Best Winter Route from So Cal to Kent Wa (Tacoma: hotel, safe)

[Rainydaygrl]

My family and I are so excited to be moving to Washington. My husband recently accepted a job up there and the only time we were able to move was after Christmas. We need to know how to get to Washington in our moving truck without hitting all the scary mountains I've been hearing about ( I think its a pass north of Oregan) ...I don't want to get stopped by the snow completely. Does anyone know where would be a good route around?

[Haakon]

There are no passes north of Oregon to Canada. Grants Pass in southern OR might be what you're thinking of.

I think I-5 is going to be your best bet. If there is a problem with any passes on I-5 they will certainly be worse on any smaller road. Really though unless you happen to move during a blizzard I wouldn't worry to much about road conditions, you're going to WA, not the North Pole.

If you REALLY want to avoid any mountains I suppose you could take 101 up to Tillamook, OR then cut across to I-5, that route would be very flat, but also quit a bit slower since it would be 2 lane almost the entire way.

[azoria]

So Cal to Kent? I-5 is the only bet. It's I-5 or I-5. There are no alternate routes.

[marita]

Just point your truck north on I-5 and don't get off until you get to Kent.I-5 is maintained in the wintertime and the mountain pass you are worried about is between cal and Oregon.The rest is flat country.
Don't worry the pass will only be open if it is safe to travel.Just make plans for a night in a motel in case the road gets closed for a few hours until cleaned.
Just look at it as an adventure.
Communications Winter Driving Tips

On the way up there,stop on I-5 at a truck stop and talk to the truckers that just came that way.

[bobbilly79]

I wouldn't worry about Siskiyou Pass so much as I would worry about the Chehalis River flooding out I-5 south of Olympia like last year

But serioulsy, like others have said, if the pass is that bad it gets closed, and if you still don't feel comfortable then wait it out (the weather). But really, I-5 is the way to go, even if you wanted an alternate way out of the way route you would hit more passes going through the inter-mountain west than you will heading straight up 5.

[Luke9686]

I-5 to Kent, no issues. Took I-5 from the bay area to Tacoma last January with no trouble.

[isaackko]

Straight up I-5.

[nwraider]

I'm gonna go out on a limb here and say "take I-5 all the way up"..

We moved up from Riverside to Tacoma/Fife back in '04 and made it just a shade over 24 hours, only taking about a 4-5 hour break near Yreka the crash in a hotel.. It was mid November so the weather wasn't too bad, and even when you're moving up, the only issue would be maybe the Siskiyous, like someone else already mentioned...

[ArcticPhoenix]

Originally Posted by Rainydaygrl

My family and I are so excited to be moving to Washington. My husband recently accepted a job up there and the only time we were able to move was after Christmas. We need to know how to get to Washington in our moving truck without hitting all the scary mountains I've been hearing about ( I think its a pass north of Oregan) ...I don't want to get stopped by the snow completely. Does anyone know where would be a good route around?

Take I-5. Granted, you MIGHT be able to take route 101 all the way up the coast... but I haven't driven up the coast of Oregon. It would be a slower drive, though, but chances are you'd run into less snow on the coast itself. If you go up 101, best bet is to probably stay on it all the way into Washington, and go East once you get to Aberdeen... go on 12. But, keep in mind that these aren't major Interstates. However, you would miss the major mountains, since you'd be so close to the coast most of the way. I don't knwo for sure what 12 looks like around Aberdeen, though. Best of luck.

If you go up I-5, be careful of Grant's Pass. If you're on 101, though, you will miss that area entirely.

Again, though, I would suggest I-5. It is maintained, as it is a major interstate.

[M3 Mitch]

Remember, in WA it's "I-5" not "The I-5" or "The 5"...