Cross Country NJ to Northern CA in December (best, trip, route)

[kcamp]

No I'm not crazy. We are relocating for a job. Finally sold house and off we go. Now that I've read other posts and am sufficiently nervous about traveling. Any suggestions as to a more southern route where I won't - freeze to death, get hit by trucks who've lost their brakes, skidded off the road in ice, etc.!?!? Traveling with teens and two dogs (that's why driving) and could use suggestions for stops as well. Any help will be appreciate.

[lchoro]

I-40 will take you cross county to Barstow and then take I-5 to San Jose. It's very flat and not very scenic. There are a lot of trucks which can be helpful if you have snow and keep your distance.

[stillkit]

Originally Posted by lchoro

I-40 will take you cross county to Barstow and then take I-5 to San Jose. It's very flat and not very scenic. There are a lot of trucks which can be helpful if you have snow and keep your distance.

I-5 doesn't go to San Jose.

You'd have to take CA-58 from Barstow, CA to Bakersfield, then just stay on it to I-5 at Buttonwillow. You'll have a 40 mile downgrade at Tehachapi, but it's not bad because it's a series of fairly short downhills (only 3 or 4 miles) and not but about a 5% grade. The road is heavily traveled and heavily patrolled, so if you have trouble, just wait in your car for a few minutes and CHP will be by. It CAN snow at Tehachapi, though it doesn't all that often. If it does, CalTrans and the CHP will close the road until they get it plowed and sanded.

Go north on I-5 to Tracy, then take I-580 toward San Francisco. You'll cross over Altamont Pass, but it's nothing to worry about. Then, it's I-680 west to San Jose.

Or, you can go the scenic, and shorter route. From I-5 at Santa Nella, take CA-152 west up the mountain to Gilroy. It's a very long uphill with only a short downhill on the other side. At Gilroy (hold your nose unless you love the smell of Garlic), take US-101 to San Jose. That's the way I always went in a big truck, so you should have no problems.

Your biggest threat for winter weather going via I-40 will be from the Texas Panhandle to the bottom of the hill at Ashfork, AZ. You can get heavy snow or ice anywhere along that route (and across TN, AR and OK too), but the most likely spot for bad driving conditions is around Flagstaff, AZ. The elevation there is about 7000 ft and it snows reguarly and drops down to some really brutal night time temperatures. Just be careful.

Still, though, it's better than I-80 in the winter.

[WanderingImport]

If all else fails and you've got the extra time, you could drive down 95 to Virginia, take 85 in Richmond/Petersburg to 20 in Atlanta. Take 20 until it merges with 10 in West Texas. Then take the 5 up at LA.

It will extend your trip, but this route almost never has any icy weather to deal with.

[NYMTman]

Speaking as someone who drives around the mountains of Montana in the snow regularly - I agree that the southern route (I-40) could be good. But if you check the weather forecasts for the areas you'll be driving through and things don't look too snowy, then you could get away with I-70 or I-80 (80 is faster but 70 is gorgeous...). Interstates are always plowed quickly and kept in good shape even over snowy mountain passes.

[stillkit]

Originally Posted by NYMTman

Interstates are always plowed quickly and kept in good shape even over snowy mountain passes.

Not in Texas! The Lord giveth, and the Lord taketh away.

[njkate]

Originally Posted by NYMTman

Speaking as someone who drives around the mountains of Montana in the snow regularly - I agree that the southern route (I-40) could be good. But if you check the weather forecasts for the areas you'll be driving through and things don't look too snowy, then you could get away with I-70 or I-80 (80 is faster but 70 is gorgeous...). Interstates are always plowed quickly and kept in good shape even over snowy mountain passes.

Hmmm Iv'e seen portions of I 70 and I 25 in Colorado closed because of snow.


Check the weather predictions...if snow ice are in the forecast I would take 95 to I 10.....the longest route so you need the time but chances of snow /ice once you are south of VA is just about nil

[NYMTman]

Originally Posted by njkate

Hmmm Iv'e seen portions of I 70 and I 25 in Colorado closed because of snow.


Check the weather predictions...if snow ice are in the forecast I would take 95 to I 10.....the longest route so you need the time but chances of snow /ice once you are south of VA is just about nil

Well yeah but they don't stay closed for long... up here at least they won't close any stretch of interstate for more than a few hours. Then it'll be ready to go again. Then again Montana is just awesome like that

[Jaybee]

I've travelled across I-70, I-40 and I-10 and wholeheartedly recommend I-10. Yeah, it'll take you a little farther, but there's really less chance of being stranded over a snowy pass, or being unsafe thru snow and ice.

I-70 is beautiful, and I would recommend it another time of the year, but not in December. Vail Summit is over 10,000 feet in elevation thru the Rockies-and the grade approaching the Eisenhower tunnel from the east is so steep it often closes as well.

I like I-40 too-it essentially traces Route 66-"the Mother Road". But as someone earlier mentioned-at Flagstaff AZ it's at 7,000 feet in elevation. Also, much of NM, and the eastern 2/3 of AZ are over 5,000 feet elevation along I-40. As I was making my way east once in December (1976 I think) I stopped for gas in Needles, CA. The attendant saw my TX plates and asked if I was headed home. I nodded-and he suggested I reconsider dropping south to I-10 to avoid possible weather delays. I took his advice, went south to Blythe and got on I-10 towar Phoenix. Anyway, similar snow and ice conditions can occur here in December-though you'll find the road alignment to be straighter than the mountainous I-40 thru the CO Rockies. Seems like there's a pretty good grade on the east side of Albuquerque as well-though at least westbound you'd be descending. But in ice, downhill can be a challenge too.

For me, I always opt for I-10 to make my winter crossings. Mainly because I avoid snow and ice like the plague-hey I'm a native Californian-albeit Northern Californian. I think the continental divide is just over 5000 feet near Lordsburg NM. And it's not a "pass"; kind of just a high spot as I recall. Anyway, I really like this route-have traversed nearly all of it at least once-well, from Pensacola to LA anyway. Love the variation of landscapes, from gulf coast to hardwood forest in TX and as you proceed west, the different deserts; from the high Chihuahuan desert in West TX and South NM, to the Sonoran Desert in AZ to the Mojave in CA and on to the coast at LA.

Hope this helps. Best of luck on your trip!

[WyoNewk]

You can take an extra few days and drive a southerly route or take a chance of being snowed in for a couple extra days and drive a northerly route. I'd rather take the chance than the sure thing. Just get on I-80 and go. Check forecasts regularly. Drive in daylight hours. Have chains (that fit) and a survival kit just in case.

Really, these northern roads were built for travel year-round. There's no need to avoid them; just use common sense. I live on I-90. The interstate near me might be closed for 48 hours in a year's time. It's rare that I can't make a trip of 1000 miles or more without any road closures.