Possible to go South out of Oregon in January? (Portland: live, bars)

[tbailey]

I may need to make a trip back to Texas in January, and was wondering how bad it would be.
I was thinking maybe go South from Bend out of Oregon through California then East through New Mexico and Arizona.
How bad would the roads be?

[PNW-type-gal]

For the route you described, you'd just be better off heading down I-5 to LA and then east on I-10.

There are more scenic and more direct ways to go, but they are often a little slower.

The other way would be down through Winnemuca (NV) - Las Vegas (NV) - Flagstaff (AZ) - Phoenix (AZ) - Las Cruces (NM) - EL Paso (TX)

[tbailey]

Thanks for the info.
Mostly I am just wondering if it is possible to get out of Oregon in January.
I was thinking that going south would be better than east because I know there are big mountains and little passes to go through that way.
How about south? Any big mountain ranges and passes to go through that might be hazardous?

Thanks,

[mamh]

Your going to have to cross the southern serria's on the far south end of 5 into LA the Grapevine pass is 4,000 ft, going from Bakersfield across to Barstow you have more lower ranges to cross..Driving to Texas, is full of weather, wind , rain , fog, snow and more..Wouldn't it be easier and quicker to drive to Portland and fly..
Good luck

[Steve Miller]

Plan your trip around the predictions of a reliable weather forecaster (if there is such a thing). You really don't want to travel during a storm if you're apprehensive, regardless of the direction you choose.

[lilypad]

I have done the trip frequently as I have a yearly seminar in Portland. Always take I-5 south and connect to I-10. Once encountered light snow in Lassen area of N. CA, but usually just rain and wind. Did take the mountain route once, and had a very bad time with ice and snow going through eastern Oregon on I-84, don't try it unless you have 9 lives!

[tiffela74]

I-84 in the winter scares me to death. I remember going from Portland to Ontario one year for Thanksgiving....we ended up driving ever so slowly past some horrible wrecks, one where I can still recall vividly the victim on the ground on the medium after a horrific car crash. We ended up getting stopped by roadblocks somewhere around La Grande or Pendleton I believe. I was pretty young.....but I know, it was the last time we ever tried that route in the winter! My brother tried it a few years back and watched in horror as a 18wheeler lost control on ice coming down Cabbage Hill.
My folks, and my brother all refuse to drive it in wintertime too.
And please please please, if you do, whatever route you take, please stay to the main roads. Those shortcuts arent worth it. Often times, theyre logging routes or forest service routes that are treacherous enough in the good weather. Add some snow, and youve really got problems.
Can you fly in/out instead?

[karlsch]

Of course it's possible to go south out of Oregon in January. People have been doing it for the last 100 years. Winter travel in Oregon isn't any worse than in many other states - in fact, it is much worse in some states.

Just look at the weather forecasts to see if there is going to be snow in any of the mountain passes or perhaps bad weather in the gorge. There probably won't be.

To tell somebody to fly rather than drive because of a traumatic childhood experience and a few anecdotes seems like bad advice to me. Walmart built their PNW distribution center in Hermiston partly because of its proximity to I-84 - their trucks and countless other trucks and cars travel on it, except for a few occasions, without any problems at all.

[tiffela74]

well, personally, if they are recommending people NOT drive 1-84 (especially around Ladd Canyon and/or Cabbage Hill) due to ice/snowy conditions, Im gonna respect that.

[tbailey]

Well, I am in Bend right now, so I guess I'll be taking 97 South, unless it is much better to find my way over to I-5 somehow.
I would like to fly, but I really need to take my truck with me.
I'll see if I can do without, though.