I'm going to be driving a moving truck towing a car from Abingdon, VA to Bellingham, WA the second week of December and would like some advice on the best route. I figure I can go low and add a lot of mileage, go straight across and battle the Rockies head on, or go high and brave the plains. Right now I'm leaning toward the plains and hoping there aren't any ground storms. I figure I've got a better chance of dodging those than heavy snow in mountain passes. I'm not afraid of snow and ice driving, just closed roads. I guess I'm most interested in advice from people in Minnesota, N. Dakota, Montana, and Eastern Washington. How often are there serious road closures and how long do they last?
Best Winter Cross Country Route (VA to WA)?
- Thread starter itdnwiwbp
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Ive done the Salt Lake-Eastern WA leg more than I care to remember. The only place I have ever seen closed due to snow/ice was on I-84 near Meacham on a downgrade called "cabbage hill". It is pretty steep with a ton of curves. NE oregon and Eastern washington watch out for black ice, in the 27 years I lived there black ice was a wintertime certainty. From eastern washington you really only have 2 ways to cross to Bellinghm. Either go through snoqualmie pass in WA (huge snowfall, frequent closures or they require traction tires/chains and in the last few years they've had some pretty significant avalanches) or head south into oregon and follow the columbia river west and head north around Portland. If snoqualmie pass is clear/dry the drive from kennewick, wa to bellingham should take 4 hours or so, the portland route is much clearer but ive had to drive that way a few times because of pass closures/restrictions. Either way i'm jealous you're going, I haven't been for 6 months...utah is wearing on me. Good luck with the drive.
You can take 70 across, but beware services can be tough at night and altogether you have to refill that truck frequently, sometimes its a ways to the next town/stop
then 15 iirc thru slc, to like 84 then 90 to I5 in the summer, in the winter with a big heavy truck full of your life I'd agree, the longer route may be safer IF its snowed out, and often can be. You can check conditions on line
http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/Traffic/Passes/Snoqualmie/
I went across stevens pass last weekend, not bad at all, but you had to take it easy on the northern faced sections
yes its snowy, but the highway looks well plowed and I can see the dotted lines, as I type this, that pic is dynamic
going thru cali could cost alot more fuel, be sure that you do the math and check the weather en route
I'm north of Seattle but still and hourish plus south of Bellingham, if you mtn bike, or wanna grab a beer anytime, even during your drive up, PM me and I am just a few miles off of I5.
You ready for the climate change?
then 15 iirc thru slc, to like 84 then 90 to I5 in the summer, in the winter with a big heavy truck full of your life I'd agree, the longer route may be safer IF its snowed out, and often can be. You can check conditions on line
http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/Traffic/Passes/Snoqualmie/
I went across stevens pass last weekend, not bad at all, but you had to take it easy on the northern faced sections
yes its snowy, but the highway looks well plowed and I can see the dotted lines, as I type this, that pic is dynamic
going thru cali could cost alot more fuel, be sure that you do the math and check the weather en route
I'm north of Seattle but still and hourish plus south of Bellingham, if you mtn bike, or wanna grab a beer anytime, even during your drive up, PM me and I am just a few miles off of I5.
You ready for the climate change?
gmookher said:
Sounds good. I do mountain bike. Also plan on road biking pretty much every day I'm not at work in AK. The climate change is the reason for my move (from AK to WA...VA to WA is helping someone else move). OH! Also...my truck needs some work (DOA in the container yesterday). I tried Cavalino Auto Works but their number was out of service. Any other suggestions? I was thinking about trying Discovery in Bellevue despite the distance.
Just find your way to I-90 and head west through MT, ID, and in to eastern WA until it ends in Seattle (where it intersects with I-5.) Take I-5 north and you'll be fine.
Your profile says you are from AK.
I'd imagine any snow you encounter in WA should be kids stuff for you compared to what you must endure up there.
Right now (12/7 late PM) Snoqualmie Pass is bone dry... and the 15 day WA forecast says cold but very little in the way of precip.
Your profile says you are from AK.
I'd imagine any snow you encounter in WA should be kids stuff for you compared to what you must endure up there.
Right now (12/7 late PM) Snoqualmie Pass is bone dry... and the 15 day WA forecast says cold but very little in the way of precip.
watch for storms rolling through on weather channel etc. if looks bad and cold and icy in the north and midwest, then keep rolling south to georgia or alabama and roll west until you see a break and then shoot north. its not rocket science. dodge the ice and snow as much as you can. you'll hit it in oregon and washington and into canada probably but just be prepared and you'll be fine. carry lots of water and extra food.
Southern Idaho got hammered this morning and some of the truckers were talking about delays and closures between the 84/86 interchange and Snowville, UT on the CB. I've driven 90 between Seattle and Montana many times and can say that it is usually very good in the winter with the possible exception of Snoqualmie pass, but WA DOT works their butts off to keep it open if at all possible.