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Need route suggestions

dmfumento
Explorer
Explorer
Pretty new to rving. Taking 5th wheel from Wichita,KS to Seattle WA on April 1st for granddaughter birth. Looking for suggestions on route. Concerned about weather on the logical route through Denver, southern Wyoming, Idaho to Wa state. Thinking Tucucari NM, to Holbrook,AZ, on to Barstow,CA and up 5 to WA, but it's a long haul. Any ideas would be helpful, thanks.
Dan
12 REPLIES 12

dmfumento
Explorer
Explorer
Thanks for the good advice. Think I will go via 80.

2gypsies1
Explorer
Explorer
Are you retired and have time? Take I-80/I-84; monitor the weather constantly and allow extra days leeway for sitting out bad weather. Don't try to drive in it. It's not like you're going to have constant road issues the whole trip. Much, if not all, will be good pavement.

If you do have lots of time, do some siteseeing on your return via a different route. The weather will be much more stable later on. You're going a long way so you might as well work in a RV vacation while you're at it. Enjoy that new baby!!!
Full-Timed for 16 Years
.... Back in S&B Again
Traveled 8 yr in a 40' 2004 Newmar Dutch Star Motorhome
& 8 yr in a 33' Travel Supreme 5th Wheel

dedmiston
Moderator
Moderator
If you want to skip the big grade outside of Cheyenne and cut a few miles off the route, you can catch 287 at Ft. Collins. It takes you north-west to Laramie. It's a pretty drive too. I haven't towed on that road, but I drove it in a rented Class C. Good road.

2014 RAM 3500 Diesel 4x4 Dually long bed. B&W RVK3600 hitch • 2015 Crossroads Elevation Homestead Toy Hauler ("The Taj Mahauler") • <\br >Toys:

  • 18 Can Am Maverick x3
  • 05 Yamaha WR450
  • 07 Honda CRF250X
  • 05 Honda CRF230
  • 06 Honda CRF230

DaveG39
Explorer
Explorer
I-80 is a good route but plan on a few days slack time for snow. One trip end of May overnighted in Cheyenne. Woke up to 10" snow. Stayed 3 more days for 80 west to reopen. Enjoyed the exploration in Cheyenne then on my way west. They are prompt with snow clearing.
2007 TropiCal LX towing 2012 Honda
CRV, Goleta, CA

Thom02099
Explorer II
Explorer II
I-80 highest elevation is between Cheyenne and Laramie, at ~9600 feet before you descend into Laramie. Otherwise it will be rolling terrain for most of the trip across WY. As previously mentioned, head winds will be an issue. Also as mentioned, snows come in and usually melt off quickly. But there can also be ground blizzards that will close hundreds of miles of I-80 at a time.

I-70 from Denver to points west will have a lot of ups and down, starting immediately west of Denver with a significant climb, a bit of a levelling off, and then a steep descent of Floyd Hill into the Idaho Springs area. Some flatness for a bit until you get to Georgetown area, where shortly after you'll start the climb to the Johnson/Eisenhower tunnels. Then the very long descent into Dillon/Silverthorne, and just when you think it couldn't get steep again...it does. The climb up Vail Pass and the the descent into Vail and the Vail Valley area. NOW it becomes mostly downhill all the way to GJ and on in to Utah.

April is one of the snowiest months in Colorado and, like Wyoming, they can move in, dump a load of snow and then it's plowed and cleared. Either way, watch the weather and be prepared to hunker down someone for a day or 2.
2007 GMC Sierra SLE 3500HD Dually
2016 Coachmen Catalina Legacy Edition 243RBS
2007 Keystone Outback 25RSS - R.I.P.

Roy_Lynne
Explorer
Explorer
I would take I-80 to I-84 without a thought. I have done both and in the dead of winter and they both have issues but going thru the Siskiyous is a pain with the bumper to bumper big rigs. April will just be wet.

NMDriver
Explorer
Explorer
Watch the weather regardless of the route, even I-5 can have problems in Northern CA, but if you do decide to go I-40 turn north west at Albu and use 550 to Bloomfield and then go over and up to Salt Lake via Cortez, Moab, and Greenriver. It is 32 hrs versus 28 hrs using Denver and I-70, versus 27 hrs via I-80 in Wyoming. It is also a lot lower elevation and no passes to speak of to Salt Lake.
5er/2500Duramax/18ftBoat

dedmiston
Moderator
Moderator
UWYO students will tell you it snows every May during finals week. We got stuck in Laramie during our kid's graduation when I80 and 287 were both closed.

Winter in WY isn't over until the mosquitos come out in June.

2014 RAM 3500 Diesel 4x4 Dually long bed. B&W RVK3600 hitch • 2015 Crossroads Elevation Homestead Toy Hauler ("The Taj Mahauler") • <\br >Toys:

  • 18 Can Am Maverick x3
  • 05 Yamaha WR450
  • 07 Honda CRF250X
  • 05 Honda CRF230
  • 06 Honda CRF230

ppine
Explorer II
Explorer II
I used to live in Wyo. By April 1st the spring snow storms are brief and melt off fast. Just stay on the lower elevation roads like I 80. No way I would drive to Seattle from Kansas through NM. The worst that can happen is you have to wait somewhere for a day for snow to melt. That is alot better than driving south to get to Seattle. Dont be a weenie.

boogie_4wheel
Explorer
Explorer
I'd run I70 through Denver all the way to Green River Utah, then north through Price to Spanish Fork, then on up to Seattle.

Every time I've driven I80 through Wyoming it has been windy and the wind was always out of the West (giving you a headwind). The scenery sucks too. If you are to get in to any weather, they close down the interstate a lot more often in Wy as well.

I40 is a lot of extra driving to dodge a storm. Just watch weather predictions and plan accordingly.
2005 2500 Cummins/48RE/3.73, QCLB, 4wd, BigHorn, Edge Juice w/ CTS + Turbo Timer,Transgo Shift Kit ISSPro Oil and LP pressure gauges, GDP 20/2 filters, Custom Diesel Steering Box Brace
'10 Forest River Shockwave Toy Hauler 21'
Honda EU3000I Genny

dedmiston
Moderator
Moderator
dmfumento wrote:
Thinking Tucucari NM, to Holbrook,AZ, on to Barstow,CA and up 5 to WA, but it's a long haul. Any ideas would be helpful, thanks.
Dan


That's a safe route. It's a long way to go, but it should be a nice trip.

2014 RAM 3500 Diesel 4x4 Dually long bed. B&W RVK3600 hitch • 2015 Crossroads Elevation Homestead Toy Hauler ("The Taj Mahauler") • <\br >Toys:

  • 18 Can Am Maverick x3
  • 05 Yamaha WR450
  • 07 Honda CRF250X
  • 05 Honda CRF230
  • 06 Honda CRF230

MDKMDK
Explorer
Explorer
Let your Garmin be your guide. Based on what you're pulling the 5er with, of course. Gets hilly on the more direct route.
Mike. Comments are anecdotal or personal opinions, and worth what you paid for them.
2018 (2017 Sprinter Cab Chassis) Navion24V + 2016 Wrangler JKU (sold @ ????)
2016 Sunstar 26HE, V10, 3V, 6 Speed (sold @ 4600 miles)
2002 Roadtrek C190P (sold @ 315,000kms)