Winter conditions planning out West

[HighHP]

I just drove that route. If you go 395 and thru Ely, NV you will have a pass to cross at 7300 feet elevation. There are highway gates at Wells that will be closed if snow gets bad. Wind and drifting is the problem. All inland routes, including I-15 south of Salt Lake City, will take you up to at least 6000 feet elevation with a chance of snow and road closures. I think I-5 in northern California goes thru passes with chance of snow issues. If the roads get to a point where you need chains on a 4x4, they will already be closed. Just be sure to check the weather prior to leaving. I-15 being 4 lane and a major route between large cities is probably the best maintained during winter??
Oh, plenty of state rest stops and gas stations. Wells to Las Vegas has few gas stations, but non-stop rest stops on the really wide shoulder.

 

[CoronaRaptor]

I just drove that route. If you go 395 and thru Ely, NV you will have a pass to cross at 7300 feet elevation. There are highway gates at Wells that will be closed if snow gets bad. Wind and drifting is the problem. All inland routes, including I-15 south of Salt Lake City, will take you up to at least 6000 feet elevation with a chance of snow and road closures. I think I-5 in northern California goes thru passes with chance of snow issues. If the roads get to a point where you need chains on a 4x4, they will already be closed. Just be sure to check the weather prior to leaving. I-15 being 4 lane and a major route between large cities is probably the best maintained during winter??
Oh, plenty of state rest stops and gas stations. Wells to Las Vegas has few gas stations, but non-stop rest stops on the really wide shoulder.

Thank you! I am not going #5, that is a sesspool in the winter, once you get south of Grants Pass, lol

 

[MurderedOutSVT]

Finally letting you out of Canadia land?

 

[CoronaRaptor]

Finally letting you out of Canadia land?

Yes they are, but still some minor hurdles to overcome. I want to be prepared if I leave the mothership!

 

[GordoJay]

Yes they are, but still some minor hurdles to overcome. I want to be prepared if I leave the mothership!

What, you think they might not let you back into Canada?

 

[CoronaRaptor]

What, you think they might not let you back into Canada?

They won’t without a negative Covid test. Same for you guys, must be fully vaxed and a negative test within 72 hours.

 

[TAC71]

I have done many roadtrips down through the areas your talking about. The conditions I have seen vary wildly. East of Pendleton OR there is a section of the hwy that can be Coquihalla like.
Pics are from a trip back home to Lower Mainland from 30 miles north of Phoenix AZ in March ....
Got up to Sedona and the storm closed all hwys north out of Phoenix
Using my GPS I found a way around the closure via backroads...
Just got into the miles of stuck trucks

 

[TAC71]

Went through Zion...

 

[TAC71]

Hwy 93 south of Ely NV...

 

[TAC71]

Interstate 84 near La Grande OR... and the biker on Snoqualamie Pass I90 going into Seattle