C. W. McCall "Wolf Creek Pass"

[Rammstein0963]

My dad use to be a trucker and he told me the only road that ever gave him pause or made him even remotely nervous was "the wolf"

[savagechevyman]

He aint never been truckin in northern Canada....I was coming down the pine pass bc over the micromwave tower hill and the snow was so thick i couldn't hardly see the front of my 379 pete, i just kept her steady and kept on truckin only doing 40km an hour with an empty chip trailer and when i got home i checked my pants for a brown spot and thanked the good lord for keeping me on this earth for another day

[savagechevyman]

He aint never been truckin in northern Canada

[Offroadersdotcom]

A real classic. C.W. McCall is my childhood favorite.

[kdraper2007]

if you think this is funny then you should listen to C.W.'s other songs like "Classified" or "crispy Critters".

[roydora]

in 05 i crossed it with a load of chain link fence from pueblo goin to pegosa,on a 48'spread . A memory ill never forget. The load of hay that would have braught me back to Tx. fell threw. And the only thing that paid any good was a 48000lb load of plywood out of montross going to albikircey? NM. Red Mountian pass will put the hurt on a driver.

[Moreththerogue]

I looked at Earl, and his eyes was wide his lip was curled and his leg was fried! LOL

[MrUppsy]

@Moreththerogue I was reading through the comments and got to your comment at the same time McCall sang it

[Seabear70]

Passed through there a couple days ago...

Sadly they did NOt rebuild the feed store.

[FuNsIzEmNmS]

its in colorado i go skiing there

[Sunoco]

When actually driving through Wolf Creek Pass, you have to be crazy to not play this song.

[TheRoogal]

Love it :)

[DaveWollenberg]

Bill (CW) hit #40 in Billboard, 3-22-75. God bless ya, brother CW. Thanx for postin' it!

[XboxGamerness]

6 people didnt make it down wolf creek pass

[savagechevyman]

breaker breaker this here is fishbait any of the good ole boys out there comeback?

trucking on down through the pine pass

[wright2018]

I use to live in montana near the wolf creek pass. Drove it many times. Love this song

[KimoTheGob]

@wright2018 The wolf creek pass he is singing about is in south Colorado. Thats why they "bash into the side of a feed store in down town Pagosa Springs (CO). They are coming down US-160 through Rio Grande National Forest.

[MrTron1123]

@wright2018 wolf creek pass is in Colorado you retard

[doowaditti]

No tuinnels westbound from the summit.....there is a snow tunnel approaching the summit from the east....still love the song.

[AlaskanBaked]

we be a certified bonefied cluck cluck chicken truck driver....Thanks....back out.

[RobcWheeler]

RIGHT ON!

[TheAzdrifter]

A friend had similar story.Coming off steep road he used up his air tanks applying the brakes and lost his brakes.At the bottom of the mountain was an intersection and a car pulled out in front of him.He pulls his air horn and air rushes into the horn and fills up his air tanks.with air tanks full he stops within inches of the car..lol!I am a truck mechanic and know better but its a funny story.Thanks to my trucker buddies.Great song.

[rosemarie443]

@TheAzdrifter you never know son, weird things happen all of the time LOL.

[TheAzdrifter]

I always love a Great Trucker Story...lol.Love it

[rosemarie443]

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL, AND YOU TRUCKERS KEEP IT BETWEEN THE DITCHES AND THE SHINNY SIDE UP

[sumerixt]

Read an article in a magazine at a truck stop a few years ago, and most of this song is true. He heard all of this happen in Colorado, I believe, over the cb about a runaway truck going downgrade.

[cmerr85]

If you want to cry, listen to Red Sovine, if you want to come up after crying listen to Mccall. A legend..

[4tuneagent]

You wanna screw that thing back on, Earl !..

[rosemarie443]

came across the great divide one January, and the snow was so back that the only thing you could see was the big trucks tail light that was in front of me, i followed those light thru that storm, and i thanked God for him every minute i was driving.

[rosemarie443]

Hey you drivers out there have you every drove wolfcreek pass?

[MrWhosyadaddy48]

i love this shit i drove a truck many miles with this music

[Trolleymoose]

Man, if this Fuck'in BAD! Goes to show you hillbillies are not normal.

[doowaditti]

@Trolleymoose Can you put a 'Sentence together"?

[bluekarma]

I remember Convoy, not this one but it is great!

[stabmyflab]

earl im not the type to complain, but a time has come for me to explain that if you dont apply some brake real soon theyre gonna have to pick us up with a stick and a spoon.

[tessa2009]

These songs are the best pick me uper for me.

