Des Moines, IA to Las Vegas NV

priv8pilot wrote:
OK not driving this in the next week or two. more like 3 to 4 months from now. I just like to plan things way in advance!
The plan is to drive from Las Vegas NV to Des Moines IW to pick up a 5th wheel I am ordering. The drive on the way home looks like I80 thru Iowa and Nebraska. On to I76 to I70 Thru Colorado and Utah. Then onto I15 to Las Vegas NV.
My main question is road conditions and elevation? My concern is the ride home. It is 1400 miles one way. Mainly driving thru Colorado and Utah. I can not find information on elevation. Are the roads super steep? What about long down hills? My tow vehicle is an 2002 ford F250 Turbo Diesel. It has a tuner for towing and brand new super wazoo brakes! So it has the pull and stopping power along with the 5th wheel having its own brakes. The weight of the trailer will be about 1000 lbs less than my max tow/load rating. So do I go for it or should I take the long way around?

You're going to get a variety of answers, depending on whether you have time to "stop and smell the roses" or just wanna get back to Vegas with minimal stress!

If you're looking to do the trip with minimal sightseeing, I'd suggest staying on I-80 all the way to SLC. The highest point on that route is ~9600 feet between Cheyenne and Laramie WY. You're trip will be a lot flatter staying on I-80. H E R E - IA to SLC is the elevation changes you'll experience. Keep in mind that this is over the entire length, it's a gradual climb across Nebraska to Wyoming, spread over many miles.

H E R E - Denver to Price UT is what you'll encounter on Denver to Price, UT, to give you perspective. Coming out of Denver, there is an immediate climb to altitude, approximately 12 miles or so from the Golden area to the Evergreen Parkway. There's also a long decline into Idaho Springs. From there, to around Georgetown, it's fairly flat but gradual climb. At Georgetown and continuing west, you have the climb to the Johnson/Eisenhower tunnels, at over 10000 feet, then a very long downhill into Silverthorne/Dillon area. You'll have a bit of a valley as you approach Vail Pass, which is another climb to over 11000 feet. From the summit of Vail Pass, it's down hill to Grand Junction and on in to Utah. Colorado will be your challenge.

You said 3-4 months. That could be March/April, or April/May. Either way, for either route you could encounter inclement weather, likely snow. March and April are the snowiest months in Colorado. Gets snowy up in Wyoming as well, but you also have a much greater chance of very windy conditions in Wyoming, with whiteout blizzards and ground blizzards. If you're looking more to May/June, you'll have a much better weather situation...either way you choose to go.

You notice I'm not addressing sightseeing. I'm presuming that, with this first trip picking up the trailer, that might not be a high priority for you. If you're wanting to do more sightseeing, I'm sure you'll get some good responses!