# pulling camper to vogel state park



## Troy Butler (Mar 2, 2015)

Anyone been to vogel and pulled a camper up and how was the pull up the mountain or did you go a different way? Looking to pull my 26 ft up but am a little worried about the long pull up. I have a dodge with the 5.9 but just did not know about the pull up the mountain or worst coming down. Thanks


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## Milkman (Mar 2, 2015)

My buddy has a Chevy 2500 4 wd with the big V8 He pulls an 8000 lb camper. He goes over that mountain without any problem with either pulling or braking.

I have a 5500 lb. camper that I pull with a V8 F 150.  I aint tried it yet.


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## T-N-T (Mar 2, 2015)

Milkman said:


> My buddy has a Chevy 2500 4 wd with the big V8 He pulls an 8000 lb camper. He goes over that mountain without any problem with either pulling or braking.
> 
> I have a 5500 lb. camper that I pull with a V8 F 150.  I aint tried it yet.



IF its the 8.1 in that chevy,  they are strong as a diesel...

If you dont have a tranny temp gauge,  well,  its your truck.


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## northgeorgiasportsman (Mar 2, 2015)

It's not a particularly long pull.  From the time you start climbing at Boggs creek till you top out at Walasiyi, I doubt it's more than 10 minutes.  Just gear down as you start down the Union county side.  Vogel is actually on the mountain so you don't have to descend the whole thing.  I think the steepest part of the descent is the mile before you get to the Vogel entrance.


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## riprap (Mar 2, 2015)

In my F250 in tow/haul it will down shift going down a steep grade. Really saves on the brakes. Yours may do this as well. I have made that trip many times, but only twice with my 5th wheel. Just take your time, and if you are holding up traffic just pull off. There are a good many places to do this and it's not hard to get back on.


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## Artfuldodger (Mar 2, 2015)

I don't recall Vogel being that bad. Now Fort Mountain or Black Rock Mountain routes are a little steeper.


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## pnome (Mar 2, 2015)

Where are you coming from?   I'll just assume Atlanta.  You can avoid twisting through the mountains if you want.  just takes a little longer....

https://www.google.com/maps/dir/33....9926bf33116b!2m2!1d-83.919707!2d34.767036!3e0

575 through blue ridge to Blairsville and then 129 south to Vogel.


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## Troy Butler (Mar 3, 2015)

Thanks guys. From google earth it just looked like a steep long pull all the way from turners corner up. my camper is in the 6800 lb range and was just not sure of the pull. From turners corner to vogel how long would you say it is?


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## Milkman (Mar 3, 2015)

Troy Butler said:


> Thanks guys. From google earth it just looked like a steep long pull all the way from turners corner up. my camper is in the 6800 lb range and was just not sure of the pull. From turners corner to vogel how long would you say it is?



Bing maps says it is 10.5 miles.  But pulling a big camper over that mountain would make it seem like much more. 

http://www.bing.com/maps/#Y3A9MzQuN...uOTE3NjY2X19fX2VfJm1vZGU9RCZydG9wPTB+MH4wfg==


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## 3ringer (Mar 3, 2015)

I pulled my 23 footer all the way to Niagara Falls and back with a Chevy Suburban 350. You won't have any problems .


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## northgeorgiasportsman (Mar 3, 2015)

Milkman said:


> Bing maps says it is 10.5 miles.  But pulling a big camper over that mountain would make it seem like much more.
> 
> http://www.bing.com/maps/#Y3A9MzQuN...uOTE3NjY2X19fX2VfJm1vZGU9RCZydG9wPTB+MH4wfg==




The uphill pull is less than 6.5 miles  The whole mountain, from Turner's Corner to Sunrise Grocery is 12.8 miles.  When we were younger (and all the adjectives that come with youth) we used to run time trials late at night from Turner's Corner to Sunrise.  The fog of time has stolen the details from my memory, but I think I remember getting from one point to the other in just a tick over 13 minutes in a Ford Ranger.


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## Artfuldodger (Mar 3, 2015)

northgeorgiasportsman said:


> The uphill pull is less than 6.5 miles  The whole mountain, from Turner's Corner to Sunrise Grocery is 12.8 miles.  When we were younger (and all the adjectives that come with youth) we used to run time trials late at night from Turner's Corner to Sunrise.  The fog of time has stolen the details from my memory, but I think I remember getting from one point to the other in just a tick over 13 minutes in a Ford Ranger.



Straight'nin' the curve, 
Flat'nin' the hills. 
Someday the mountain might get 'em, but the law never will. 

Hey I remember stopping at Turner's Corner back in the early 70's and giving the bear in the cage a coke.
We drove up nearly every summer from South Georgia to camp at Vogel and other places.

I wonder if the long drive up from that far in the July heat and then climbing a mountain the last leg of the trip causes some of the overheating transmission problems people have? 
Would it help to pull over for about an hour before making that last climb?


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## Milkman (Mar 3, 2015)

Artfuldodger said:


> Straight'nin' the curve,
> Flat'nin' the hills.
> Someday the mountain might get 'em, but the law never will.
> 
> ...



having the axillary transmission cooler definitely helps with keeping one cooler.


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## Artfuldodger (Mar 3, 2015)

Milkman said:


> having the axillary transmission cooler definitely helps with keeping one cooler.



Most definitely need an aux trans cooler.

I remember back when I subscribed to "Trailer Life" were these ads for auxiliary transmissions or over & under drives.
Does any of that type of stuff help or are modern trucks equipped not to need such things?

Here is an example;

"Since the late 70's the large majority of RV towing has been done with 1/2 ton - 1 ton truck type vehicles: most are equipped with three speed automatic transmissions. With towing weights as high as 12,000 - 15,000 lbs. there is no way, especially with the horsepower available, to have enough gearing for low speed pulling and still be able to cruise economically at interstate speeds. By selecting the proper Dual Range to complement your existing gear ratios, you can in fact enjoy both."

http://kermitstransmissions.com/auxiliary-transmissions/index.htm


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## 660griz (Mar 3, 2015)

Troy Butler said:


> Anyone been to vogel and pulled a camper up and how was the pull up the mountain or did you go a different way? Looking to pull my 26 ft up but am a little worried about the long pull up. I have a dodge with the 5.9 but just did not know about the pull up the mountain or worst coming down. Thanks



I have a Dodge with the 5.9 Cummins. No problem to Vogel. 
5.9 Gas, I don't know. I had that one too but, never pulled in the mountains with it.


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## Troy Butler (Mar 3, 2015)

Thanks its the 5.9 cummins


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## riprap (Mar 3, 2015)

Troy Butler said:


> Thanks its the 5.9 cummins



You should be more than fine with that. My inlaws pulled a 5th wheel to Cheaha state park in Alabama with a hemi. He had it to the floor a couple of times though. There are longer steeper hills there than Hwy 129.


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## T-N-T (Mar 3, 2015)

Troy Butler said:


> Thanks its the 5.9 cummins



Oh,  you can pull your camper up a pine tree with that.


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## KDarsey (Mar 7, 2015)

Like was said, it's not too bad. It is steep but relatively short. Just watch yourself coming down & don't heat up those brakes too much.
 We used to go to Trackrock back in the day & I always traveled the route pnome suggests. This was 20 years ago & I don't think Atlanta traffic was as bad then as now. 
  It's an adventure either way !


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## Dana Young (Mar 7, 2015)

I ran from turners corner to the top in a kenworth 10wheeler Fire truck with 2500 gallons of water in just under 11 minutes. I know you are asking about pullin the mtn with a camper but  that was a 10 ton sloshing load so you should be able to make the top in around 15 minutes.


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