[gir489]

It's not hard to see why Vinyl didn't last.

[doowaditti]

@gir489 Just a little.....FO.

[MrDakns]

100 avg feet between poles-416 MPH oooooh!

[Bearcloud]

AWESOME!

[mariah81766]

OMG! This takes me back 35+ years. I have that exact 45 that is playing in this video.

[MoosicandCritters]

@mariah81766 I've got that 45 too! LOL I bet it is still a common household item after all these years!!! I love it!!!

[MrDesperado91]

Who couldn't love this song?

[MentalHygienist]

This takes me back - thinks for posting it! I remember my brother had a version where right after CW says "in downtown Pagosa Springs", he goes "Hmm." Only a minute difference, but all the more curious that one version has it and another doesn't.

Anyway, my friends and I still remember the lyrics since the 80s!! :D

[CCSLASH1]

always the storyteller. his stuff was great

[moseham]

real lp's mate true sound

[panzerrat]

Just look up the mileage between Wolf Creek pass and Pagosa Springs.

[lten514]

Wolf Creek Pass, way up on the great divide, trucking on down the other side...

[DaveWollenberg]

Hit #12 country, #40 pop in Billboard. God bless!

[stingraycollector16]

felt like stepping on a plumb

[pattycat100567]

blue ridge,ive collected records for 25 years,ive gotall of em ,cw had at least 6 albums............go fish

[blueridger28]

Man Ive found a new favorite country artist now. Ann to think thy call someone like Taylor swift or Rascal Flatts country.

Long live Outlaw country Hank 1 2 and 3, Waylon Jennings, Jhony Cash,Goerge Jones,and now this guy. Glad I ran across this thanks.

[StarCar98]

"You wanna screw that thing back on Earl" I love it, I haven't heard this in years. I would to hear "Classified" and "Audubon"

[RavenL86]

I loce Cw lol but as for wolf creek pass, my dad was a truck driver for 26 years and we went over this pass many times, very dangerous beautiful place....

[skorli]

Haha just went over this pass going into Durango.

[rickheft]

quick math,33.1/3. 38 rpm is faster,so traprmike,do the math!

[timeanagain]

its a 45 ...doh...

[cruisinokc405]

cw mc call is why i married a truck driver........lol divorced him a few yrs later!!

[NiteClerk]

It actually sounds like it's a little fast. Possibly it's running at 38 rpm instead of 33 1/3?

[traprmike]

if this was playing at 38rpm, it would be realy slow... let you figure out why.

[xlbyg07]

not bad sound if this song was video'd while playing on the old record player. or was it just good dubbing?

[gregbarrett9]

The camera mic is picking up the sound from the players speakers.

[turbodaze]

@gregbarrett9 i think it sounds just fine

[tranz2deep]

@gregbarrett9 That's real proof you own the record.. :D

[karinaperson002]

i love this

[OSTATECOWBOYS4EVER]

I've been through Wolf Creek Pass, and stayed in Pagosa Springs...Colorado is BEAUTIFUL! I miss living there!

[blackxt00thxgrin]

and maybe someday i will !!!!!!!!!!!!!

[user208351]

@OSTATECOWBOYS4EVER

Check out my video of driving Wolf creek pass in with both versions of the song.

Pagosa Springs was a little bit of a let down to me. I did however fall in love with Colorado and the town of Ouray. Hope to move there in the spring.

Also got to meet and talk with Bill (CW) in Ouray. He is one heck of a nice guy.

[GunnerxAE]

if you have never drive'n a class a truck you dont have a chance of understanding

[ironhorzmn]

I descended Monteagle and the Grapevine in a fully loaded Werner Enterprises rig as a driver trainee.

(I quit shortly afterward.)

[qball090872]

@ironhorzmn You had good training and was to dumb to realize it!I ran I5 in training to and was greatfull for it

[ironhorzmn]

Thank you. Those are two of the few things I'll always be proud of.

[odinspromise]

Sounds like an average Saturday night to me! lol

[awahlster]

As to driving down a hill in 5th gear when you might have 18 gears in a truck 5th on the jake might be the perfect combo. Driving a truck is just slightly different then you average econoboxmobile

[ironhorzmn]

I think the rule is use the same gear you would climb the hill with.

Use the jake and brake firmly and regularly as you approach redline.

(And keep a tightly puckered ***hole.)

[awahlster]

Well I drive a Kenworth t-800 chassis Dump truck and pup trailer running 105,500gvw for a paving company. We do everything from Forest service roads to I5 and I do site work (you know DIRT ) And while some silly rule might work for learning after doing this for 10+ years I just kind of know what gear out of the 18 I get to play with on the road I should be in, Off road I get a different 18 to play with.

