Lookin like Im going to be driving back to NC from Seattle right before Christmas. I want to avoid winter weather as much as possible. Mapquest and google maps suggest a route at considerably higher latitudes, going through montana, wyoming, south dakota, then south.

To stay out of the mtns as much as possible, Im thinking of headin to SLC, across southern wyoming, nebraska, then south.

Changing the route as Im thinking only adds a few hours to total drive time, so thats not a big deal.

Any other suggestions? Anyone on the west coast need a ride?

12/3/2009 8:36:47 PM

I40 to I5.

12/3/2009 8:44:04 PM

meteorologically speaking, other than by pure chance i don't think you're any more or less likely to run into significant winter weather between the two routes you described. you'd really have to head straight south through CA and then east through AZ to cut down your chances

12/3/2009 10:04:24 PM

Quote :

"I want to avoid winter weather as much as possible"

I suggest that you begin your trip in June.

12/3/2009 10:05:05 PM

but in all seriousness, I've always wanted to to the cross-country I-40 trip. Drive down to CA and catch that - it should run far enough south to avoid most of the winter weather.

12/4/2009 9:40:06 AM

when i moved to San Diego, I took a toyota previa minivan loaded with 5 other friends on I-70 straight thru the rockies the week after Christmas. it was no problem and an absolutely beautiful ride. just because it's winter, don't let that dissuade you from doing it.

[Edited on December 4, 2009 at 10:21 AM. Reason : .]

12/4/2009 10:20:51 AM

I suggest that you begin your trip in June.

12/4/2009 10:24:59 AM

Quote :

"but in all seriousness, I've always wanted to to the cross-country I-40 trip."

Dear god in heaven...WHY? Get off the interstate

OP, are you trying to get home as fast as possible? It's very much worth it to get off the interstate. Even if you drive the whole time and don't visit parks, you will see amazing and beautiful things - things you'll miss 95% of by staying on the interstate.

Otherwise, were I you (and I would also want to avoid winter weather), this would be the interstate route I'd take.

On the route I've posted, in Colorado you'll go through Glenwood Canyon, and that's stunning. The interstate follows the Colorado river, and has lots of nice little rest stop parks right on the river, and they're just fantastic

V I hate you lots. /jealous

[Edited on December 4, 2009 at 10:28 AM. Reason : sd]

12/4/2009 10:25:56 AM

Im interested in doing this too....driving from NC to MT around New Years. I think the chances of running into severe winter weather is pretty slim, but Im interested to see if anyone has experience driving to the northwest in winter.

12/4/2009 10:26:55 AM

^^ I'm confused... you say get off the interstate, but then you suggest and interstate route...

I want to do the I-40 thing because, well, it would just be cool to say I did it. If I ever get several months to do a road trip, I would travel secondary highways out to CA and take I-40 all the way back (or vice versa, not sure which).

12/4/2009 10:47:49 AM

Quote :

"^^ I'm confused... you say get off the interstate, but then you suggest and interstate route... "

Note my use of otherwise
I gave him a topical answer, since that's what he's asking for. I can come up with two dozen non-interstate routes in a heartbeat, but that doesn't seem to be the kind of route he's after for this trip...I did ask, though, just in case

Quote :

"I want to do the I-40 thing because, well, it would just be cool to say I did it."

It's way cooler to say "I went to CA from NC and back and never drove on I-40". Someday, this will be a claim I can make.

12/4/2009 11:09:08 AM

Don't do I-80! You'll never make it through Wyoming.

12/4/2009 11:14:01 AM

Best part of my cross country trip was State Road 60 in New Mexico...connecting I-25 and I-40. The road was pretty much deserted and lots of really cool things to see on the way. The VLA (Very Large Array), Pie Town, Native American Reservation, and gorgeous scenery and wildlife.

Uploading pictures right now.

[Edited on December 4, 2009 at 11:30 AM. Reason : a]









[Edited on December 4, 2009 at 11:32 AM. Reason : a]

12/4/2009 11:22:26 AM

Quote :

"I40 to I5."

If you're wanting to avoid winter weather as much as possible, thats your best bet. Well short of driving I95 south to I10



^ When the wife and I took the road trip to California two summers ago, we took I40 all the way. It was kind of depressing how many towns were setup to 'live' off of Route 66 traffic, and now I40 just bypasses them. All I could think about was the movie Cars.

12/6/2009 12:55:33 AM

^ I thought the same thing about the ghost towns.

Amarillo more than makes up for it though. That entire city is a big truck stop full of liquor stores and buffets.

12/6/2009 1:00:42 AM

This is a pretty terrific article about making a cross-country trip :-)

http://www.wired.com/cars/coolwheels/magazine/15-11/ff_cannonballrun

12/22/2009 11:31:38 AM

^ i enjoyed that, thanks! it was fun to live vicariously through that guy. something I would love to try but would never actually do.

12/22/2009 2:47:54 PM