Winter Driving Help (Cheyenne, Laramie, Rock Springs: sales, motel, living)

[michaelgoodall]

I am active duty military and am PCSing "moving" from Panama City, Fl to Salt Lake City, Utah. I have heard stories about the possibility of snow storms across Wyoming on I-80 I am looking for some advice on what to do. I will be driving a Uhaul pulling a mid-size care behind me. My wife will be following me in a GMC envoy. Admittedly being from Maryland my wife is more experienced at winter driving then I am. I am contemplating taking the low road, coming up through Vegas to Salt Lake, this of course adds to the trip. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[sunsprit]

Best to keep an eye on the weather forecast and road report conditions before hitting the road.

Storms can be very localized, and they can be area-wide, too. Adverse conditions may be only a modest amount of snow, but icy surfaces with limited visibility and very strong gusty winds which limit your driving speed and ability to deal with the road. Or there may be a large amount of snow on the road which the plows cannot keep up with, and/or accidents which can back up traffic for a long way.

I've seen the roads through Southern UT from LasVegas to SLC be snowed in and closed, just as I have seen I-70 and/or I-80 shut down in winter storms. It's not very far north of Las Vegas where the road climbs up to altitude and into a snow area of Utah.

All you can do is to be prepared for the possibility of some very treacherous driving if the roads are open in the winter, and to drive according to the conditions. Don't expect to make normal road cruise speeds in adverse conditions; slow down, give yourself lots of room for the visibility you have, and brake gently much further out than you would normally. There's no "hard and fast" rule about what will be appropriate on any given day/road surface/conditions except to drive cautiously and prudently at a speed that you feel the rig (truck and trailer) is as much under control as possible. If you encounter conditions that are overwhelming, then it's time to stop ... find a motel and wait out the storm.

It pays to listen to the road conditions and plan ahead; a bad situation for you will be to have "pushed on" into worsening conditions (possibly a road closure) and find that all of the available motel rooms are taken in the town where you are forced to stop. Plan ahead and stop when you are able to do so at your convenience, it's a lot more comfortable waiting out the situation then sitting in a truckstop or at one of the roadside rest stops along the route.

You didn't mention the timeframe for your move, but there are many winter months when the storms are of only a few days duration and the major highways are substantially open for traffic, even if the driving conditions are less than ideal. Unless you've got a lot of experience driving a rig such as you'll be in this trip, plan on daytime driving only, and give yourself realistic daily goals. LasVegas to SLC can be a very long day of driving on clear roads; with adverse conditions, it might even be a two day trip with your rig.

As always, in winter months, have your "emergency kit" with you in each vehicle. Spare warm clothing to layer up in, gloves, hats, jumper cables, snow brushes/ice scrapers, food and beverages ... the kit can be as elaborate as you'd want to make it, but the idea is to be prepared for the possibility of needing to stop enroute and remaining warm and comfortable until conditions improve. Many people will carry tools and serious emergency equipment, which is prudent for the winter months in these remote areas, but that may be a bit much for your one-time move.

[WyoNewk]

Sunsprit covered it pretty well. I wouldn't plan on too many extra miles to avoid I-80. It's true that it closes down regularly for snow storms, but most days year around will find the road dry and in good condition for your drive. The biggest problem is wind. It could blow you off the road, even when the road is dry, and it can cut visibility to near zero when the sky is clear. Use your head and slow down when conditions warrant it, and stay put if it gets too bad. The worst is usually between Cheyenne and Rawlins.

[MRVphotog]

Even if it's a bluebird day and the roads are dry don't let your guard down as I80 around Elk Mountain can be solid ice due to wind blowing snow across the road. It's just west of Laramie.

[sunsprit]

Originally Posted by MRVphotog

Even if it's a bluebird day and the roads are dry don't let your guard down as I80 around Elk Mountain can be solid ice due to wind blowing snow across the road. It's just west of Laramie.

And how!

I've had days in that area when the road almost disappeared due to the blowing snow cover ... which made following the roadway a real chore.

But underneath that white cover was a thin layer of ice, which made it really treacherous in the off-camber turns in the road. That's how so many of the semi-tractors get blown off the road in the wind gusts in that area. Elk Mountain is notorious for creating it's own micro-climate of winds on any given day ....

