Best Route From Seattle to Boise (bus, safest, suburb)
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I am trying to decide which is the safest/easiest route to take to get to Boise. I have an air-cooled VW bus that chuggs along steep hills and I do not have experience driving mountain passes. Google gives three options: 82E to 84 E which goes through Ellensburg 84E which goes through Spannaway then Yakima and I5 to Portland then 84E Which route would you recommend to an inexperienced driver in an air cooled bus? Also any general information on driving these routes is appreciated! Thanks
Since you are worried about the passes I would say go to Portland then across on 84 to Boise. You still will have the mountains in Oregon but you can't really avoid those anyway. Just take lots of gear for whatever may happen since you are driving a not so reliable vehicle.
I-90 from Seattle to Ellensburg, then I-82 to I-84 in Oregon, and straight into Boise. (Google mentioning Spanaway doesn't make any sense...Spanaway is a Tacoma suburb that has nothing to do with this route).
The only steep hill on this route is I-84 over Meacham Pass, just east of Pendleton. Even there, just stay in low gear and keep to the right and you will be fine, perhaps put on your emergency lights like the truckers do. No biggie, even for compromised vehicles. The Interstates are friendly to almost all vehicles, as long as you stay right.
you're going to have a mountain pass no matter the route..the less mountain passes would be to go I5 to portland and 84 east..plan your route so that you pull cabbage pass "meacham" at night so its not so flippin hot outside. stay in a lower gear and throw on the fourway flashers if needed to keep the motor speed down and engine temps to a minimum. never take the route less traveled if you are concerned about possible problems.
I-90 from Seattle to Ellensburg, then I-82 to I-84 in Oregon, and straight into Boise. (Google mentioning Spanaway doesn't make any sense...Spanaway is a Tacoma suburb that has nothing to do with this route).
The only steep hill on this route is I-84 over Meacham Pass, just east of Pendleton. Even there, just stay in low gear and keep to the right and you will be fine, perhaps put on your emergency lights like the truckers do. No biggie, even for compromised vehicles. The Interstates are friendly to almost all vehicles, as long as you stay right.
The only steep pass? He has to pull snoqualmie, and all the passes between ellensburg and yakima, and pull to the columbia gorge..not a good idea at all.
I think we are talking semantics here. Snoqualmie Pass is not particularly steep, it actually is a very gradual climb, until the last couple of miles. The area from Ellensburg to Yakima has one short, steep climb, I agree.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
