best route, West to East?
Headed to Illinois in July from NorCal and wondering which route would have the least grades to climb the Rockies, I-80 or I-70?
Forum Discussion
Horsedoc wrote:
80 : From Salt Lake City to Rock Springs will be the most mountains you deal with on 80. More trucks on 80 and pretty boring ride - long stretches of barren countryside. I get nervous when fuel starts getting below a half tank.
70: Don't know how you will get from NorCal to 70 because it starts at I-15. Much more mountains from there until you get through Denver. THat is another PIA for me.
Personally, I would run 80 even if it might be more boring and fewer potential fuel stops.
Another vote for I-80 over I-70 for an easier on the drivetrain route. I-70 is prettier but that's because it's got more mountains, which make for the tougher climbs. Doable but tougher but really not a huge difference.
Maybe save 150miles of relatively boring drive in eastern Wyoming (really just relative to coming out of the mountains down into hills) but once you get to either Nebraska state line or Denver (roughly same longitude) either route is a lot of ranch/farm land.
We did I-80 WB 2 yrs ago and never had any worry about fuel. Does your RV have a particularly short range?
