Route home advice??

BobbyB26

BobbyB26

New Member
Sep 22, 2008
64
Sedro-Woolley, WA
Boat Info
268 Sedan Bridge
Engines
454 Mercruiser/ Bravo 2
This Friday and Sat I'm going to be helping my son move back home and will be making the run from Phoenix, AZ up to Seattle, WA.

Could really use some advice about routes at this time of year??? I'm familiar with the route straight west to LA and then up 5...only one major problem spot in regards to winter travel, the Siskiyou Summit. But, mapquest says I can save an hour or so by going up thru Vegas and Boise. Problem is that I'm not familiar with the Vegas/ Boise route, let alone what the roads will be like in mid-Dec??

Thanks for any advice.
B
 
Bobby, the Vegas/Boise route will take you through some snow country. The roads are all good (all expressway) once you get to Twin Falls, ID. As you go north from there if you're in a snow storm, you may encounter strong winds (typically left to right) as you crosss the high plains area of ID north of Boise.

From then on it gets pretty good until you get to Cabbage Hill (google it) in OR. That's a long, fairly steep descent just south of Pendleton, OR. The highway dept does a good job of keeping it cleared off but take it slow coming down.

When you get to Hermiston, OR, cross the Columbia River on I-82 and head north towards Kennewick. Stay on I-82 through Yakima and across Snoqualmie Pass. The roads in this area (Hermiston to Snoqualmie Pass) can be slick, but the DOT keeps them in pretty good shape. (As you pass by Kennewick honk and wave!)

Taking this route will let you avoid all the large cities in CA, OR and WA. You'll go through some medium size towns but not have any large traffic headaches like you get going up I-5.

Any other questions...just ask away. Hope this helps.
 
I've driven up through Twin Falls, ID and up 395 in central Oregon. I'd rather be on snow and ice than stuck in traffic in LA, San Fran or Portland! But, I'm used to winter driving. If you have a 4x4 it's a little easier since you don't have to stop and chain up. In California if they see one snowflake on the passes they have you chain up. They usually look at our Washington plates, pull us out and send us on our way so we don't HAVE to chain up! I've had that happen a few times. I'd also check the weather and have some flexibility. I left Pasco, WA headed to Reno, NV leaving around 5:00 PM. Pulled into Reno the next morning around 9:00 am or so. It was snow on the road, but a big storm was heading in the next morning so I drove all night! Great skiing the next day too!!
 
I'd go I-5. I just went to Fallbrook, CA and back for Thanksgiving. The whole east side of the Cascades could be a long drawn out mess compared to just worrying about I-5 at the Siskyous.

Out of AZ, head over I-10 to I-15 and north until 91 then west to I-5 and head home.
 
Thanks for the insight. Ran into a buddy after work and he was saying that the route in northern AZ/ southern UT can get a bit dicey....anyone know about this neck of the woods?
 
Go on I-5, jkust make it the right time of day/night.
 
I have driven in all of those areas and you do not want to take I-15 north through Vegas and Salt Lake City this time of year. Salt Lake City is at 5000' and they have had a lot of snow this year.

I would go west on I-10, north on I-215, west on I-210, then north on I-5. That route will take you around most of the LA traffic and put you on I-5 well north of the most of the traffic. Try and not go through southern Cal from 6 AM to 9 AM and 3 PM to 6 PM. You may hit a bit of slow traffic but it won't slow you much. I lived in LA for 20 years so you will be good with that route.

Once you hit I-5 you won't go through another major city until Portland. I-5 does not go through San Francisco. It goes through Sacramento.

Time your trip to avoid the major cities during rush hours and you will be fine.
 
NorCal Boater said:
I have driven in all of those areas and you do not want to take I-15 north through Vegas and Salt Lake City this time of year. Salt Lake City is at 5000' and they have had a lot of snow this year.

I would go west on I-10, north on I-215, west on I-210, then north on I-5. That route will take you around most of the LA traffic and put you on I-5 well north of the most of the traffic. Try and not go through southern Cal from 6 AM to 9 AM and 3 PM to 6 PM. You may hit a bit of slow traffic but it won't slow you much. I lived in LA for 20 years so you will be good with that route.

Once you hit I-5 you won't go through another major city until Portland. I-5 does not go through San Francisco. It goes through Sacramento.

Time your trip to avoid the major cities during rush hours and you will be fine.
Click to expand...

I concur about Salt Lake City .:thumbsup:.....I made that trip during a "white out", traveling south from Sun Valley, Idaho.....if I had not had the good fortune to tag along behind a trucker, and I mean right behind, it is very likely I could still be there..... somewhere between the Idaho state line and the great Salt Lake....

I will take the traffic (ho hum) :smt038 of I-5 any day as opposed to staring at a truck's tail lights, while traveling through the "twilight zone" for 6 hours...not fun....I realized, too late, that I did not belong there at that time...there are signs along the interstate, warning drivers that they are entering a high wind "white out" zone.... (now you tell me) :huh:

I-5 actually goes around every larger city, except Seattle, big deal......

no question about, which way I would choose, this time of year, even including LA gridlock.... kick back, turn up the music, read the paper, whatever,......more fun than, wondering, what if, for several hours..... that is irresponsible.....
 
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Thanks guys for all the input. I had been leaning towards sticking with the ho-hum I-5 route, but thought that if I got some pretty possitive feedback about the Vegas route I'd take it to see another part of the country. After reading all the posts it just confirmed that I better stick to the better safe than sorry I-5. Off to the airport.

B
 
Got in late last night. Timed it so we went through the Siskyous in the middle of the day and we sailed right thru. Other than that it rained like crazy all the way up the coast, we cruised right along back to home. Thanks for the help.

B
 
BobbyB26 said:
Got in late last night. Timed it so we went through the Siskyous in the middle of the day and we sailed right thru. Other than that it rained like crazy all the way up the coast, we cruised right along back to home. Thanks for the help.

B
Click to expand...

Glad it all went well. Welcome home.
 
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