Route advice to Seattle from East in November (Snoqualmie, Snoqualmie Pass: 2014, homes)

[Jakemon]

I'm going to be travelling from northern Illinois to Seattle in early November. I drive a little Kia Rio, 2014. Googlemaps, of course, chooses the shortest route which has us heading East thru Fargo and staying on I-90 the entire route.

This is a mutli-part question

1. What are the chances of running into a snowstorm that time of year ?
2. Any advice on mountain driving ? The only mountain I have traversed was on I-24/I75 to Atlanta thru Chattanooga. At that time, I had a 1975 Toyota Corolla and didn't have any issues leaving it in automatic. So, how are the mountain passes on I-90 ? Should I switch to manual, then low or 2 on the down side. ? I drove this same vehicle thru the hills of Missouri in automatic and it downshifted a lot, kicking me up to 5500 rpm, just 2,000 short of redlining it.

Any advice from experienced drivers would be appreciated.

Kind Regards,

jakemon

[homesinseattle]

Hey jake, I-90 is the best choice, they keep it pretty clear. Just slow up if conditions get tough and don't overreact. You've driven in snow, you've got this.

[Blondebaerde]

Originally Posted by homesinseattle

Hey jake, I-90 is the best choice, they keep it pretty clear. Just slow up if conditions get tough and don't overreact. You've driven in snow, you've got this.

Given sufficient time, and sufficient luck, solid advice. If he can wait out problems, hours or days in case of a weird early storm, definitely best way to go.

I'd have a duffle bag emergency kit... and hey wait a minute: I always have, crossing the country, but that's me.

I-80 is another option, I've done that a few times from Michigan. I'd probably decide based on weather day of departure, I-90 or I-80.

[flyingsaucermom]

Originally Posted by Jakemon

I'm going to be travelling from northern Illinois to Seattle in early November. I drive a little Kia Rio, 2014. Googlemaps, of course, chooses the shortest route which has us heading East thru Fargo and staying on I-90 the entire route.

This is a mutli-part question

1. What are the chances of running into a snowstorm that time of year ?
2. Any advice on mountain driving ? The only mountain I have traversed was on I-24/I75 to Atlanta thru Chattanooga. At that time, I had a 1975 Toyota Corolla and didn't have any issues leaving it in automatic. So, how are the mountain passes on I-90 ? Should I switch to manual, then low or 2 on the down side. ? I drove this same vehicle thru the hills of Missouri in automatic and it downshifted a lot, kicking me up to 5500 rpm, just 2,000 short of redlining it.

Any advice from experienced drivers would be appreciated.

Kind Regards,

jakemon

I've driven the route half a dozen times (once from Michigan).

1) You could run into snow anytime from mid-October onward, but odds are still in your favor in early November. First week has averages for most of Montana-North Dakota in the low 50's/40's, night time averages are 30's/upper 20's. I did hit snow driving a van over Lookout Pass (see below) my first time driving the distance. It was only (a little) unnerving because I hadn't in the least anticipated it (it was mid-May.. still I should have known better) and there were quite a number of semi's out there with me.

2) There is only one area along the whole stretch that I consider veritable mountain driving and that's Lookout Pass, which straddles the state lines of Montana and Idaho. Even so, it's not a big deal. I'm no car expert, but that's where I do "engine breaking" or whatever the hell you call it. Basically I have this button with a picture of a car on a decline and that's what I press when going down on anything that I think will eat up my brakes. Snoqualmie Pass doesn't feel like much of a pass at all. Mile 52 you can start coasting.. depending on traffic you might have to tap your brake a few times, but requires nothing more.

[elkotronics]

Jake, good advice above. I agree, Lookout Pass, right at the western Montana border with upper Idaho on I-90, can be difficult. But really, in early November, the first snows may not even be there yet. And they'll clear what they can for you ahead of time. Just slow down and tap your brakes to stop if there's snow and ice - don't slam on your brakes - you'll send you and your car left, right, totally in a 180, or totally going the other direction. The main thing is to not panic and slow down and brake tap ta slow down and eventually stop.

[Polymorphist]

I did the drive from Michigan in January and just after we had the worst blizzards in 14 years. I took I-80 and drove all the way to Cheyenne, Wyoming my first day. The following day I had high winds and ice as I crossed Wyoming which i'm told is common for that time of year but it cleared-up after Salt Lake City. One thing to note is that if you run into a snow storm then it's possible that authorities will simply close the gates on I-80 through Nebraska. They don't mess around there.

That being said, the likelihood of running into crazy snow in early November is unlikely. Chances are good that you'll be okay.

[Gardyloo]

Daylight hours will be getting short, so the best advice is to stick to I-90 (and NOT I-94 which Google seems to love for reasons that I don't understand) and drive only during daylight hours. Chances are that any freezing conditions will be at night anyway, so staying off the road is an easy fix.

Enjoy yourself, too. Do the easy and wonderful short loop road through Badlands National Park, visit Mt. Rushmore and Deadwood in the Black Hills (see Wild Bill Hickok's and Calamity Jane's side-by-side graves in the Mt. Moriah cemetery in Deadwood.) Stop at the very atmospheric and moving Little Bighorn battlefield site in eastern Montana, and if you're a meat eater, have a steak dinner at the Land of Magic, a steakhouse located in the middle of nowhere 30 or 40 miles west of Bozeman. You'll thank me.

Load up on music; you'll be passing through some real dead areas for the radio.

[pnwguy2]

I-90 is the quickest route, but doesn't go near Fargo. (That would be I-94). November can go either way, weatherwise. Early November should be considered late Fall and is perhaps a good time to drive. Winter weather can settle in anytime in November, however, and both I-90 and I-94 can be unpredicatable. But as some have mentioned the Interstates get total attention in snow events and are usually cleared pretty quickly. As far as mountains, you can't really avoid them with either route.

An alternate more southern route is I-80 west to I-84 in Utah, then I-82 to I-90 in Oregon/Washington. Longer, but could be better weather in case of a snowstorm.

[Ruth4Truth]

Originally Posted by pnwguy2

An alternate more southern route is I-80 west to I-84 in Utah, then I-82 to I-90 in Oregon/Washington. Longer, but could be better weather in case of a snowstorm.

I would take as southerly a route as you can, OP. Frankly, your timing doesn't sound like a good idea at all. Good luck, and don't take unnecessary risks. Be cautious. And as they said, don't drive at night; that's when you're most likely to encounter ice.