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Finally, I am planning the drive from So. Ca. to Fairmont in early Nov. and wondering what I-79 is like between, I-64 and Fairmont, because the line on the map is, well , really squiggly. I thought about avoiding this, by taking I-70 from St. Louis, instead of I-64, and going up through Ohio and down from Pa., through Morgantown. According to Mapquest, there is only about 15 minutes difference in these routes. I hear the southern Pa. area has big mountains too, so, anyone know which route would be less hairy and scary?
Thanks
I-79 from Charleston to Fairmont might best be described as "mountainous Interstate". More curvy, more up-and-down than, say, I-70 (largely flat, straight, and boring), but still built to Interstate highway standards. Not the "hillside to the left, cliff without guardrails to the right" stereotype. Especially if you drive a stick, I-79 can even be fun.
In fact, in winter, there's an advantage to following the Interstate, and that's snow plowing. In most areas, the Interstates will be treated/plowed first, and more often, than primary and secondary routes.
St. Louis on I-70 thru Columbus to Wheeling, then south at Little Washington, Pa. will be your safest route.
Thinking of the fatigue factor, Lexington to Huntington/Charleston and North on I-79 to Fairmont is just to dangerous. We call the segment from Weston to Morgantown 'Death Valley'....and have a good reason to call it that.
Should be no snow here...mid-west? Anything can happen.
I think the Civil Engineer who designed I-79 thru Fairmont took his inspiration from the Thunderbolt at Kennywood.
I-70 from Wheeling to Little Washington isn't much fun, either, but then I-79 south to Morgantown isn't bad.
While we might occasionally get snow flurries as early as Halloween, generally no one even starts thinking about snow until Thanksgiving. Then again, there was that big Thanksgiving Snow in 1950.
The civil engineer who had to layout the interstate on the various plats of ground owned by certain local politcal fellows was bald from pulling his hair out when he finished the design. The layout is a hop-scotch from one separated land parcel to another. It comes up in conversation now and then...how the road had to be routed to take in this land parcel or that...
They are dead now...(those politico's) and new ones have taken their place.
I'm sure they have gained their reward...
I hold them responsible for the people killed each year on the highway they created with their corruption and greed...And I wonder how many innocent, unwary people will have to die before this road is made safe.
I noticed that all the grave wreaths and white crosses were removed before the WVU football games began.
hmmm...Death Valley, huh? But at least it's not the " hitting black ice on the edge of a cliff " dangerous, I reckon. But the Death Valley thing makes me consider the northern route a little more. Guess that means I'm getting old. Thanks for the input.
I take 79 home all the time. Not sure I love it, but Its not too much of a bother either. Like someone said earlier I-79 can be fun sometimes. I have a VW and a leadfoot and its kind of fun But I-70 coming from Wheeling has one or two decent size hills. But both are very good interestates but if you do not feel comfortable with the road simply drive slower and be an aggressive driver. One thing I-79 could benefit from is the implementation of the cable medium guard system. I-64 which is a pretty strait interstate from Charleston to Huntington carries a much larger amount of traffic than I-79 and used to have some really bad head on's, but now is much safer because of either concrete walls or the cable barrier.
We have mountainous interstate here in the west, too, so it sounds like it's not such a big deal. We'll probably just watch for bad weather and decide at the last minute. Since I have never been there, you guys are a big help, thanks.
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But I-70 coming from Wheeling has one or two decent size hills. But both are very good interestates but if you do not feel comfortable with the road simply drive slower and be an aggressive driver. One thing I-79 could benefit from is the implementation of the cable medium guard system. I-64 which is a pretty strait interstate from Charleston to Huntington carries a much larger amount of traffic than I-79 and used to have some really bad head on's, but now is much safer because of either concrete walls or the cable barrier. 
