Driving I-80 between Cheyenne Wy & Salt Lake City (Casper: hotel, car)

[bernali]

We are traveling by car to San Francisco from Buffalo, NY in mid January of this year. Can anyone advise us regarding the weather and usual driving conditions along I80 between Cheyenne, Salt Lake City and Reno? I am a bit worried about the road conditions that we might encounter. Are there good motels along the way in case the driving got very bad?

We are a retired couple and are considering taking the southern route.

Thank you,

[jbruno1]

We just drove this route last week.... Its a fairly straight and easy shot, the only problem being that it was really windy. this coupled with the snow that was on the side of the road lead to poor visibility due to the snow being blown across the road. There are not too many places to stop so plan your trip accordingly. Like anything, I would check for snowstorms ahead of time. I believe you can dial 511 anytime on your route to get current road conditions in the state you are calling from. Good luck!

[bluescreen73]

I-80 in Wyoming and Nebraska is a crap shoot. A run of the mill snowstorm can pretty easily turn into a blizzard with a little wind because there's not much groundcover to keep the snow in place.

Once you get east of Rock Springs it's quite a hike between decently populated areas. It's 111 miles from Rock Springs to Rawlins and 101 miles from Rawlins to Laramie. That whole section of I-80 can be a nightmare in adverse weather.

Once you get out of Wyoming and into Nebraska there are towns every 40-50 miles along I-80.

Make sure you've got the winter necessities in the car - blankets, water, some food, kitty litter or sand for traction, and an ice scraper.

[Brian_M]

On top of what's posted above, either check this web site:

Wyoming Road Report Map

Or call in and check road conditions. Take the numbers for each state you're driving through as anywhere up here can find the interstate closed at any time. You'll be near a town if the interstate is closed, but dealing with every other stranded traveler for a hotel room.

January isn't historically too bad weather-wise, but you can never tell.

[bluescreen73]

Hey bernali - Just curious to see how the road trip went. I haven't been following the weather in that neck of the woods.

[JenniferPinedale]

I recently driven from Cheyenne to Salt Lake City and it was quite a trip. The wind was harsh and the snow was blinding. If I were you, I'd take a southern route and save those roads for summer time.

[bethmarywhite]

YouTube - I-80 Western Wyoming - January 11, 2008

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tSxFc_ULQUA&feature=related

YouTube - whiteout in wyoming
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UGufz2HE9dw&feature=related

YouTube - Driving From Casper, WY to Rawlins, WY

YouTube - bad raod in wyoming part 2

bernali must have (or not) made his trip, but for others, the above are video's of truckers (with dashboard cams) driving the I-80 thru blizzards and whiteouts in Wyoming.

[NWPAguy]

Originally Posted by bernali

We are traveling by car to San Francisco from Buffalo, NY in mid January of this year. Can anyone advise us regarding the weather and usual driving conditions along I80 between Cheyenne, Salt Lake City and Reno? I am a bit worried about the road conditions that we might encounter. Are there good motels along the way in case the driving got very bad?

We are a retired couple and are considering taking the southern route.

Thank you,

I did that route back in the end of December 2001. I was lucky with the weather- I hit one small rough patch in the highest elevations of the Rockies, and it was at night... but that was it. If you stay on top of the weather and you don't drive when snow or wind is expected, you should be fine.

I would, however, advise you to take the southern route if time is not of the essence. When I did my trip, I was 21 and wanted to go from NJ to Oregon as quickly as possible.

[WyoNewk]

The "Southern Route"? As across on I-70? No thanks. I'd take my chances on I-80.

[bluescreen73]

Originally Posted by WyoNewk

The "Southern Route"? As across on I-70? No thanks. I'd take my chances on I-80.

Given similar weather conditions on I-70 and I-80 I'd take I-70 any day. There are far more places to pull off and stay for the night between the borders of Colorado. With the exception of Rawlins there is next to nothing between Rock Springs and Laramie. It's 200+ barren miles.

Plus there are trees and other groundcover along I-70 through the mountains that mitigate the effects of ground blizzards. I think there are all of 10 trees along I-80 between Laramie and Rock Springs.