GMC 2006 Sierra 1500 Pickup Owner's Manual page 335

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?
•
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.
Driving Uphill
Once you decide you can safely drive up the hill, you
need to take some special steps.
•
Use a low gear and get a firm grip on the steering
wheel.
•
Get a smooth start up the hill and try to maintain
your speed. Do not use more power than you need,
because you do not want your wheels to start
spinning or sliding.
•
Try to drive straight up the hill if at all possible. If the
path twists and turns, you might want to find another
route.
CAUTION:
{
Turning or driving across steep hills can be
dangerous. You could lose traction, slide
sideways, and possibly roll over. You could
be seriously injured or killed. When driving up
hills, always try to go straight up.
•
Ease up on your speed as you approach the top of
the hill.
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