Chevrolet 2008 Silverado 1500 Pickup Owner's Manual page 330

Approaching a Hill
When you approach a hill, you need to decide if it is one
of those hills that is just too steep to climb, descend, or
cross. Steepness can be hard to judge. On a very small
hill, for example, there may be a smooth, constant incline
with only a small change in elevation where you can
easily see all the way to the top. On a large hill, the incline
may get steeper as you near the top, but you may not see
this because the crest of the hill is hidden by bushes,
grass or shrubs.
Here are some other things to consider as you approach
a hill.
•
Is there a constant incline, or does the hill get
sharply steeper in places?
•
Is there good traction on the hillside, or will the
surface cause tire slipping?
4-18
•
Is there a straight path up or down the hill so you
will not have to make turning maneuvers?
•
Are there obstructions on the hill that can block your
path, such as boulders, trees, logs, or ruts?
•
What is beyond the hill? Is there a cliff, an
embankment, a drop-off, a fence? Get out and walk
the hill if you do not know. It is the smart way to
find out.
•
Is the hill simply too rough? Steep hills often have
ruts, gullies, troughs, and exposed rocks because
they are more susceptible to the effects of erosion.