Hey Oregonians

[marcortez]

I need to get from Las Vegas to the Portland area to pick up a travel trailer in the dead of a late January winter......and then back to Las Vegas with the trailer in tow.

Help me get across the mountains to either Eastern Oregon or Southern Oregon and crossing eastbound maybe towards Reno?
I have done the Volcanic scenic highway (CA) eastbound on Hwy 89 at Mt.Shasta, to Susanville CA before

Least snow impacted areas along the way?
Or just bite the mileage bullet and take I-5 south to Bakersfield and east over the Tehachapi pass towards Barstow and I-15?

I can wait until a break in the weather if necessary......both to and from.

[Ken / Claudia]

Disclaimer I have never been on Hwy 89. My neighbor told me about that route to Reno and really likes it, in the summer.
If it where me I would get on I5 as soon as I could and stay on it for these reasons. I know it is all 4 lanes in Oregon and I think also thru CA. The other Hwys into Or are a lot of 2 lanes for miles. Some things happen on those 2 lanes that will shut the whole thing down but would not on a 4 lane. I-5 in Oregon has many more Or DOT trucks and persons working 24/7. Actually they work 12 hour shifts all winter. More than any other roadway thru Or. If weather did get real bad more places to stop and wait it out than Eastern or central Or. I love the beauty of hwy 97 and 395? but, if time matters I5 will always be faster and in winter better maintained.

[cpaulsen]

Hwy 89 can get kinda bad sometimes. Lot of empty space between Hat Creek and Susanville.

[marcortez]

Originally Posted by cpaulsen

Hwy 89 can get kinda bad sometimes. Lot of empty space between Hat Creek and Susanville.

Lots of pine trees for sure.
I took that same route, headed to Nevada just last August.

[marcortez]

If I end up doing this, the route back to Las Vegas will be I-5 all the way to Bakersfield...then east across the Tehachapi pass and connect with I-15 N/B in Barstow.

The thought of hooking up snow chains on both the truck and trailer makes me shiver just thinking about it.

[chuckster57]

If your going 58 over Tehachapi pass, I would catch 99S somewhere south of Sacramento. That way you won't be so far west when you hit Bakersfield. Both trips east I ran 99 to 58 with no issues.

[marcortez]

Originally Posted by chuckster57

If your going 58 over Tehachapi pass, I would catch 99S somewhere south of Sacramento. That way you won't be so far west when you hit Bakersfield. Both trips east I ran 99 to 58 with no issues.

That it does.......and thanks.
It's been a long time since I was on 99.

How about truck traffic on Hwy 99 vs. I-5?

[chuckster57]

Lots of L.A. Traffic uses I5.

[marcortez]

Originally Posted by chuckster57

Lots of L.A. Traffic uses I5.

Would this equal more truck traffic on I-5 vs Hwy 99?

[Mandolin]

I hate that stretch of I5 that runs up against the western hills so I take 99. When I was a kid it was 2- to 4- lane road with a ton of stoplights, now it is mostly highway.

This time of year 395 is a terrible option, unless it is bone dry and completely clear - which is not all that likely.

Right now in Oregon we are in the middle of a winter storm dropping snow to about the 1,000' level, which means snow between Redding and Weed, in the Siskiyou Pass, in the passes between Roseburg and Eugene. In a few weeks that may not be true, but the next week or so is NOT a good time to travel up this way. Heavy truck traffic on I5 vs 99 is the least of your problems.

CALDOT likes to close the Siskiyou Pass for even vehicles with 4WD and chains and for tows completely, particularly at night and early morning.

Watch TripCheck for road conditions and the weather forecast a few weeks out. Predictions of snow or ice are not accurate up here more than a few days out, the weather coming off the Pacific changes fast.

http://www.tripcheck.com/Pages/RCmap...RoadConditions

[Mandolin]

Hope you are still keeping an eye on the weather - today (Wed 1/18/17) I5, 395 and I84 are all closed due to unusual winter weather. I5 and 395 are closed at the Calif/Oregon border. California also has a bunch of pass closure in the Sierras, in case you were thinking about that route. CalTrans is also talking about closing the I5 pass at the Grapevine and the 15 from the high desert into the Inland Empire.

