Tesla Model Y can do it!

My wife and I picked up our Tesla Model Y a couple weeks ago.  Having owned a 2013 Model S for several years, we adapted to the Y quickly and really enjoy it.  We’ve put about 800 miles on it so far. Today was a nice sunny Fall day, so we decided to go for a short hike.  This involved driving a few miles on a gravel road to the trailhead, but we knew the Y could handle it.  We had a Toyota Highlander 4WD for these trips before, but sold it and the Model S too when we bought the “Y”. A little muddy, but the road was in good shape.  The recent snow had mostly melted at the trailhead elevation, about 3,000 ft.  We knew that the Y ground clearance was only 1/2” less than the Highlander, so “no problem”. 

After our hike we still had plenty of time, so decided to continue on the same Forest Service road, believing that it dropped into the next valley.  We had done a half dozen similar round trips in this area, but not on this road.  The map and Y Nav screen said the road was a dead end, but we felt sure this was wrong and we could exit the ridge via the next valley. We followed the road for several miles, gaining elevation and encountering patches of snow on the road, but other vehicles had made a track so we drove cautiously and had no problems.  I switched the Y to “Off Road Assist”, just in case.

Well, you guessed it, the road was a dead end.  So we backtracked to the last road junction and, after checking the map carefully, realized we only had to drive a couple miles farther to connect with a road down to the next canyon, that we had driven before. But, the connecting road was shown on the map as slightly less developed than the one we were on.  We hadn’t driven the connecting road before, but decided to see … Well, you guessed it again, the connecting road was what we unaffectionately call a “goat trail”,  steep, rocky, narrow, drop off, no place to turn around, steadily climbing.  We continued, knowing it was only a mile or so before we could turn down the next canyon. 

By the time we exited the connecting road we were at 5,400 feet with about 6 inches of snow on the road.  There were tire tracks, but it was “white knuckle” slippery.  The Model Y soldiered on, handling it better than our Highlander would have! We turned onto the ridge road with only a 1/2 mile to the junction down the next canyon, but I soon realized the “tracks” in the snow were from a snow-tracked UTV, not a truck or SUV!  Good grief! Being a heavy vehicle, the Model Y broke through the snow to the road surface and we continued on.  We had a snow shovel and Auto Socks (a legal alternative to tire chains) with us, but I was surprised how well the stock “mud & snow” all season radials were doing.  Normally I would have never attempted this without snow tires. By this time I had said several times that I had no intention of driving this high or testing the Model Y this much!  Too late now!

We made it to the junction and turned down the next canyon road, driving slowing through the snow, and feathering the throttle lightly to not brake (regen) too strongly and loose traction.  I kept telling myself - there’s going to be rattles and squeaks, maybe even loose plastic panels, after this beating! We made it to the paved roads and I turned off “Off Road Assist” and headed home.  Surprisingly, we heard no rattles or squeaks!  At home it was clear the Model Y had been tested.  We washed off the mud, and some snow still packed into the wheel wells, then shampooed and dried her carefully, including thoroughly rinsing the underside.  After a carefully inspection, I could find no scrapes, scratches, or loose panels.  Amazing! All I can say to the guys and gals at Tesla who made this vehicle is “You nailed it!  Thanks!”  We’re confident she can handle it; and next time we’ll turn around!