best way to cross Oregon' Cascades
I should be doing income taxes but this is more fun. Frustrating at times but anticipation is high. We will be driving from our home crossing from Whidbey Island to the Olympic Peninsula then down inland Highway 101 then coastal 101 to the Oregon Coast. It is preferable to running the I-5 gauntlet through the meglopolis of Marysville-Olympia. We will depart after March 19 or 30 and return in 3 weeks more or less.
My question to you Oregon experts is which highway to take from the coast to cross the Cascades. We may go as far south as Bandon or begin eastward at Newport. Last September we crossed from Newport to Corvallis on 20 then 34 to 20 turning south on 126 then took the Aufderheiden Scenic Byway to Oakridge then meandered our way via Waldo Lake, Diamond Lake, Crater Lake and highway 62 to 97. Highway 20 several miles past Cascadia State Park was fairly curvy so I am thinking that if it is icy and shady, it won't be fun. We returned in mid-October via 140 from Klamath Falls to Eagle Point then 62/227 to I5 then 42 to Bandon. We like backroads. 140 wasn't curvy but 227 was but had little traffic except for log trucks. These are the only 2 routes we have driven across Oregon's Cascades/
What about the other passes? I know that pass conditions will change according to whatever the weather does. Washington state highway 20 is closed form November to May every year but the other 3 are usually open except at times closed for avalanche control and severe weather. I do know we want to avoid logging trucks, lots of curves and lots of snow/ice. We don't plan to carry chains. Should we?
Our destination in eastern Oregon is highway 31 to revisit Summer Lake area to rockhound. Then south to Death Valley and other POIs.
The following are our choices:
Highway 20 from Newport to I5 then 34/20 to Bend
Highway 126 from Florence to Eugene then 126 to Bend or 58 to 97
Highway 38 from Reedsport or 42 from Bandon to I5/Roseburg then 138 to 97.
Any suggestions? Once this is figured out then I will ask for some help further south. Last April we spent 2 weeks in eastern Oregon going as far south as Frenchglen and although it was cold, the only time we encountered a few flakes was on 395 between Burns and John Day.
My question to you Oregon experts is which highway to take from the coast to cross the Cascades. We may go as far south as Bandon or begin eastward at Newport. Last September we crossed from Newport to Corvallis on 20 then 34 to 20 turning south on 126 then took the Aufderheiden Scenic Byway to Oakridge then meandered our way via Waldo Lake, Diamond Lake, Crater Lake and highway 62 to 97. Highway 20 several miles past Cascadia State Park was fairly curvy so I am thinking that if it is icy and shady, it won't be fun. We returned in mid-October via 140 from Klamath Falls to Eagle Point then 62/227 to I5 then 42 to Bandon. We like backroads. 140 wasn't curvy but 227 was but had little traffic except for log trucks. These are the only 2 routes we have driven across Oregon's Cascades/
What about the other passes? I know that pass conditions will change according to whatever the weather does. Washington state highway 20 is closed form November to May every year but the other 3 are usually open except at times closed for avalanche control and severe weather. I do know we want to avoid logging trucks, lots of curves and lots of snow/ice. We don't plan to carry chains. Should we?
Our destination in eastern Oregon is highway 31 to revisit Summer Lake area to rockhound. Then south to Death Valley and other POIs.
The following are our choices:
Highway 20 from Newport to I5 then 34/20 to Bend
Highway 126 from Florence to Eugene then 126 to Bend or 58 to 97
Highway 38 from Reedsport or 42 from Bandon to I5/Roseburg then 138 to 97.
Any suggestions? Once this is figured out then I will ask for some help further south. Last April we spent 2 weeks in eastern Oregon going as far south as Frenchglen and although it was cold, the only time we encountered a few flakes was on 395 between Burns and John Day.