We're headed down to Tucson in a bit, but not until the first week of Feb and hoping the roads will be in better shape.

[marcortez]

Originally Posted by Mandolin

Hope you are still keeping an eye on the weather - today (Wed 1/18/17) I5, 395 and I84 are all closed due to unusual winter weather. I5 and 395 are closed at the Calif/Oregon border. California also has a bunch of pass closure in the Sierras, in case you were thinking about that route. CalTrans is also talking about closing the I5 pass at the Grapevine and the 15 from the high desert into the Inland Empire.

We're headed down to Tucson in a bit, but not until the first week of Feb and hoping the roads will be in better shape.

Thank you for this update Mandolin....
I am for sure keeping an eye peeled and right now, it's not looking good.
I navigate into TripCheck a couple of times a day. What a great place to get NOW road reports!!

I was going to head north from Las Vegas on Jan 30/31 or thereabouts....might have to back that up even further.

Maybe a few days of pure sunshine might loosen things up....especially over I 80 into the Central valley and I-5 north. This is my preferred route.

A good friend of mine, who lives in OR at Brookings, said the Eastern portion of OR can get bone chilling cold and lots of snow even though it's high desert terrain.....so taking that route is shaky.

Coming back south from Portland and towing a 25' travel trailer presents even more hazards.

[Ken / Claudia]

The snow storm in Dec and ice storm in Jan sure has backed up stuff I needed to get done at home and work. Worse part no open water to take the dog duck hunting. We won't see a trip to South Beach state park until March. Heavy rain in PDX now 2 days. temps 40s and I seen 51 at one point. Ice on roads here is gone. (just PDX area)

[Mandolin]

Originally Posted by marcortez

Thank you for this update Mandolin....
I am for sure keeping an eye peeled and right now, it's not looking good.
I navigate into TripCheck a couple of times a day. What a great place to get NOW road reports!!

I was going to head north from Las Vegas on Jan 30/31 or thereabouts....might have to back that up even further.

Maybe a few days of pure sunshine might loosen things up....especially over I 80 into the Central valley and I-5 north. This is my preferred route.

A good friend of mine, who lives in OR at Brookings, said the Eastern portion of OR can get bone chilling cold and lots of snow even though it's high desert terrain.....so taking that route is shaky.

Coming back south from Portland and towing a 25' travel trailer presents even more hazards.

I lived in Eastern Oregon for a bit (near Crater Lake) and yes, it can get very cold and snow, particularly in the mountains and passes. The worst parts of I5 will be the 250 miles or so from Weed, California through to Eugene, OR - lots of elevation change and potential snow and ice. The highest passes are right at the Cal/Or border.

A lot of truckers leave I5 at Weed, Ca and drive up Hwy 97 to Hwy 58 (at about Chemult) and over to Eugene. The only problem with that is the Hwy 58 pass is a mostly 2 lane road, not nearly as well plowed/sanded as I5. The pass is shorter and there is less up and down on the route, so the truckers like it, but if the weather is heavy it is not a good choice.

On the other hand, the current heavy weather is south of us in Northern California - keep a close eye on I80, as the Sierras are in for a massive hit of snow this weekend (1/21-22) and next week.

[marcortez]

I just checked TripCheck webcams.....

The 97 up by Chemult looks gnarly....

[rhagfo]

Originally Posted by marcortez

I just checked TripCheck webcams.....

The 97 up by Chemult looks gnarly....

Well time for an update we are at the 12th of February, did you make the trip and if so how did it go?

[marcortez]

As luck would have it.......

I found a trailer in Las Vegas and bought it.

It's not a Keystone......but a Jayco.

One shakedown outing under my belt and all seems well.

Oregon on the agenda in June.......when the snow is long gone.