driving vegas to reno in the winter (Las Vegas, Fallon: rent, dangerous)

[boblvnv]

Want to do this drive in about a week and know very little about driving on the 95 anywhere north of Indian Springs.

Is there anywhere I might encounter snow? Seems like most of the drive is in very isolated areas.

[jacknevada]

Once you get to Beatty, the elevation for the rest of the trip is around 4000'. You go through 6000' at Tonopah and you end up around 5000' at Reno. The only real places for services are Beatty, Tonopah, Hawthorne and Yerington. Once you get to Yerington, the populated areas are much closer together up to Reno.

You can run into snow everywhere from Tonopah all the way into Reno. You can check the road conditions at: Safe Travel USA

There are probably other travel sites with road conditions.

[TakLV]

That drive is so boring IMHO. Long straight flat boring roads.

[dynimagelv]

I personally love the drive.....but actually, it's where "Isolated" goes to get away from everything.....its long and beautiful in the early morning and later afternoon....not so much in midday....you can stop in Indian Springs....Beatty...Goldfield...Tonopah.... and then from there I don't remember the names but there are a few stopping places.....avoid the ones that say "Ranch" if you have the wife n kids....

[mikki]

Well after tonight, it appears as if Vegas has more snow than Reno, so your guess is as good as mine!! Best of luck to you!

[bikebabe]

We have done the drive lots of times. Tonopah is very chilly in the winter and last time we went thru it was 19 degrees with ice on the roads. Not a bad drive though. Not much traffic. Easy drive.

[whogirl]

Hello All,
Continuing on this thread and would appreciate any feedback/advice...

I'm driving from Las Vegas to Reno in early February and plan to take the 95, and then I guess to the 50, then to the 80. I read a post on another site that scared the hell out of me about that route, so now I'm trying to get more feedback as to just how dangerous it is. I don't have a 4WD vehicle -- just a hyundai elantra -- if I have to I guess I can just rent an SUV for the trip. I'll be driving with a friend; we're going there for a concert. Based on feedback I get about this route I'll either go ahead with it, or fly, but prefer to drive to save money.

Thank you so much!!

[dynimagelv]

Personally, I wouldnt be concerned about this route if i was drivin a 1949 FORD.


It AIN'T that daunting a drive ..... just look down the road ahead see whats there.....NBD

[Buzz123]

Have made the drive many times, and twice I hit snow in a big way. Once, at night, it we had heavy snow all the way from Reno to Tonopah while driving a U-haul truck loaded with our furniture. I did a 180 in Fallon on black ice, but got turned back around and followed a snow plow for a long ways. Took a long time to get to Tonopah where we spent the night. For some reason snow seems to begin and end halfway through the middle of Tonopah.

And once going to Reno we hit snow at Tonopah and had to drive all the way in four wheel drive. We were headed for Tahoe but I-80 was shut down making us find a room in Reno. Next day took a few hours to get from Reno to Truckee, CA, 36 miles up the mountain.

I recommend taking chains along if you don't have a 4 x 4 in winter anywhere in Northern Nevada. And you should have warm blankets, or better yet, a sleeping bag in case you crash and burn. And take plenty of water. But, having learned to drive in West Virginia winters, snow doesn't bother me. Just be prepared. And try not to drive after dark.

[.highnlite]

Remember not to slide off the road, response time for emergency crews are long.
It is not uncommon to chain up on one side of Tonopah, and unchain on the other, the rise that holds Tonopah is often the only place with snow on the route.
It can though, be a tough road with lots of black ice, just depends on the weather the prior week.

You commonly see folks driving in cold weather in shirtsleeves. My fathers advice, which I followed for my 40 years in Northern Nevada and North East CA, is to always wear a jacket that will keep you warm if you leave the road and cannot help yourself.

Remember too that a 4x4 will certainly get you through snow better than a 2x4, but not as well as a chained 2x4. Spinning out in a 4x4 really sucks, and is nearly uncontrollable compared to a 2x4 as you have your front wheels pulling you in one direction and the rear wheel pushing in another.

And, a 4x4 won't stop you any faster than a 2x4. It is not uncommon to find 4x4s stuffed into snow banks in snowy areas, driven by people who forgot that fact.