We were out of Kaweah Park Resort by about nine-something this morning because we knew we had a long drive ahead of us. We headed west back down CA-198 until we got to the Visalia area where we turned northwest on CA-99. Old CA-99 is a limited access highway but the slow lane has been hammered by continuous use by commercial and farm vehicles for about 60 years so the paving is terrible. In California, the speed limit for 3 or more axles is 55 and without being able to go faster, we are doomed to live in the lumpy lane. The only other option to get to our destination was to wander east into the farmlands and foothills of the Sierras on CA-49 which has a bad reputation among those in RV’s.
We passed a guy in a dooly Dodge pulling a large fifth wheel on 99 but he turned off and took 49. We were big chickens and stayed on the lumpy 99 until we got to Modesto where we headed east on CA-108/120. Our way was about 50 miles longer heading for Thousand Trails Yosemite Lakes east of Buck’s Meadow but, other than a a moderately terrifying ascent up New Priest Grade, the road was pretty good. New Priest Grade, with 8 corkscrew miles of 10% grades, has replaced Old Priest Grade which becons lunatics with a bit less than 5 miles of 17% grade. The state forbids loads greater than 7500 pounds on the old grade.
At the top of the guardrail-free gut-churning ascent the road changes from straight up to steep ascents and declines as it passes through Big Oak Flat, Groveland and Buck’s Meadow on the way to Yosemite Lakes TT. The campground is about 7 miles from the Highway 120 entry to Yosemite NP which we will visit tomorrow. Just as we were pulling away from the registration office, we noted the guy with the Dodge dooly and big trailer we spotted on 99 was just pulling into the campground. He indicated that the shorter route on CA-49 was not only slower but frighteningly loaded with sharp turns, narrow roads and declines that had his brakes smoking. I’m glad we were chicken.
To get a glimpse of Priest Grade, click here