People who frequent New York City would be well aware of ‘Top of the Rock’ – an elevator takes you to the 70th floor of the Rockefeller Center, at a height of 850 feet (260 metres) above street level, from where you get unobstructed views of the Manhattan skyline.
But if you’ve a good car, you can do ‘Top of the Rockies’ – driving on one of the highest roads in the world. We picked up the Hyundai Palisade Calligraphy AWD.
The car
The Palisade is the biggest SUV made by Hyundai, and the Calligraphy AWD is the top-end trim – designed for those who want every possible bell and whistle. It’s a three-row SUV with seven seats, and has enough space for a family’s luggage. It’s powered by a massive 3.8-litre V6 petrol engine (291 bhp, 355 Nm), paired with a smooth eight-speed automatic transmission, and is fitted with HTRAC (Hyundai TRACtion), which provides excellent traction and stability.
The roads
To access North America’s highest roads, you’ve to go to Denver in Colorado, and drive towards the ski resort of Aspen, via the Rocky Mountain National Park.
Stop 1 (Trail Ridge Road)
It’s a 48-mile (77-km), high-altitude scenic byway, connecting the towns of Estes Park and Grand Lake. It’s one of the highest paved roads in the US, climbing to over 12,000 feet (3,657 metres) above sea level.
Why this road?
It crosses the Continental Divide – the hydrological rift that separates America into two parts (rain/snow falling on the western side flows into the Pacific Ocean, and that falling on the eastern side flows towards the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico – there’s nothing called Gulf of America). The road offers dramatic mountain views, and chances to see wildlife such as elk, moose, bighorn sheep, deer, marmots, and if you’re lucky, black bears. The road also has many overlooks and parking areas, perfect for photography.
Stop 2 (Mount Evans Scenic Byway)
A few hours further you will reach this byway at an elevation of 14,130 feet (4,306 metres) – it’s the highest paved road in entire North America. It’s really steep and winding, providing an intense driving experience. Thanks to the Palisade’s HTRAC system and down-hill brake control, we were able to climb this road confidently.
Both these roads are open from May-June until October, and close when heavy snowfall starts.
Stop 3 (Independence Pass)
Driving west towards Aspen will take you to the Independence Pass, at an elevation of 12,095 feet (3,700 metres). It’s a narrow road, and can test both your driving abilities and the car’s handling. But the Palisade’s firm steering and good visibility from the cabin helped us navigate every twist and turn.
The final section is a descent towards Aspen – a superrich town made famous by Hollywood. Here you will find all kinds of high-end cars – from Mercedes-Benz to BMW to Cadillac – but this rare Hyundai managed to stand up to them in luxury and style.
India’s highest roads
These roads are high, but feel average compared to the dizzying mountain passes of Ladakh in India – where most roads are above 15,000 feet. For instance, the road crossing Khardung-la, 40 km from Leh, touches an altitude of 18,379 feet, or 5,602 metres, and the one crossing Umling-la reaches a height of 19,024 feet, or 5,798 metres – and is the world’s highest motorable road.
What did we learn?
For an Indian driver, road trips in a developed country can be informative. Well-paved roads, clear signages, focus on safety, enough rest stops, and respect for other road users, including pedestrians and cyclists, can turn driving into a nirvana. With India’s improving highway infrastructure and higher driving speeds, the last thing we need is more road accidents. Just one thing – respect for other road users – can vastly change our highways.