Driving around Boulder
US 36 to Denver, the Foothills Parkway, and the canyon roads: Boulder Canyon (CO 119) to Nederland, Lefthand, Sunshine and Flagstaff. Some of those are very steep.
Canyon driving cooks brakes. If you drive Flagstaff or Boulder Canyon a lot, ask about brake fluid condition every year, use a lower gear on the way down, and expect pads and rotors more often than flatland drivers.
Front Range driving, in general
- Altitude. At a mile up, non-turbo engines make noticeably less power and turbos work harder. Coolant boils at a lower temperature too, so a weak radiator cap or a small leak shows up sooner here.
- Hail. Spring and summer storms can total a car in ten minutes. Comprehensive coverage and a garage are the real fix.
- Winter. Magnesium chloride on the roads is hard on brake lines, exhaust parts and undercarriages. Rinse the underside in spring.
- Mountain grades. I-70 and US 285 are hard on brakes and cooling systems. Fresh brake fluid and a healthy water pump matter more here than at sea level.