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Boundary Waters Quetico Forum :: Trip Planning Forum :: avoiding the highway 53 hill in duluth
 
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Mocha
07/31/2018 11:50AM
 
thats a good option. there is probably an option out of cloquet, as well.
 
Jackfish
07/31/2018 11:51AM
 
Steve, sure it's a steep hill, but your Suburban with a 350 engine (or similar) has trouble with it? Aren't you driving from Tennessee? With all those miles before you get there, it seems like it should make that climb without even breaking a sweat.
 
oldzip
07/31/2018 12:49PM
 
I always avoid hwy 53 by taking I35 south/use the truck lane up the grade...turn off on hwy2/Proctor exit, then take hwy 2 to hwy 33 which hits hyw 53 by the Cloquet River

 
old_salt
07/31/2018 02:46PM
 
If you go through Duluth, you will climb a hill no matter which way you go. It’s the topography.


If you want to avoid the hills, and use interstate, take I94 to 694 to I35E to I35. Use the 2nd Cloquet exit to avoid construction and follow 33 to 53. It’s a bit longer but will avoid any challenging hills.
 
stevedug
07/31/2018 11:18AM
 
Is there a route that avoids the steep hill on highway 53 as you head north out of Duluth to International Falls? That hill is just brutal on the old suburban when its hauling a full load and a canoe trailer. Would taking the Oliver Bridge to Becks Rd/Midway road straight up to Highway 53 be a good option?
 
Gadfly
07/31/2018 12:03PM
 
Do you need to stop in Duluth? If not its much faster to take 33 through Cloquet and meet back up with 53 at the Cloquet river. There is a hill coming out of Cloquet as well but I don't think its quite as steep
 
inspector13
07/31/2018 12:15PM
 

I don’t know if you could call it a good option, but Becks to Midway has a milder grade. Just north of I35 by the Dry Dock is the steepest. You’d be in for thrill if a train uses the Oliver bridge the same time you do.

I35 to Hwy 33 through Cloquet might be better if you cut over to I35 from US 53 somewhere in Wisconsin. (Maybe Hwy 77/ Hwy 48) Hwy 33 at Cloquet is currently under construction however.


 
stevedug
07/31/2018 05:17PM
 
Thanks for all the info everybody. Looks like I can find some route that will work.


Jackfish - the vortec 6.0L in our suburban Will get us there, but it tdoesn’t like hills.