Last year, our run to Yuma took us south on Highway 2 /3 into Lethbridge, then south on Highway 4 to Coutts and onto the I-15. We were a bit dubious about this route, since friends who left earlier emailed us that they had been stranded for two days by a snowstorm. Although in the end we made it through with no real problems, snow and ice in Montana and Idaho made for some tense hours on the road.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0GO0gAfr_n0
Isn't there a better route?
http://www.savewaterpa.org/snow-remediation-is-a-necessary-wickedness-when-it-pertains-to-owning-a-house/
That seems to be a common question on RV forums. On rv.net, for example, an RVer hauling a fifth-wheel in December wrote, In the past we have taken Interstate 15 from the Canada/USA border to Las Vegas...I'm wondering if there is a better route for winter driving that avoids the mountains in Montana and Idaho?
Shortest Distance
Plotting a route from, say, Edmonton, Alberta to Palm Springs, California (our destination this winter) in common mapping software generally produces the fastest or shortest route, which isn't necessarily the best.
Mapquest, Google Maps, and TravelMath.com all give this for the northern section of the route: Highway 2 south to Ft. Mcleod, south to a border crossing at Carway, Highway 89 to Babb, Hwy 464 to Choteau, then picking up the I-15 north of Helena.
This route skirts the Rocky Mountains for most of the way, following the foothills until finally joining the I-15 for the climb to Helena and Boulder. Although the software claims it is three hours shorter than the comparable trip through Lethbridge and Great Falls, no one on the forums appear to use this route, and a look at the terrain suggests a reason: a mountainous stretch around Babb and a lot of ups and downs over the foothills and valleys.
This foothills route might be shorter and faster but the fuel requirements would probably be higher. There also appear to be fewer centers of population and therefore fewer places to fuel up. And it still uses the I-15 for most of the journey.
Going Coastal: Washington, Oregon and US97
Another recommended route from BC is south through Washington and Oregon. The route we have taken is US97, I-84, I-5, CA46, US99, CA58, US395, I-15, writes another poster at rv.net. From Bakersfield you will have a pretty good pull up to Mojave, but you will avoid the "Grapevine" on I-5. If the night time temperatures in eastern Orgeon are above freezing, I would stay on US97 all the way south to Weed, CA. US97 is an excellent two lane highway.
This is a popular trip and apparently quite scenic, though for Albertans it adds about eight hours driving time. It also requires dodging the snow in the BC passes Kicking Horse, Rogers, and the Coquihala are all well-known for being snowed in, as are Sparwood and Fernie in the Crowsnest area.
For avoiding mountain driving and snow-filled passes, this does not appear to be the most likely winter route.
Hazard not Mountains, but Ice and Snow
Mountain driving, with its steep grades and hairpin turns, can be scary enough in the summer for those of us accustomed to gunbarrel-straight prairie highways. However, it's really the ice and snow that are the big concern. RVing friends and online contributors have offered numerous tips for safer winter trips:
Watch the weather and road reports. Leave when you have a three-day window of good weather and clear roadsIf you can, go down with someone else; a caravan (a group of RVs) adds sociability and security, especially if it's your first trip on a given routeThe interstate highways are generally well-maintained and have priority for snow clearing and sanding, so they're a good bet for safe travelDrive conservatively; leave extra room between vehicles and allow extra time to stopTravel during the middle of the day, when the hills and the passes are less of a problem. The DOT has had time to work and mid-day temperatures may be warm enough to soften left-over ice and snow.If you get caught in a storm, wait it out and give the road crews time to clear the highwayJust Follow the I-15
Although friends have shared little short-cuts with us (such as leaving I-15 at Dillon and going 41/55 to Whitehall and 69 into Boulder, avoiding the big climb to Butte), the result of our conversations and research have shown few strong alternatives to the I-15.
It's winter, we're not interested in the icy scenery and we just want to get out of the cold. Getting there is not half the fun. All of this points to the I-15 as the best Snowbird path south from Alberta.
http://suite101.com/article/best-winter-driving-routes-alberta-to-palm-springs-california-a400018
