Louisiana to Seattle, WA in March

IMHO, Stay south, go thru LA, pick up 210, it goes around most of LA, then head north on I-5, check the weather and pick your parks acordingly/ Not 'any' really good RV parks near Seattle. some membership parks, C2C, KOA in Kent,not recomended. And go to Pike Place Market on the waterfront.


jmac

Speaking of winter weather issues:

- just a few days ago there was a multicar pileup (with a deaths) in north central Indiana (I94). A sudden flurry of lake effect snow (SE side of Lake Michigan) dropped visibility, leading the sudden braking, jackknifed trucks and crashes. Thule fogs in the central valley California have caused similar pileups. I've also read of similar pileups on the freeway east of Houston.

- dust storms can also drop visibility. There have warnings about this winter in Arizona. In that past they have also caused problems in central Washington (flat farmland that doesn't get much snow cover).

- about a week ago there were high winds through the Columbia Gorge, with speeds around 40 mph on the east side of Portland, and 100 mph at the pavilion on a bluff above the highway. I didn't read of any accidents.

A short apology...there is a smaller grade on I-80(Sherman) between Cheyenne and Laramie...again this one is a descender.

Don't know if you're a white knuckle driver or not but the way, regardless of the time of year with a one grade only, and that's going down,for me would also be the least driving miles...I've done it many times for a customer in Anacortes, Wa. from Houston.

Firstly the any time of the year response: People get freaked out about weather. I'm always more concerned with fog than snow, with high winds being a close second. When ever confronted with weather you feel uncomfortable with get of the road, it almost never lasts that long.

The route: Exit 246/247 I-45 take US 287 to Limon Co...Then I-70 to Denver/I-25 north...I-80 west to I-84 Utah to Portland. The only grade you'll encounter is
Cabbage just east of Pendleton...if conditions are extremely cold 84 along the
Colombia river can be a issue...it's all flat driving but can and will ice over. Although march isn't a high risk in march it would be a good idea to stop at the Pilot off 84 in Pendleton and get a report. As for Cabbage you can stop in Baker City and get info on the hill.

What about 10 to 8 to Yuma. Head North on 95 up to Needles.

Take 40 West to 58 to Bakersfield. Have to watch Tehachapi on 58 for some snow. Easy to tow over the mountain if clear.

Go 99 North and pick up Highway 5.

Some places we stayed:

Whispering Meadow RV Park, Westlake, LA (easy in and out pull-through)
Buckhorn Lake Resort, Kerrville, TX (easy in and out, awesome place)
Orange Grove RV Park, Bakersfield, CA (easy in and out)
Mountain Gate RV Park, Redding, CA (easy in and out and great folks)
Seven Feathers RV Resort (casino) easy in and out great place

Have a safe trip.

Or from Mobile AL you could drop down to 90 and travel along the gulf shore until wherever you choose and then jump back up on I-10. Uncrowded open beach areas and in MS many parking areas to pull off, park free and take a break.

If OP doesn't like angling up through Utah, another option would be to come over I-40 and then take US 93 up to I-84.
Weather can be a factor on any route!
I would avoid goiung through CA. My Visa has expired!

paulj wrote:
I assume that 'angle up through SLC' means drive Albuquerque to SLC via Cortez, Moab and Price. I can't think of any 'high Rockies mtn passes' on that route. Without checking the map, I'd guess the highest spot is on I84 crossing from Utah into Idaho.

At the moment, snow is more of a concern in Louisiana than anywhere in the West. California and S Oregon has high wind and dry conditions. Utah and central Washington have fog and air stagnation warnings.

My records show that my husband and I woke up to 3" of snow in Cortez, CO, on May 8, 1995. But it was off the roads by the next day and the drive was beautiful.

I assume that 'angle up through SLC' means drive Albuquerque to SLC via Cortez, Moab and Price. I can't think of any 'high Rockies mtn passes' on that route. Without checking the map, I'd guess the highest spot is on I84 crossing from Utah into Idaho.

At the moment, snow is more of a concern in Louisiana than anywhere in the West. California and S Oregon has high wind and dry conditions. Utah and central Washington have fog and air stagnation warnings.

enblethen wrote:
I would angle up through Salt Lake City area and then catch I-84 to Umatilla Oregon then I-82 to I 90.

I don't believe I would do this. Mountain passes in the Rockies are in the 9000-10000' range and I would not chance towing that route that late in the Winter.

I would take I-10 to LA and then I-5 to Seattle. The Siskiyous on the Oregon-California border are the only mountains between here and LA on this route.

If I was not towing I know that driving up through Salt Lake would be beautiful, but not when you're towing at that time of year. You just never know what to expect.