USVI-On-Line

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Just saw some posts about "Jacobs Ladder" + how slippery it gets in the rain.

A friend explained to me that roads used daily by
large trucks are covered in oil residue from those trucks.
It's the combination of this oil + rain water
that makes those roads extra slippery.

Two roads that are used daily by water trucks,
construction vehicles, cargo trucks, etc. are Gifft Hill Road +
Jacobs Ladder. Be very VERY careful when traveling on these
roads in the rain, especially on the uphill areas.

This oil + water makes the road slippery even
when the roads are just a little wet, like when the
road starts to dry after the actual rain fall.

When it is wet, I sit at the bottom of Jacobs Ladder until
ALL cars + trucks in front of me are up and over. When it's
dry, I wait at the bottom if a large truck is ahead of me.
No one behind me has ever acted annoyed, if anyone
ever did seem annoyed, I would just wave them around me.

Our roads are not as "scary" as they may seem to some of our visitors.
But do remember: it's oil that makes some roads extra slippery when they are even just a little bit wet. -c

Cheryl, you are a wealth of information!

Bumping this up for those who are heading to STJ in the next few days. Good advice, Cheryl.

We watched an on-coming cement truck come down Jacobs Ladder sidewides during a winter trip. We slid backwards at the same spot during a downpour. Mr. PA had his wits about him and popped the Jeep into 4WD low and we were ok. Not fun, at all.

At least the road's still there. Post on facebook about the road leading to Cane Garden Bay....

Big storms yesterday. One resident, who's lived here his whole life, said, "That's the worst I've ever seen the road to Cane Garden Bay." The water pressure literally lifted up the blacktop and washed it down to the bottom of the hill.

Apparently it took a car with it. Gonna be a little tough getting around there for a while.

This is a great reminder for folks. Thanks!

I have been trying to figure out where on STJ jacob's ladder is...did a search on the boards but I am still not sure. I am thinking it is on the north shore road between trunk and cinnamon???? There is a crazy switchback there that I remember people getting stuck on a few years back when it was raining.

yogagirl wrote:I have been trying to figure out where on STJ jacob's ladder is...did a search on the boards but I am still not sure. I am thinking it is on the north shore road between trunk and cinnamon???? There is a crazy switchback there that I remember people getting stuck on a few years back when it was raining.

It is not on Northshore. It is in town and heads to The Westin/Chocolate Hole. Jacob's Ladder is on Route
104 as you head south from Cruz Bay. It is a little bit past The Marketplace. It starts going up at Pine
Peace Market. I stop and wait for cars ahead of me to go up and over at E&C gas station, which is a little
before it starts uphill but from there I have a place to drive safely off the road in case anyone does slide
down. Up and over Jacob's Ladder takes you to the Westin and the road continues to Chocolate Hole.
Jacob's Ladder is a very deceptive hill. It does not look like a big incline and it is straight, but again
it's the oil on the road from the frequent big truck traffic that makes it so slippery when it's just a
little bit wet.