Looking Southbound/Uphill
The Conejo Grade (sometimes shorted to "The Grade") is a short, steep stretch of The 101 freeway between Camarillo and Thousand Oaks. With an incline of 6.5%, this section of road is treacherous for vehicles going both up and down. The south bound lanes (uphill) have overheated and generally damaged many cars that can't take the stress. Several car fires have been started here and subsequently lit the neighboring hillside above Camarillo Springs on fire.
High elevation has lent its share of trouble to this roadway. In the mid-1980s, a brief snowfall dusted the road making it not only slippery, but also masking the road way. Local Fauna mistook the road for a safe spot and stood around in on the asphalt causing the temporary closure of the road.
Tips for driving the Grade:
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Pay attention to how your car is handling.
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If your car is slow, don't sweat it. Just get in the right lanes.
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If your car is fast, stay to the left. Passing on the right just makes it difficult for those slow travelers to move over. Tailgating also won't make the slow cars go faster.
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Be aware of the Truck Scales in both directions. Don't use these exits unless you are driving the appropriately sized vehicle.
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Watch out for cars entering and exiting from the poorly placed Camarillo Springs on/off ramps almost at the bottom of the hill.
