Mountain driving on a long trip is a different skill from cruising a highway, and the problem is that the techniques that work on the flat become dangerous on a steep grade. The mountains demand their own habits, for the descents especially, and learning them before the pass rather than during it is what keeps the brakes cool and the trip safe.The descent is where most mistakes happen, because the natural instinct is to ride the brakes all the way down, and that is exactly what overheats them into failure. The correct technique is to shift into a lower gear and let the engine do the braking, using the brakes in short, firm applications only when needed, which keeps them cool and available for the moments that actually require them. On a long downgrade, this engine braking is not optional, it is the difference between controlled descent and brake fade.The ascent has its own rules, mostly about momentum and patience, because climbing at high speed burns fuel and risks overheating, and a steady, moderate pace is more efficient and kinder to the engine.
Watch the temperature gauge on long climbs,
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