Driving rental truck - need highway info please! (Portland, Eugene: live in, dangerous)

[kelnjoey]

Hi Folks,
We are moving to Eugene from Chicago at the end of the month, and we think we'd like to get to Eugene going through Bend & Burns rather than through Portland. We will be in a 22' moving truck towing a car carrier and don't want to get into a hilly, stressful drive. We are going to hit Ontario, OR and go through Burns, but it looks pretty mountainous after Bend- would you say it was worth it going down 97 and up 58 into Eugene, rather than 20 to 126? Just looking for the easiest, less-cliffprone way.
Thanks to everyone on the site for all the helpful info!
Kelly

[BLAZER PROPHET]

There are actually 3 ways to go and all have mountain passes. I think your best bet is to stay with safety- and that measn sticking to the interstate where you have nice wide multiple lanes without cars coming at you, limited servicing...

If you were only driving your car, I'd suggest taking the more scenic route, but some of those roads can be windy and dangerous.

[karlsch]

Blazer Prophet's advice is correct. It is 95 miles farther (according to Google Maps) using the Interstates, but you will average at least 10mph faster, probably more.

If you miss rush hour in the Portland area, you will never have to go slower than the speed limit.

[seashelly]

Take the moving van companies' route -- I-80 to Salt Lake City, then I-84 to Portland, then I-5 South to Eugene. Or, if there's a major snowstorm north, substitute I-70 for I-80 but I-70 is bumpy pavement (Colorado) because it carries more traffic. At this time of year, and until May, I'd stay on the Interstates.

[RockyMtnr]

One more vote for coming thru Portland. I did it a little over a year ago - on the advice of people who knew. Look, the drive from Ontario to LaGrande will stress you enough - the weather can still grab you even at your travel dates. Now, being from the Chicago area, you're probably used to plenty of traffic ... but you will be into and out of Portland - setting at the gigantic rest-area a few miles south - heaving sighs of relief and wondering how you got thru Portland so fast that it made your head spin ... and hoping you get to go back and see it someday. And by then, you'll be glad that you didn't try crossing on 20.

[PNW-type-gal]

Ehhh, it depends on the weather. If you have a laptop, and are staying somewhere you can check the web, check:
TripCheck - Road Cams, Road & Weather Conditions in Oregon - ODOT (Oregon Dept. of Transportation's website)
for the pass reports.

There is always the possibility of "weather" on the route you've chosen, but if you're young and adventurous, the moving van is in good shape and you're prepared for driving very remote roads without a lot of traffic, you'll be okay.

The Gorge, from about Umatilla to Portland, is a gorgeous route, though, as is the stretch from Baker through to Pendleton down Dead's Man's Pass. It's not like you won't see a beautiful and scenic route going that way. The funny thing about the Gorge is that there is almost always a headwind, no matter which way you go. A well-known and poorly understood phenomenon ( ). Gorge weather can be iffy this time of year, too - wind, ice and sleet with bits of black ice here and there, but it's such a major route that ODOT tends to jump right on top of problems - whereas Ontario to Baker to Bend, that's NOT such a major route (unless you live in Burns).

The first couple of times you drive from Portland to Eugene, the rolling green farmland and Cascades and Coast Range in the distance are beautiful. A couple of hundred times or a couple thousand times later, it's boring.

Also, remember that, compared to snowy and cold northern and midwestern sates, the Pacific Northwest DOES NOT have a lot of snow/ice removal equipment, nor do we salt roads. You might think "oh, a couple of inches of snow: no big deal." In major metro areas here that IS a big deal.

[jjpop]

I agree that the interstates will be the safest, easiest way to get to Eugene. But come on! Moving is supposed to be an adventure!!!

With that in mind, I would definitely take US 97 south and hook up with Hwy 58. Hwy 58 doesn't have as many twists and turns as 126. There will be some mountain driving, but just take it slow and easy, and please, USE THE TURNOUTS TO LET PEOPLE PASS!!!

p.s. Make sure you take the Crescent cutoff.

[Terryj]

I agree also, if your towing a rig then you might want to stick to the interstates, but if your set on taking hwy 20 to Bend then down to hwy 58 to Eugene, remember Oregon can still get a few inches of snow in the Cascades in late March, and Willamette Pass is no exception. I would call ODOT at Bend to find out the conditions over the Willamette Pass.

[PNW-type-gal]

Originally Posted by Terryj

I agree also, if your towing a rig then you might want to stick to the interstates, but if your set on taking hwy 20 to Bend then down to hwy 58 to Eugene, remember Oregon can still get a few inches of snow in the Cascades in late March, and Willamette Pass is no exception. I would call ODOT at Bend to find out the conditions over the Willamette Pass.

Which is just 511 on a cell phone.

[chrispyy]

i agree with the last couple posts. 97 to 58 is a piece of cake. i did 20 to 126 with a 26 footer towing a car hauler. and it was no problem. willamette pass (hwy 58) is definitely no problem. just use the gears on the west side of the pass as you'll loose a few thousand feet of elevation down thru oakridge to eugene. much, much more senic than the highway. a no-brainer do keep an eye on the weather though. although, spending the last 20 years in the rockies and several in new england, i must say between the media and les schwab...they've got alot of people out here in oregon brainwashed with their chains and studs when it comes to these passes in the winter. there're really not that bad. good luck on your move.