Enjoy.

[purepressure2004]

Just enjoy the song and dont try to decipher it!

[MrTrailltrader]

@awahlster

But, do you have the balls to do it in a 1948 Peterbilt with 400 chickens?

[awahlster]

@MrTrailltrader

Actually I learned to drive at 14 in a 1946 Ford 2 ton farm truck (in 1973) with 16 boxes of Pole beans in the back (about an 8 ton load). While not as stinky as the Chickens the pole beans weighed ONE HELL OF A LOT MORE. So I'm pretty sure I could handle a 48 Pete.

[MrTrailltrader]

@awahlster

Yeah, I'd say you've got the balls. Not me- I've spent too much time fixing vehicles like that as a kid. If its too dirty to pick my nose I want a mechanic to do it!

I'm retired, the only thing I drive now is the wife insane, the mutt to lick me, and the shopping cart at the grocery store!

[doowaditti]

@MrTrailltrader HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA....GOOD ONE!!!!

[joebadoka]

there realy is a wolf creek pass and pagosa springs

[airwart]

might be... but still who in their right mind drives down a mountain in 5th gear?

[MoosicandCritters]

airwart, Relax buddy. It's just a song!

[rosen5000]

BEEN THERE DONE IT ,

[TWCmusicweatherfan61]

This song has it all. Great music and humor! XD!

[airwart]

next time they will hire a more reputable driver than a psycho that drives in 5th gear going down a mountain. So I feel sorry for the chickens on that top row.

[b39747]

I've been over Wolf Creek Pass before and after they updated it. I was in my Freightliner with a full load on my flatbed. It truly was fun.

[xFeedMyFlamex]

my dad had this album on 8-track too! we'd listen to it every single time we went to greenwood lake for boating ahhhh. good times.

[HIghBlutdruck]

22, 000 telephone poles per hour. This song is hilarious!

[GrigoriZhukov]

@HIghBlutdruck Son, you'd know it was a true story if you'd EVERY been down Wolf Creek Pass before they widened it...35 years later and that crap road still spooks me.

[rosemarie443]

@GrigoriZhukov did you drive the wolf creek pass? i want to know if it is as bad as this song says

[GrigoriZhukov]

@rosemarie443 yep back when it was still 2 lane and they were widening it to the current 3lane(?).

[howlin2]

@rosemarie443 yeap its a rough one but not sure if its that bad

[MrBigoutlaw]

I played all CW's songs, had the CB, in the car and as a base. I cant find Silverton Train, thanks so much for the post, missed all his great songs!

[usm7j]

Came screaming off Wolf Creek Pass in a Porsche 914. Definitely proved that youth is wasted on the young.

[mandymoorefanatic]

My grammy has the record & they can't be beat but would love to find a CD & have the songs digitally remastered & that would be KICK ASS!!

[BigOldScout]

A Digitally remastered version of the song can be found on the, "American Spirt" CD from American Steamroller and CW McCall.

[KillerKlown580]

My dad had this album on 8-Track!! We listened to it everytime we went camping in his 1972 International Camper Special -w- a 14' Wilderness cabover camper on the back.  Good memories. Happy B-Day Dad!!

[OttoRax]

I had a CW 8-track called "Black Bear Road that had the song the other guy was looking for "Silverton." Story about the narrow gauge RR. Greatest CW song may have been Aurora Borealis. "That ain't pollution...that's Aurora Borealis." Bring back those days.

[kitralvia]

Took my 1994 KW 900L over Wolf Creek Pass with my co-driver. Not something you want to do with a 48 spread axle flatbed trailer.

[tumblebusch]

sissy

[MrAquarium]

Records? oh lord lol, well at least some of the younger people coming up in the world might see this and learn a bit of history.

[OhkatieLaughs]

Vinyl is actually making a come-back among the young. Big names like Jack White are regularly offering their music that way. So, it's neat to see vinyl, but hardly awe-inspiring for most youngsters. Still--love this song! It's great to hear it again!

[MrAquarium]

I don't think is has ever died off,

the making of and selling in stores maybe, but you still can't touch a nice turn table for any cheap amount of money and have not been able to, I;ve been trying to snag a good one cheap and it don't happen.

[Darrellv99]

Those BIG records you are talking about are called 33 1/3's

[LRPharm54]

I remember 45 rpm records lol Olllllllllllllllld. Ha ha

[Str8Pretzel]

Ah yes! The girls would sing the chorus. Never trucked Wolf Creek but another stretch on the way to Monte Vista(?) 8k ft I believe. Only time I ever had to watch the pyrometer closely.

