US-95 or US-93 to Boise next weekend (Moscow, Payette: loan, how much)

[volosong]

I have an appointment next Monday in Boise with a financial planner to go over my retirement budget and financial gameplan. I'll be leaving Saturday morning and will make a leisurely drive north, taking two days to make the trip.

Given a choice, with no time constraints and considering the weather this week, which would be the "better" route headed north to Boise from points south, US-95 or US-93?

95 will entail going over the White Mountains, 93 is about a 110 miles longer route. I'll be driving a small AWD SUV, but will carry a set of chains just in case.

Thanks for any advice you can offer.

[banjomike]

Lost Trail Pass on 93 can be a bearcat after a snow storm but I've never had to use chains. Take your own sweet time on any of the passes- it looks like they will all have snow, and drive them at a speed that you feel safe, even if the traffic piles up behind you. If 15 mph feels good, don't let them push you past that.

I've had lots of lots of impatient speedboats pass me in the winter, and I've stopped a lot of times 5 miles on down the road to pick them up and haul them to the closest town 10 minutes later after they've fallen off the road. Going 25 may not be fast, but it's a lot faster than walking down the barrow pit and a lot more comfortable. Sliding off the road only takes an instant. Walking or staying in the car gets pretty danged lonely and cold, and can last for hours.

[volosong]

Thanks BM. I looked up 'Lost Trail Pass' and 'US-93' and it shows where the 93 crosses from Idaho to Montana. I'll be coming up from down south, so won't get the far north. After my meeting Monday, I'll make my way up to NID, probably on the 95.

However, looks like some nice cross-country skiing at Lost Trail. Hmmmm.

[banjomike]

When Lost Trail dumps you out in Montana, it's one of the very prettiest drives posssible. The W. Montana scenery is gorgeous, and then, when you go back into Idaho via the Lolo, it's more of the same.

it's a very slow route, one I grew tired of when I was going to college in Moscow, but only because it was the most direct route back then. These days, I know I would really enjoy doing it with no constraints or demands on my time like back then.

It's best done in daylight, for sure. After dark, it's just….. dark. You miss seeing all the good stuff.

[Clark Fork Fantast]

Volo, 95 to the Boise area is the most desolate road I've ever been on! Mile after mile, and the scenery doesn't change one bit. It'll drive you nuts. I love pretty deserts--but 95 through NV and OR isn't going through any of them. But it will get you there. 93 is the only direct route we haven't tried yet, because we've always been traveling in the summer, and it is a hot desert two-lane highway with few gas stations along the way, and only one place to stop for the night (Ely) but in winter I'd say I'd prefer to give that a try. But I'd actually be more inclined to just go up 15 to 84. You can be sure the roads are clear, and there won't be any mountain diving.

[volosong]

Yeah. I've done 95 enough to know what you mean. The absolute worst is that you have to 'toe the line' in regards to the maximum posted speed limit on that stretch through Oregon. In Idaho, you can go something like a gadzillion miles per hour, Nevada even faster. But in Oregon, you can almost ride a bicycle at the maximum speed limit. And, they enforce it strictly. Has never been an issue with me because the older I get, the less of a rush I'm in and am content going the posted limit. Thank the Lord for libraries that loan out audiobooks.

I've only been up the 93 twice, and that was about twenty years ago. From the turnoff outside Vegas up to do some glaciology in the Ruby Mountains. That's as far north on the 93 I've ever traveled.

Hadn't thought of taking the 15. It's a good road, fast, and if you miss rush hour going through Salt Lake, wide open. I just thought that would take me too far east and I'd have half a day backtracking to get to Boise. As you say, the road will be clear, and probably salty. I'll map it out and see how much longer it is. Thanks for the suggestion.

[volosong]

Came into a landing in Boise a bit ago. Went ahead and took 95. It was the shortest route, and I never took it from south to north. Always the other way around. Weather was fine. Started snowing in Oregon all the way to Boise. Not a problem. Roads were fine.

With having to keep a close watch on the highway due to the weather and a good audiobook from the library, the time passed quickly. Thank you everyone for your advice. I appreciate it.

After my meeting with the financial adviser tomorrow morning, I'll make my way up to CdA.

[Para]

Have a safe drive up.

[volosong]

Thanks Para. Haven't had internet the past week. It was quite an adventure getting up to NID. Started out on the 84 west out of Boise. When I got to Payette, I had a decision to make: take the 95 north or continue on the 84 to the 82 and I-90. Being an adventurous sort, I elected to take the 95, thinking the scenery would be nicer.

Got as far as the pass between Council and New Meadows before being turned around. There must have been a slide due to the snow because when I asked the highway dept fellow if an AWD was okay, he said nothing could get through. Uugh! Turn around and backtrack to pick up the 84. Thankfully, there is a river crossing at Weiser, so I didn't have to go all the way back to Payette.

But the adventure isn't over yet. Outside Baker City, I noticed the wind especially strong. Oooh! Need to keep both hands on the wheel. It was getting later and later and I noticed that traffic was especially light. Okay by me. No need to worry about inattentive drivers. Passing through La Grande, I took a peak through the sunroof and noticed that one set of my cross-country skis had shifted sideways slightly. Better stop and strap them down tighter. Being a good boy, I got off the freeway, went into the parking lot, and cinched them down more.

Going back to the freeway exit, to take the on-ramp, I noticed that there were cones blocking off the on-ramp. Hmmm? Must be a big pothole, or some other type of construction. No worries. The navigator will re-route me, so I went into town and eventually it did re-route me. Followed the map and got to the next on-ramp. At this on-ramp, there was another highway man stopping all traffic.

He went on to explain that they closed the freeway due to high winds, but that if you were already on it, they were not pulling you off. Went back into town, then decided that I might as well wait where the road was closed. Got to talking with the fellow, until one of his supervisors said that nobody could wait there because trucks needed the room to turn around.

The kid was pretty nice and when I mentioned that I'd just backtrack until I found an open on-ramp, he said that he though one of the ramps were not manned and that I might be able to get on there. Whatta guy! I went back to my original off-ramp and rode around the cones and back onto the freeway, fearful that I'd be caught. Once I got back onto the freeway, it was totally deserted. Eventually, I did spy one car a few miles behind me, and that's the closest he ever got. (Wasn't going too fast due to the wind and possible ice on the road.)

Got to Kennewick for my Costco gas full-up stop, and too late. The Costco gas station stays open one hour after the store closes. I wouldn't make it in time, so just stopped to fill up at a station in Pasco. That was enough to get me up to Harrison easy. Took the 395 out of Pasco to the I-90. Just before Cheney, the snow/ice was pretty heavy and everyone was only going 55 or slower. We 'limped' through Spokane and into Idaho. Took my turnoff past CdA and down the 97 to Arrow Point where I would be spending the next week, dodging downed trees due to the weight of snow causing them to fall.

Have only had a minor disappointment while here this trip because the cross-country ski areas at Fourth of July Pass and Farragut Park have not been groomed yet. Might head up to Schweitzer tomorrow, or if not that, go on a photo safari. Sun finally came out tonight before the sun set. This place is really beautiful in the wintertime. Even though the temperatures have been between 28 and 33, it really doesn't feel all that cold. Maybe that's because there is no wind lately.

[sierra don]

volosong, sounds like you had quite a trip and not a boring drive, good to hear you got there safely. I just got back last Sunday after an 8 day stay.