Pittsburgh, Pa to Santa Cruz, CA

I wouldn't take I-80 in the motorhome if I even thought a storm was near. And yes, you are supposed to carry chains in the winter, but the only place I've ever been checked to see if I was carrying them was going into Yosemite Park. Otherwise on I-80 they don't check. I actually did buy cable chains for motorhome and I have them in the basement, but my plan is to never ever have to use them. I have gone over to Vegas in the winter several times when the weather was iffy, so I made sure I had them. But the highest altitude when going to Vegas is less than 5,000 feet.

msmith1199 you are correct on that for sure ! I used to really check the weather for storms that were brewing in the north west to see if I could get across I80 If I had to. No matter what the weather does I 80 will still have a lot of cars and trucks on it but then you still have to have tire chains, 4x4 or wait out a storm if it gets bad. I love that drive on nice summer days.

On the weather issue, just remember that winter storms in the mountains come from storm fronts that usually come in from the Northern Pacific Ocean and/or down from Canada. They don't just sneak up on you like storms during the summer in the Midwest that spawn tornadoes. Like I said earlier, that means the weather man can tell you with pretty good accuracy if you'll have winter driving conditions or not. I've taken my motorhome over I-80 to Reno in January because I could look at the weather and see it was nothing but sunshine for the length of my trip, and it was. Of course the snow on the side of the road was 10 feet deep, but the road was clear.

Thanks for all of the replies! Southern route it is.

I drove a semi from NY/NJ area to San Jose/San Fran. area and back for about 30 years I have driven every road there is to California and back many times so for what it's worth.....if the weather gets bad going across I 80 the interstate will be closed until they can plow the roads or the wind stops blowing the snow back across the road. I've seen I80 closed in Wyoming in april.

If you run I80 in bad weather always fill up with gas when it hits the half way mark because you might be waiting out a storm, carry food and water. If the weather stays nice it's a great drive.

If they are calling for bad weather take I 70 west to St. Louis then I44 west to Okla. city I40 west to Barstow, CA Highway 58 west to 99 north at Bakersfield, CA to highway 46 west to I 5 north from I 5 there are a number of roads you can take west to highway 101 north and into the SC area. ( I40 across OK,TX, NM,AZ can have their share of bad weather but usually not that early in the year)

If I was going to CA and they were calling for bad weather that's the way I would go and so would about every other experienced, long haul truck driver I know. Check the mileage difference they are close. Have a great trip.

This summer we drove from Texas, thru OK TO KS AND MO and various times crossed over the old Route 66. We stopped in some towns to see what like was like - or remember the good old days - on Route 66. In Pontiac, IL they have 4 museums, one is about Pontiac cars - what else, another was the history of Route 66 and in the back alley they have a recreation of a street way back when. There is even a special place to park your car with the sign Route 66 behind it.

If you were not in a hurry, that is what I would do.

The 3rd weekend in October is the Highway 80 yard sale starting in Dallas and going east, I forget how far. I think you can get the info if you google highway 80 yard sale.

RickBeer wrote:
My opinion avoid I 40 way to bumpy

Just curious, but what part of I40 west of OKC do you think is too bumpy? Just west of OKC used to be, but they have done a lot of work on that road in the past few years. The California portion is much is also much better than it was a few years ago.

I just drove it in May and don't recall more than maybe 40 miles total that could use improvement. I suppose that your opinion could vary depending on your rigs suspension.

My opinion avoid I 40 way to bumpy

Mid Oct should not be a problem either way, but mid Nov starts to get Iffy. We have been traveling to the SF Bay area from STL for the last 10 years. I always use the "southern" route if winter is near (I had to install my chains on May 12 over Donners Pass.

If Santa Cruz is your destination, the southern route actually provides easier access. From PIT that would be I70, I44, I40 to Barstow. CA58, CA99, CA46, US101 to Salinas. CA183 and CA1 to Santa Cruz.

I agree with msmith1199 about checking the weather reports if you want to take I-80. I drove to New Jersey from the Bay Area last year, but it was in May. I took I-80 until I got to Cleveland, then headed down through Pittsburgh and took the Pennsylvania Turnpike to New Jersey. It is not a hard drive as long as the weather is good.
Have a Great Trip.

Bob in Calif.