Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Hello all, my family is coming to visit us at Christmas time and I am concerned about winter travel, my daughter, husband and 3 grandchildren in the vehicle. My husband and I usually go Twin Falls and Ely, then Las Vegas to So Calif but I have heard some of the passes could be dangerous in the winter, does anyone have any other suggestions ?
My brother has gone to NID in the winter going up the 395 to Bishop then on the 6 to the 95 north to the I-80 to Winnemucca then north on the 95 again which passes very close to Boise quite a few times. He tows a 24 ft car hauler with his truck each time with no problems.
I go on the I-15 to the I-90 spring through fall to get to NID but use the 95 route in winter with my car.
That's usually the quickest route too (you didn't mention where in SoCal). The one spot that could give the most trouble is the long gradual climb to Montgomery Pass on U.S. 6. Others here have mentioned going up U.S. 93 past Vegas, though I don't recall discussion about specifically dicey areas on that route and I never went that way myself.
Others here have mentioned going up U.S. 93 past Vegas, though I don't recall discussion about specifically dicey areas on that route and I never went that way myself.
I wouldn't consider anywhere along that route dicey.
It's pretty flat most of the way, but there is a small pass to go over
just southeast of Ely and another even smaller one just north of Wells.
Neither are what I would consider treacherous unless it was snowing very heavily.
I've found that sometimes the most direct isn't necessarily the safest, or even the fastest.
I recently had to drive from Missoula to Boise, and was intending to cut across central Idaho, which is very scenic, but also very windy and lots of turns. Due to unforeseen circumstances, I ended up having to make the entire drive in one day, driving the whole thing myself (I had intended to share the driving with my husband, but he got hurt the day before and couldn't drive), so I decided to go the longer, safer way on the freeway. My mom made the drive through central Idaho just a couple weeks before, and it took her 8 hours. It took me 8 hours, 15 minutes to go the much longer way (more than 100 miles longer).
I say this to mention if you are looking for the safest route, that is probably taking the freeway the entire way, but any of the freeway routes (there are at least 3 choices) go well out of the way. When I've made the drive, we've compromised, and gone up the freeway to Sacremento, over through Reno, and then cut north at Winnemucca. The pass at Donner's is somewhat ugly in the winter, and may require chains, but it is a freeway, so is kept as well maintained as possible. The road north of Winnemucca is very very dark. I've never driven it in the winter, but my guess is that the winds might be bad across there.
[quote=Lacerta;36859465]I've found that sometimes the most direct isn't necessarily the safest, or even the fastest.
and gone up the freeway to Sacremento, over through Reno, and then cut north at Winnemucca. The pass at Donner's is somewhat ugly in the winter, and may require chains, but it is a freeway, so is kept as well maintained as possible
__________________________________________________ __________________________________
We have been back and fourth to the Boise area several times over the past two years. On our last trip, we drove the above route from Bakersfield CA to Boise the end of January this year, checking on the development in Meridian we plan to purchase a home in next year after I sell my company and retire.
Checked the WX and could see the Donner Pass was open and no chains required(We were in a 1 ton dually pickup), once over the Donner Pass we RON'ed in Reno. The next day we drove the remaining 425 miles in 7.5 hrs drive time + 1 hour time change and 2 short stops for food and fuel. Not much in the way of services after Sparks NV. and one run of about 100 miles with no fuel stops available, but other wise a "Piece of Cake", with only occasional mixed rain and snow showers, good road conditions, kept the speed down to about 60. We decided not to drive at night to avoid icing, so split the trip up into two 425 mile segments.
We will be taking the same route tomorrow on another trip to decide to build or buy,(Must Have parking for two cars, a pickup and an attached RV gr. for our Silver Streak trailer). We will be in the Boise area for about a week.
We went 395 through Bishop one year in November and didn't think we would make it! The weather was terrible and very scary! We were going from Boise to San Bernardino. Fog, snow, ice.
You may want to consider this alternative, avoiding any serious mountain passes (to my recollection): Take I-5 to Redding, and before you get to Mt. Shasta, branch off to the east on 299. We ended up doing that in 2013 due to wildfires on Shasta, and it turned out to be a decent alternative. Then go 299 east to Alturas on 395 in OR (at that point you will be north of the high mountain passes of the Sierras), and go north on 395, mostly rolling hills, until you get to 20. Then go east on 20--high desert, interesting landscape--which will take you to Ontario on I-84, and then just a short distance south on I-84 to Boise.
I will do just about anything to avoid 95 from I-80 to Nampa. It is a lonely, monotonous desert road that just goes on forever and ever, with very few services.
And I wouldn't go up 395 through Bishop and Bridgeport in winter, either. It's winter up there!
Hello there,
Can anyone help me with the best driving route from Southern California to Boise? I am looking at a map and it seems our options are 93 through Nevada or I-15 through Utah. If it helps, we will be driving in early Nov. in terms of weather. Snow driving is zero problem for us.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
to avoid 95 from I-80 to Nampa. It is a lonely, monotonous desert road that just goes on forever and ever, with very few services.
Best driving route from Southern California?
