winter driving I 84 or I 5 questions (Portland, Grants Pass: motorhome, employment, gated)

[Superbear]

Hi, I'll be driving from Portland to Utah via I 84 at a date of my choosing in January. I'll watch the weather reports and use tripcheck but I have a few questions.
I've done the drive plenty of times but always in the summer. After hearing of a fatal bus crash at Deadman's Pass I'm wondering...

even if it hasn't snowed will there always be some form of ice, snow, frost etc on the road because it's so cold?
What are other dangerous stretches of road I should take heed of?
Another option is to go south to California and stay in L.A. for a quick vacation then drive up to UT from there. How's the drive on I 5 down thru California? Are there other parts which will be almost surely have ice or snow? I hear people say not to use PCH 1 as an alternate. Why is this? I can handle rain as long as it's not a monsoon.
Any answers will be very appreciated!

[EnricoV]

Deadman's Pass is not a reason to avoid I-84. I'm not sure about the crash ... it looked to be on a straight stretch of road, even. Just be aware of it. It's the only really bad area along the route unless there's a winter storm in the Gorge.

Driving north on I-5, you're as likely to encounter a storm in the Siskiyous. Which can close I-5.

Highway 101, it's doable but a very, very, very slow drive. It's curvy, windy, probably rainy, and single-laned.

[hamellr]

I think I-5 is more likely to close over the Siskiyous then over I-84.

There is a lot of missing information about that crash though. I've driven a semi-truck through there in the winter, and driven my own car, and my motorhome through there. There are several warning signs. Truck drivers familiar with the route will radio you, and will flash their lights if they see you going to fast. The curves are shape enough for a vehicle of that size that unless it's a driver's very first time driving such a vehicle, they'll slow way down.

I'm willing to bet that we're going to see reports of equipment failure really soon. If not, the driver is going to be left out to hang if he survived.

[EnricoV]

I think you're right about the crash. I know I was surprised at the location. It was such a straight stretch. The downgrade is fairly extreme, though.

Whatever the cause, I sure don't think it is enough to make me want to drive all the way to LA and up I-5.

[Superbear]

thanks for the responses. This might be a dumb question but if it hasn't snowed recently in the I 84 mtn pass areas, could I expect dry roads? Or is it cold enough that there'll always be some form of snow or ice frozen on the roadway? I've looked at cameras of Deadman's pass and the roads look mostly white with a little black visable even though conditions say roads clear.
Also I took the Donner's pass Truckee,Ca I 80 route in June and there was slick roadways and patches of snow on the road even though there hadn't been any storms recently.

[hamellr]

Originally Posted by EnricoV

I think you're right about the crash. I know I was surprised at the location. It was such a straight stretch. The downgrade is fairly extreme, though.

Whatever the cause, I sure don't think it is enough to make me want to drive all the way to LA and up I-5.

100% agree with you on these. There is no reason to avoid that section of road, especially by taking I-5.

@Superbear - Your biggest worry at least in Oregon is going to be black ice. Luckily in that area it doesn't happen a lot because it's too cold for it to form properly. Expect snow on the sides of the roads. If there is snow on the roads, it'll be packed heavily and sanded heavily. More likely in a day or two there will be nice clear ruts through it as trucks tear it up and reveal pavement.

Once you get into the Gorge - about The Dalles to Portland, you'll need to worry about black ice a bit more along with strong winds going through the Gorge. Just keep pace with the trucks if you're worried about conditions at all.

You still should carry chains for your vehicle just in case, but 95% of the time you won't need them. Just watch the weather reports carefully as there could be a freak cold snap or arctic wind to cause problems. Usually you'll have a day or two warning, Carry a sleeping bag, extra food and water and a book to pass the time. Perhaps a full gas can so you can turn the car on every once in a while to keep warm.

[Larry Caldwell]

Originally Posted by hamellr

I think I-5 is more likely to close over the Siskiyous then over I-84.

There is a lot of missing information about that crash though. I've driven a semi-truck through there in the winter, and driven my own car, and my motorhome through there. There are several warning signs. Truck drivers familiar with the route will radio you, and will flash their lights if they see you going to fast. The curves are shape enough for a vehicle of that size that unless it's a driver's very first time driving such a vehicle, they'll slow way down.

I'm willing to bet that we're going to see reports of equipment failure really soon. If not, the driver is going to be left out to hang if he survived.

I doubt it was anything but an honest accident, though an inexperienced driver probably contributed to it. The bus wasn't a common carrier, it was a tour bus, and tour companies usually don't have full time drivers. They probably found the driver through an employment agency. The bus may not have had the greatest tires either.

Fatal accidents are always thoroughly investigated by the State Police. I'm sure they are going over this one with a fine tooth comb.

[kyled]

The drive from LA to Utah is actually pretty dangerous as well. You're driving through the mountains on I-15. Really driving anywhere cold is dangerous so no matter what path you take make sure you have chains and keep a level head when you're driving. Remember that ice is more common in the shade and on bridges.

[pch1013]

Originally Posted by EnricoV

Highway 101, it's doable but a very, very, very slow drive. It's curvy, windy, probably rainy, and single-laned.

The section of 101 from SF to Crescent City is about 2/3 freeway. From there you can take 199 over to Grants Pass; the maximum elevation along that road is about 2000 feet, as opposed to 4300 feet at the Siskiyou Summit. So if there's bad weather around, that might be a better option. I did this last Wednesday, and drove back on I-5 all the way since it was dry.

[karlsch]

I live in Northeast Oregon so I drive on I-84 all of the time. Just yesterday, two days after a snow. I drove the 40 miles from Baker City to LaGrande and back with absolutely no problems at all.

Although things obviously change when there is a snow storm, traveling on I-84 in the winter is usually a very routine thing. Thousands and thousands of vehicles do it every day without problems – subcompact cars all the way up to triple-trailer big rigs – including through the area where the bus went off the road.

I-84 is very well maintained in the winter – snow is immediately plowed. As hamellr mentioned, any snow that remains is soon thoroughly impregnated with sand so it poses no problem.

Going up Cabbage Hill isn't as bad as coming down. You aren't going up and over where there will be a steep decline on the other side to descend. You are more or less climbing up onto a plateau.

As sometimes mentioned, is curvy two lane Highway 101, with the rain and fog and crossroads and driveways and pullouts and gawking drivers and even in the off-season, the occasional white haired septuagenarian possibly experiencing the onset of dementia steering a pullman car size motor home with a compact car connected to the back, a safer alternative to the Interstates? I'd rather take my chances on I-84 with the professionally driven big rigs.