[TT350500600]

Me and my lifelong best friend since we were 1 (now 38) learned all these songs riding around in his dads brand new spice brown 77 3/4ton 4x4 with burnt orange interior on the 8 track. On some songs I still listen for the song to break while it switches tracks! I look for the same thing on some Beach Boys, and Gordon Lightfoot songs. Who here knows what I'm talking about?

[user208351]

you mean that little rumble and then the click... lo Yeap slide mount western auto 8 track player! Lived it.... I even have the BIG records with the little hole. Yes the S.W. area of Colorado is great. Ouray County and San Juan is where my heart is La Plata is ok but not home to me.

[TT350500600]

Yes I've heard it on the BIG record with the little hole as well. Up at the cabin in the Little Belt Mountains in Montana by the abandoned mines at Hughsville/Baker they had a loudspeaker mounted on the power pole and us kids would be a mile away from the cabin playing on the slag piles with these songs echoing down the valley. Sadly the mines are set to be torn down as a Superfund site cleanup.

[brian42776]

wolf creek pass is in Colorado in the southwest corner by Durango and Pagosa Springs it is at 11,500 feet if my memory is correct i am a truck driver and i have actually drove it very nice scenery

[elinds1340]

Hilarious! What a visual...My husband is OTR trucker...not enough valium for me to ride w/him if he's driving like that tho! (I play poker online...lol)

[user208351]

Wolf Creek Pass: fact or fiction?

Both. Idea came from a story told to me by an old trucker from Wiggins, Colorado". —Bill Fries

You can write Bill at

Bill Fries

PO Box E,

Ouray, CO 81427

[hydrocutty]

i seen u put his addy up here a few times on different vids,if i send him his 1st 2 albums(real records) will he sign them and send them back if i pay postage?

[user208351]

As told by Bill himself. Remember to send postage for it to be returned to you! Bill goes to the post office every day it is open to get their mail. He is one heck of a nice guy.

I will be moving to Ouray as soon as I find a reasonable priced place. If you ever get a chance to go there you will see so much of his music in real life. I love Ouray and the Alpine Loop.

[hydrocutty]

good shit man thanks,id love to have signed records that would be cool as hell ;)

[usm7j]

I was living in Wyoming when CW hit the music scene. What a privilege to be able to live alot of his music!! Sadly, I now live in Ohio.

[crazymandan59]

Great old song-- but I sure was disappointed when I went over Wolf Creek pass and after truckin' on down the other side found out there's no such thing as downtown Pagosa Springs! Unless they moved it after the accident, that is.

[ironhorzmn]

I think they moved it DURING the accident, sort of. :D

[ElectricFlyGuy]

This is just one of his all time greats!!!! KUDOS!!!!!!!!!

[superflea1]

Ahh they just don't make 'em like that no more.

They don't make songs like that.

They don't make story tellers like that.

They don't make roads like that.

And they Sure as Fuck don't make truck drivers like that no more...Maybe thats why I decided its time to go home at night and leave the OTR stuff to the kiddies.

[hydrocutty]

c.w. mccall is one of THE most underated musicians ever-he had a voice,comedy,and the ability to tell stories in his songs-very nice,thanks for the vid ;)

[PhenyxinNC]

There isn't an musician called CW McCall. He's actually an advertising character expropriated by two men who wrote some decent songs and made some money. When it all went south one went back to advertising, and the other founded a little know band named "Mannheim Steamroller".

[hydrocutty]

oh so bill fries aka C.W. McCall never had any records out at all? he didnt do the main theme for convoy? he didnt have a number of records including 2 greatest hits? hmm me and alot of other folks- must have just dreamt all that up-i know how he got his start but he did have a number of records-this wasnt just a song on an ad

[PhenyxinNC]

Wow! Way to be so completely wrong about what I wrote. Thanks for playing though and flying completely off the deep end.

[ironhorzmn]

I get it. :D

[onejupiter]

I must have listened to this a million times when I was a kid

[countbelchula]

I noticed no penny on the tone arm.. Must be a good needle..lol

[countbelchula]

Nice touch with the 45 record player..interested in selling it?

[kdraper2007]

I got this on CD!

[Brianeddie666]

Brings back good memories,,thanks for posting this!

[rollingparkinglot]

been there done that got the hat and the t-shirt whoop whoop truck it up

[jackelliston]

Wolf Creek Pass? Been there, done that, in a blizzard. Time for new roads.

[outakontroll]

Hey thanks for posting that. I realy enjoyed it.