best route across (Denver, Grand Junction, Durango: school, arena, dinner)

[Kings909]

How are you doing? I am driving from Kansas to Arizona but stopping in Denver for a hockey game in March. I've mapped out 3 different routes and I would prefer to cut diaganoly down the 285 to Durango and four corners. Do you think this route would be driveable around the second week of March? Do any of you have a better option for me? Thanks in advance

[davebarnes]

Be prepared to be stopped at the border by the Colorado State Patrol and hassled for not carrying any marijuana in your car.

[Kings909]

so put marijuana in the emergency kit. gotcha lol

[bluescreen73]

Could be dry as a bone, or you could run into deep snow. I assume you're talking about taking 285 to 160, and 160 into Durango. Wolf Creek Pass is historically one of the snowiest places in the state, and March is typically the snowiest month of the year. You can plan on taking that route, but be prepared to take I-25 to Albuquerque and I-40 into Arizona if the weather is lousy.

[Kings909]

thanks a lot. that its my back up plan. hows the drive across the 70 through grand junction? thats the second shortest distance for me.

[sunsprit]

Originally Posted by Kings909

thanks a lot. that its my back up plan. hows the drive across the 70 through grand junction? thats the second shortest distance for me.

I-70 presents a lot of high altitude mountain driving and passes between Denver and Grand Junction.

In March, it could be dry, snow-packed, icy, slushy ... or any combination of these for various distances.

Check the road conditions and weather forecasts before you head out on the road.

[bluescreen73]

Originally Posted by Kings909

thanks a lot. that its my back up plan. hows the drive across the 70 through grand junction? thats the second shortest distance for me.

If you're coming at the beginning of the weekend, ski traffic into the mountains can easily double or triple the amount of time it takes to get from Denver to Dillon/Silverthorne. Snow can be a problem on I-70 as well. The Eisenhower/Johnson tunnels are above 11,000', and Vail Pass is over 10,000'. The road gets socked in by a major snowstorm at least once a year.

[JohnnyDenver]

Originally Posted by Kings909

How are you doing? I am driving from Kansas to Arizona but stopping in Denver for a hockey game in March. I've mapped out 3 different routes and I would prefer to cut diaganoly down the 285 to Durango and four corners. Do you think this route would be driveable around the second week of March? Do any of you have a better option for me? Thanks in advance

Hope you're planning on seeing a decent team play the Avs to make it worthwhile.

Pepsi Center security are a bunch of misfits. Going through security is more absurd than at the airport. Those clowns are basically losers who couldn't get into the police academy or flunked out of some tech school. They hassle you over anything.

But, here is a way to avoid having your intelligence insulted by those inept fools. Enter through the Blue Sky Grill. Get there about 4:30 before the doors open at 5. You'll be early enough to grab a seat at the bar for dinner and then enter into the arena from the bar bypassing the dicks at the main entrance.

[cheapo911]

Heres a great tool to use when planning road trips. Gives you weather conditions as you go.

NWS EDD

[Kings909]

awesome thanks for all the advice. and I will hit up the sky grill. Im going to a Kings Avs game so it's worth it. been deployed this whole season and I wont be able to make it to LA any time soon so I'll pretty much put up with anything to see a game. hopefully weather will be cooperative for me that week. only need two days of nice weather then im in the desert.
thanks again