route 80 Sacramento to Reno driving advice (Las Vegas: rental car, spring break, rental)

[creepy]

Hi Folks,

Me and my husband and son are considering a trip from Austin by plane to Sacramento and then getting a rental car and driving to Reno. This would be middle of March. Would there be a big hazard from snow or anything else you can think of? Is 80 a "good road"?

Thanks.
Laura

[humboldtrat]

Originally Posted by creepy

Hi Folks,

Me and my husband and son are considering a trip from Austin by plane to Sacramento and then getting a rental car and driving to Reno. This would be middle of March. Would there be a big hazard from snow or anything else you can think of? Is 80 a "good road"?

Thanks.
Laura

I-80 is a scenic 4-lane highway in the mountains with few flat, straight sections and nothing like what you have in Texas. Most people go about 60 - you can't go 70 or 80 like in Texas. The interstate is patroled by the CHP.

As for snow, it's possible to get a storm in mid March. In that case you might need chains (the CHP whould insist!) - ask the rental car company for chains. It's a hassle getting out in cold weather and putting chains on the car which is why I don't bother driving it in the winter. Sections of the interstate can be "rough" from cars and trucks with chains tearing up the concrete and/or asphalt roadway. The right lane where the trucks mostly stay is worst than the left lane.

Why not fly into Reno instead of Sacramento? Amtrak also has daily trips from Sacramento to Reno on the California Zepyer. That's a scenic ride also!

[Missy.Rivers]

Originally Posted by creepy

Hi Folks,

Me and my husband and son are considering a trip from Austin by plane to Sacramento and then getting a rental car and driving to Reno. This would be middle of March. Would there be a big hazard from snow or anything else you can think of? Is 80 a "good road"?

Thanks.
Laura

In between Sacramento and Reno is Auburn, where I grew up, so I thought I'd chime in.
We drove that route frequently, the 80 pass over the Sierra Nevadas. Its as beautiful of a drive as you can have for a major highway.

March can have potential snowstorms but not as likely as December/January. That said, the road crews there are usually plowing roads quickly. I doubt in March you'll have an issue. You could bring chains, but in the unlikely even you need them, the road crews there also have them to rent. When you get to the summit, the town of Truckee is worth a stop. Nice place to stretch out and look around.

You can look forward to a brisk and cold fresh air at the highest elevation. Its a nice drive, through a landscape of mountains and evergreens. Have fun!!

[.highnlite]

Worst storm I ever experienced along 80 was the April Fools Storm of 1982. We got 15 feet at our home on Donner Lake. I spent the week digging for victims of the Alpine Meadows Avalanche.

Another winter, we got 3 feet on May 10.

Expect snow on your trip, rent a 4x4 and make sure the tires say M&S, or Mud and Snow, no matter how slick your rig, if your tires don't say that, don't expect to get through Chain Control.

If you rent a two wheel drive, make sure it has chains and make sure the chains fit. and when it comes time to put them on, hire a chain monkey, he will be on the side of the road. CHP really hates it when the tourons wrap their self installed chains around the axle half way up the hill. and hire a chain monkey to take them off, so that once again, you don't wrap them around the axle.

Donner Pass is at 7200 feet, higher than all but about two Texas hills.

Carry food and water, and figure what you will do about peeing if a jack knifed big rig makes the two hour trip into a 6 hour trip.

[Buzz123]

Try to rent a 4x4. Not necessarily better than chains, especially on a light, front wheel drive car, like a Honda, but I hate chains, and so do most people. In that part of the country, if you don't like the weather, wait 20 minutes...it'll change. We went skiing one time at Mammoth Lakes on Memorial Day. Went back for the 4th of July and they were still skiing.

On one occasion, on I-80 west bound, we were turned back, due to the highway being closed and had to spend a night in Reno; and on another, they allowed us to go through only because we had rented a 4x4 Jeep Cherokee in Reno. But once we were up in the pass in the Cherokee I was wondering if we shouldn't have waited it out in Reno again. We more or less crept along all the way to Nevada City. I was glad I'd taught my wife to drive in snow, because she had to do the driving on that trip.

The day after the occasion when we were turned back, it took four hours to get to Truckee. From there to North Star it was OK. Several times it seems, when we've gone to Reno or Tahoe in winter, we'd hear on the news about winter campers being caught in the back country in a blizzard, and some of them not surviving. But we've mostly really enjoyed the Sierras in winter. So just check the weather reports and check with CHP before heading out.

I was also wondering why you don't just take Southwest to Reno.

[creepy]

Well thank you-that was 3 very different responses and all appreciated.

I will consider the train. Had not thought of it for that route. Had looked at it for Austin to Reno and the price and routes were both ridiculous.

The scenery looks enchanting.

Laura

[creepy]

OOPs, thanks for the 4 posts.

I don't like flying and there is no Austin to Reno that I have found that is non-stop. I may compromise and do the 1 stop each way but I'd prefer adding in a drive over that.

Laura

[Buzz123]

Even if you have a stop in Las Vegas, the flight from here to Reno is so short you'd never notice.

My wife and I have always wanted to take that train. Didn't know it was daily. Gotta be the most scenic train ride in the country.

[humboldtrat]

Originally Posted by creepy

I will consider the train. Had not thought of it for that route. Had looked at it for Austin to Reno and the price and routes were both ridiculous.

The scenery looks enchanting.

Go for the train! It's a nice ride over the Sierras - I've done it a couple of time. You can have lunch in the dining car and cocktails in the observation car. http://www.amtrak.com/ccurl/644/343/...ule-011413.pdf

The Amtrak station in Reno is about 2 or 3 blocks from all the casinos downtown.

[mamacatnv]

Lived in Reno for 19 years, moved to Austin 10 months ago.

Couple of things:
Rental car companies will not give you chains. We have yet to find one that will. Rented a car for an employee a few weeks ago, had to upgrade to 4WD due to no chains - they also told us we were prohibited from putting our own on the vehicle. Chains/Cables if not properly installed can cause damage to the vehicle.

Spring Break (March) 2011 my son spent 2 unexpected days in Sacramento with a ton of other UNR students due to 80 being closed because of weather and spinouts.

Spring Break (March) 2010 we had to chain up to go over 80 to San Francisco

January 2011 - went to the Kraft Bowl in San Francisco along with a gazillion other Reno'ites, clear sailing, no weather problems over and back but lots and lots of Highway Patrol who knew we were coming over the hill in mass

You never ever know when it comes to the Sierras. You can experience chain controls in May and September too. I believe they even occur occassionally in June.

We use the flight from Austin with the stop in Vegas the most often, the second choice is a stop in Phoenix. We always fly Southwest. Who has a direct flight Austin to Sacramento? Just curious