Looking for Winter travel Montana-Utah-Arizona advise

[snelson600]

Hi All, We must go from Butte, MT to Phoenix, AZ for medical reasons in early February, taking our 36 foot 5th wheel. We plan to take I-15 then hopefully pick up Hwy 89 in southern Utah to go through Flagstaff. We have done this route in good weather, but really don’t recall where we might need to watch for weather related issues, other than Monida Pass on the Montana-Idaho border. We could also stay on I-15 through Vegas then to I-40 if necessary. We love using the 511 road condition service and find it extremely helpful. But just trying to plan ahead a little and know where to watch for trouble. Thanx!

[German Shepherd Guy]

Flagstaff can be a real bear in Winter. Can also be non eventful, kinda up to the weather gods.


Good Luck, sorry you have to be towing that time of year. Remember slow but sure wins the safe trip to Phoenix. :)




:flowers:


Oak

[bobbecky]

If weather gets bad prior to departure, you may be better off heading east and running down through Denver and then through Albuquerque. If weather is bad heading west through Flagstaff, you may need to detour down to I-10 and get to Phoenix that way. Quite a bit farther, but possibly much safer if weather conditions are bad.

[RK1978]

Flagstaff can get a foot of snow one day, but roads may well be clear the next day with sun melting snow quickly. We are usually there and GCNP in late March/early April and have found snow fighting done well on main roads. It has been quite cold there (and in PHX) this year, but I believe snow has been about normal. It can be 15-20 degrees in Flag and 85-90 3 hours south in Tempe/PHX. Elevation is the determining factor, look at the elevation profile of your route and be wary of higher elevation.
PR

[Snoking]

I would stay on I-15 to Las Vegas and then to Kingman and Kingman to Surprise via 93. That route only adds 55 miles to the trip.

[Snoking]

Flagstaff can be a real bear in Winter. Can also be non eventful, kinda up to the weather gods.


Good Luck, sorry you have to be towing that time of year. Remember slow but sure wins the safe trip to Phoenix. :)


Oak

It is not just Flagstaff! The 89 route keeps one at high elevations all the way down until coming down I-17 from Flagstaff. Staying on a major interstate like I-15 that is heavily traveled all the way to Las Vegas makes a lot of sense that time of year, leaving only one day of travel from LV to Phoenix on lesser roads.

Chris

[snelson600]

Thanks for your help, Chris! I think you have helped to set our route!

[snelson600]

Thanks, Snoking, I think you have helped to set our route!

[snelson600]

Thanks, RK1978. I've got my long johns packed!

[snelson600]

Thanks bobecky! That's an option I hadn't considered!

[snelson600]

Thanks, GSG! Appreciate the reminders! We have a couple extra days built in to our schedule, planning to gooooo sloooooooww.

[77cruiser]

We went highway 89 last fall from Marble canyon to Flagstaff terrible rough road. That's where our clothes rod & shelf fell down in the bedroom closet.

[Northofu1]

Safe journey, good luck.