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Any thoughts on the best route to take from Cincinnati or Columbus to Raleigh around New Year's Day? Google's suggestion is 35 to I-77 to 52 to I-40. Obviously that is a good route during the warm months but are those mountains in WV and VA likely to have snow or ice? Going around the southern end of the Appalachians (Atlanta) adds almost 8 hours to the trip. Taking I-70 east through Pennsylvania adds 4 hours but the mountains aren't as significant nor as remote, although they are further North.
Anyone have much experience driving across the Appalachians in winter? Am I over-thinking this? It's not like they are the Rockies.
We routinely take that route from the Triangle as far as Beckley, WV on I-77 and have never had a major problem. Once or twice we've shifted our travel plans by a day or two because of snow, but that would be true of any snow event, mountains or not.
Interstates are generally well-salted and so unless you're doing it in the middle of a storm you should be just fine.
It depends on the weather. Honestly, I don't see it being that much different than driving in winter weather elsewhere. The worst I've run into on I-77 on a late winter trip is night-time fog.
I drove 79-77-74-52 this past December. The worst of it was up near Erie, PA. The bigger problem with the WV/VA mountains was that half of North Carolina was driving back to Charlotte and Raleigh from up north over the same 3 day span after Christmas -- traffic was a nightmare
It really does depend on the weather You'll probably be fine taking the most direct route.
We routinely take that route from the Triangle as far as Beckley, WV on I-77 and have never had a major problem. Once or twice we've shifted our travel plans by a day or two because of snow, but that would be true of any snow event, mountains or not.
Interstates are generally well-salted and so unless you're doing it in the middle of a storm you should be just fine.
This.
I've been travelling 77 to Cleveland (and my folks the opposite) for a couple decades. 95% of the time, no worries. Watch the weather and delay a day the other 5%. Don't over think it.
I've made the trip up to Cleveland many many times over the past 3 years. As others have said, I-77 through the mountains of VA/WV is perfectly fine most of the time. However, I would always keep an eye on the weather...if there was significant snow forecast for the mountains, I would delay my trip by a day (or go a day early). They do a great job of clearing snow and keeping the roads open, so if the weather is good, you're not going to run in to terrible roads just because you're in the mountains...but in a heavy snowstorm, the highway has been known to close and/or become impassible (especially the turnpike in WV). So my advice: go the way google suggests, watch the weather forecast, and time your trip to avoid any potential storms.
I've done the trip over the mountains on I-77 during winter a few times, and never ran into any problems. When there was snow on the ground, the interstate was kept well-cleared.
I agree with all the others. Keep an eye on the weather and change travel time by a day or two if necessary to avoid nasty fronts.
Our kids took I-40 west to I-75 then north to Michigan/Ohio border one year when traveling from Raleigh to Michigan at Christmas to avoid the WV and VA mountains. They said the western NC mountians were no better, and the longer travel time didn't make it worthwhile.
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Plan ahead and no problems
