with a mini-spare! Yikes!
The Dedeckera side is in a nice sandy wash so with a little airing down should be doable. Consider going to the top of Steel Pass, then turning around. The Saline side is very rocky.
Unless you have other vehicles in your party, I wouldn't recommend the Steel Pass in a rental.
PS - Hey Pugs, was it you or Barry that told me about spending the night on the Steel Pass road due to a bad flat a few years ago?