[rmmoore]

I travel I-80 from Cheyenne to Rock Springs, or parts thereof, almost weekly. If you see the big Wyoming DOT sign that says small trailer wind advisory, PAY ATTENTION. It's no joke. The stretch between Laramie and Rawlins tends to be the most dangerous in the winter, But Rawlins to Rock Springs is no joke either. And don't forget going over the "Twin-sisters" peaks between Rock Springs and Evanston. So yes, pretty much the ENTIRE I-80 corridor "can" be tough, from all fronts: snow, ice, and wind. With wind being the biggest threat. Just SLOW DOWN!!!!!

If you run into a ground blizzard, the road will disappear, and you may not even see beyond the hood of your vehicle. If that is the case, turn on your flashers, slowly STOP, and GET OFF THE ROAD if you can do so safely. I almost got flattened by a semi last year when he blew by me and almost took off my mirror. I don't think he ever saw me, and I sure didn't see him until he was next to me, and I could have wiped the slush off his door with my hand.

You can make it across, even in winter, just plan your trip. Keep emergency supplies in your vehicle, and give yourself at least a day or two of additional time. It's not uncommon for sections of I-80 to be closed, sometimes for a day or more, leaving you stuck or stranded, depending on your perspective and where you are. It's happened to me more than once. BE PREPARED.

There is a section of I-80 about 20 miles west of Laramie than runs to about 20 miles from Rawlins that is a reduced speed zone during winter months (it is in effect now). They DO enforce the lower speed (65mph) when conditions get bad. Please note: that is a MAXIMUM, drive as conditions allow. Don't get in a hurry, or you're hosed.

As someone else said, even on sunny, dry days, the wind can be a challenge. I've been tooling along and come around a corner near Arlington or Elk Basin and was hit with 60mph cross winds. When your vehicle is pushed across traffic lanes unexpectedly, it can be a real "pucker-factor". Add icy road surfaces, and you get the picture.

I grew up in Alabama, and spent many summers at PC Beach, Destin, and Ft. Walton. I don't envy your trip during this time of year, because I can almost guarantee that you're going to see weather conditions you've never dealt with before, even your wife probably hasn't dealt with some of this stuff. It's not impossible, we do it all the time.

Just know what lies ahead and that conditons DO change rapidly. Oh yeah, one other thing, TURN OFF the damned cruise control. That causes more accidents on ice than anything else. If you want me to explain, PM me and I'll be happy too. Or if anyone reading would like me to explain, let me know.

Good luck and enjoy your trip. It's a BEAUTIFUL drive, even in winter. Just be aware, be prepared, and be SMART.

[dcisive]

All sage advice. I used to travel for a living driving as a sales rep and used to drive my share across the I-80 corridor in winter months. The areas they've mentioned already are indeed the nut crackers. That Cheyenne to Rawlins run can be a real bear with that wind. I've watched semi's literally go from lane to lane just because of the wind let alone the ice they get up near Elk Mountain. The only stretch not mentioned that can be an ice skating rink if it's bad is the area from Lymon to the grade headed up into Evanston. I watched a semi jack knife right into a ditch on the ice there. Indeed make sure you have good traction oriented tires to make that trip. Don't even THINK about it with worn standard tires. Slow and easy is the name of the game. By all means do some homework and look at the weather channel and the expected weather ahead. If you catch a nice clear week you've got it made......

[Naturen]

Originally Posted by michaelgoodall

I am active duty military and am PCSing "moving" from Panama City, Fl to Salt Lake City, Utah. I have heard stories about the possibility of snow storms across Wyoming on I-80 I am looking for some advice on what to do. I will be driving a Uhaul pulling a mid-size care behind me. My wife will be following me in a GMC envoy. Admittedly being from Maryland my wife is more experienced at winter driving then I am. I am contemplating taking the low road, coming up through Vegas to Salt Lake, this of course adds to the trip. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Coming from Florida to Utah - why do you have to go through Wyoming

[ElkHunter]

Today, I-80 has been closed since early morning, from Cheyenne to Laramie. This is kind of early for road closures. Not that it hasn't happened before at this time. Just not the norm. Usually the road closers are more in tune with After the first of the year.