Winter Driving On I-5. Please Help!! (Portland, Salem: living, dangerous, sinkholes)

[DBNN]

I wanted to post this for people who read this and don't know the (whole) story of the Kim family tragedy. http://www.cnn.com/2006/US/12/07/mis...ily/index.html

[DBNN]

Originally Posted by AllYouLeftBehind

I appologize if this question has been asked before (it probably has), but here goes:

On december 15th, I will be driving from Oakland California to Portland to visit my sister for her wedding. My son has a b-ball game that saturday that he can't miss, so I won't be able leave any earlier than 12-1pm, which means that most of my mountain drive will be done in the dark at "night". On top of all that, my car is a little shotty (a 1996 buick regal with 130000 miles on it). I've lived in the bay area my whole life and have no experience driving on snow or black ice. Will my son and I be safe? Are the roads really as treacherous as some have made them out to be? Obviously, my concern for my son is top priority, so if anyone has any information or experience with this, I'd appreciate it. Thank You.

I just found out......
I have a friend traveling from Oregon to California on Dec 15 and returning Dec 16. Anyone know how the pass looks for travel this weekend? Looks clear right now...do you think any of this will effect the I-5 and pass....?

http://www.weather.gov/alerts/or.html#ORZ013.PQRWSWPQR.191400 (broken link)

Thanks
DBNN

[Tesaje]

Try this one instead. The one you had is too far north for the Syskiyou pass.
http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/forecast/MapClick.php?site=MFR&llon=-123.013747&rlon=-122.178747&tlat=42.099584&blat=41.264584&smap=1&mp =0&map.x=208&map.y=243 (broken link)
The Medford, Or office covers the area, not the Portland office.

Looks like it might be ok, 40% chance of an inch of snow. Might be windy in some of the area.

[DBNN]

Originally Posted by Tesaje

Try this one instead. The one you had is too far north for the Syskiyou pass.
http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/forecast/MapClick.php?site=MFR&llon=-123.013747&rlon=-122.178747&tlat=42.099584&blat=41.264584&smap=1&mp =0&map.x=208&map.y=243 (broken link)
The Medford, Or office covers the area, not the Portland office.

Looks like it might be ok, 40% chance of an inch of snow. Might be windy in some of the area.

Tesaje
This really helps ......

[Cornerguy1]

Let's all hope Allyouleftbehind and her complete lack of winter driving skills isn't trying to make it back down I5 to get home tonight.

Here's the latest Siskiyou Summit warning from Tripcheck:

SISKIYOU SUMMIT SB REPORTING STATION
Severe Weather Hazard


Weather Condition: Snow Flurries

Road Surface: Conditional Closure, Chains Required. Traction tires alone are not sufficient. See additional details.

Current Temp: 33 F

New Snow: 1 in.
Roadside Snow: Trace

Comments: Chains required on all vehicles excluding four-wheel drive vehicles unless towing.

Last Updated: 12/16/2007 11:37 pm

People really need to realize that road conditions at altitude can change from good to horrible in literally a matter of minutes.

[TheShoeboxDiaries541]

Originally Posted by ladysrodgers

What the Kim family did wasn't foolish at all. What "was" foolish, is whomever is responsible for putting the chain across the road for Josephine County, not doing it. They should have been fired.

I've been on that road. For all intents and purposes, on a map it looks like it would be a normal road - the only one going to the coast until you get just north of Roseburg. The entrance of the road is deceiving because it's wide, paved and two lanes. There is no indication until it's too late, that the road narrows down to a single lane with nowhere to turn around.

As for your last two sentences, how incredibly rude.

You're from texas. I really don't think you're the best person to give advice on winter driving in oregon. and I don't care if you've lived/been here before, you don't live here now, you're not here now and you have no idea what the weather is like this season. People DO NOT normally take backroads during the late fall/winter season here in oregon unless they're very familiar with the road itself. The kim family was NOT. they were coming from the silicon valley in CA, which has mild weather year round and clear roads 365 days a year. They were ignorant and foolish to venture off of the beaten path, and MOST people wouldn't make the same mistake. Thats all I was trying to say. A chain shouldn't have to be up to tell someone that common sense says stay on the freeway if you don't know the area. that's why they call it common sense.

[Nurse98]

I think all will be well. The girl and her son have been warned and advised about what to expect. She had enough sense to seek advice. I would imagine that she has enough sense to make the right decisions on her path. Keep her in your prayers.
Peace and respect,
Nurse 98

[ladysrodgers]

Originally Posted by TheShoeboxDiaries541

You're from texas. I really don't think you're the best person to give advice on winter driving in oregon. and I don't care if you've lived/been here before, you don't live here now, you're not here now and you have no idea what the weather is like this season. People DO NOT normally take backroads during the late fall/winter season here in oregon unless they're very familiar with the road itself. The kim family was NOT. they were coming from the silicon valley in CA, which has mild weather year round and clear roads 365 days a year. They were ignorant and foolish to venture off of the beaten path, and MOST people wouldn't make the same mistake. Thats all I was trying to say. A chain shouldn't have to be up to tell someone that common sense says stay on the freeway if you don't know the area. that's why they call it common sense.

Whoa, lose the confrontational attitude! I'm not "from" Texas, I just happen to live here now and yes, I'm quite qualified to advise about driving in snowy weather conditions. I don't think "you're" qualified to decide whether or not I know about driving in snowy/icy weather.

You don't have to tell me about weather in the bay area, I lived there for 18 years. I know what you were trying to say, but did you consider the OP is in the same position as the Kim's?

Are you aware there is a chain that is supposed to be across that road to prevent incidents like what happened to the Kim's, that someone from Josephine County didn't lock?? Why not place the blame where the blame is due here? Why would a chain even be there if it weren't necessary?

Have you ever seen the road first hand? I have, I've driven it all the way to Gold Beach....and like I said, for all intents and purposes it looks like it would be a normal, paved, two lane road - until you drive it a few miles, then it's too narrow to turn around. The road is also much longer than it looks on a map. People wouldn't "know" not to drive there if they're not from a rugged area.

[ladysrodgers]

Originally Posted by Cornerguy1

Let's all hope Allyouleftbehind and her complete lack of winter driving skills isn't trying to make it back down I5 to get home tonight.

Here's the latest Siskiyou Summit warning from Tripcheck:

People really need to realize that road conditions at altitude can change from good to horrible in literally a matter of minutes.

Bingo! There is also a lot of tule fog in the central valley. Hopefully the shoebox gave them his phone number to call and pick them up.

[ladysrodgers]

Originally Posted by Nurse98

I think all will be well. The girl and her son have been warned and advised about what to expect. She had enough sense to seek advice. I would imagine that she has enough sense to make the right decisions on her path. Keep her in your prayers.
Peace and respect,
Nurse 98

Amen, she's going to need some prayers. I hope we hear from her soon.

http://bestsmileys.com/religous/6.gif (broken link)