With my broke foot on the mend it looks like we will be heading out from here in the Tacoma WA area in mid September. We have a service appointment in Junction City KS in early October. I'm thinking we will head down I90 and 84 to Salt Lake for a week or so then east to Denver for a week before heading across to KS. Knowing that Howard and Linda had some snow issues coming into the Denver area from the west in the spring I figured I would see whether 70 or 80 from Saly Lake to Denver is a better option. Anybody driven those routes in late Sept? I'm guessing that since both are interstates there isn't much difference unless the blizzard is happening during the drive over, but wanted to double check.
Also, any good recommendations for places to park in either city?
Thanks.
-- Edited by Neil and Connie on Saturday 17th of August 2013 11:10:38 AM
bjoyce said
06:55 PM Aug 17, 2013
I-80 is the better route since it only gets into the high 8,000s for elevation while I-70 gets up to 11,000 feet or so. We have taken I-80 in October and hit some snow, but mostly it is safe then and September should be fine.
I have driven both many times during the winter. I can be absolute in saying that the only time you will have problems with snow and poor road conditions is during and following a snow storm. If no snow has fallen, the roads will be clear. Year before last, I was driving the 80 route weekly. I ran into no snow all winter with one exception. One horrible, icy, dark, cold, nasty, exception. Once when I was a youth, we were coming home from camping on July 4. It snowed on us coming over Loveland pass (before the Eisenhower tunnel was built).
I-70 is harder on your tow vehicle and won't save you any miles. Also, take 84 east out of Salt Lake and miss the climb over the mountain on 80.
Neil and Connie said
07:16 PM Aug 18, 2013
Mark and Bill, thanks. We will take 80 and I will pass the CG recs along to Connie as she is the Head CG Picker 'round these parts. I'm just the chef, tow truck driver and head of IT Services.
NWescapee said
04:56 AM Aug 19, 2013
I-80 is our route of choice, a little less elevation in the areas you are mentioning. This spring Dale stayed at Farewll Bend State Park off I-84 in OR was also a reasonable place to stay for an overnight stay for a big rig, he didn't have any issues negotiating the park with our 38 ft 5th wheel in tow on his first trip with the new rig:) Be warned, cell connectivity at the park was not great, but it was off I-84 enough that you didn't have the noise from the Interstate.
Not sure which route you'll be taking after you hit Salt Lake City, but he also found a Utah State Park just on the outskirts of Provo UT on I-15 to be a great place to stay. The pic in our signature line is from that park and there was some little "mom and pop" restuarant close to the park with a tasty steak sandwich:)
Neil and Connie said
08:29 PM Aug 20, 2013
Thanks NW, will pass those parks along to the lodging coordinator as well.
With my broke foot on the mend it looks like we will be heading out from here in the Tacoma WA area in mid September. We have a service appointment in Junction City KS in early October. I'm thinking we will head down I90 and 84 to Salt Lake for a week or so then east to Denver for a week before heading across to KS. Knowing that Howard and Linda had some snow issues coming into the Denver area from the west in the spring I figured I would see whether 70 or 80 from Saly Lake to Denver is a better option. Anybody driven those routes in late Sept? I'm guessing that since both are interstates there isn't much difference unless the blizzard is happening during the drive over, but wanted to double check.
Also, any good recommendations for places to park in either city?
Thanks.
-- Edited by Neil and Connie on Saturday 17th of August 2013 11:10:38 AM
I-80 is the better route since it only gets into the high 8,000s for elevation while I-70 gets up to 11,000 feet or so. We have taken I-80 in October and hit some snow, but mostly it is safe then and September should be fine.
In the Salt Lake area I would recommend Golden Spike RV Park in Brigham City (north of the main metro) and in Denver area I would recommend Clear Creek RV Park in Golden, http://rvparkreviews.com/regions/Colorado/Golden.html. On the way from Tacoma there are nice Passport America campgrounds in Hermiston, OR, Hagerman, ID and Nampa, ID, that we stop at - http://www.passport-america.com/. Between SLC and Denver there are reasonably priced overnight campgrounds in Rawlins, WY - http://rvparkreviews.com/regions/Wyoming/Rawlins.html.
I-70 is harder on your tow vehicle and won't save you any miles. Also, take 84 east out of Salt Lake and miss the climb over the mountain on 80.
Not sure which route you'll be taking after you hit Salt Lake City, but he also found a Utah State Park just on the outskirts of Provo UT on I-15 to be a great place to stay. The pic in our signature line is from that park and there was some little "mom and pop" restuarant close to the park with a tasty steak sandwich:)
Thanks NW, will pass those parks along to the lodging coordinator as well.