Reno to Yreka

I google possible routes and then check them in my Motor Carriers (trucker) road atlas; if 18 wheeler's can go that way then so can I.

You don't say when you want to go. If there is no possibility of snow my preferred route is Reno to Susanville (395) to Burney (36/44) then 89 to I5. A very scenic route with no problems unless you want to fly low. Odds are pretty good you will find a CHP between Reno and Susanville. We take this route at least once or twice a year. Actually your chances of snow are probably just as high or higher going over 80 to Sacramento (Think Donner Party).

bdpreece wrote:
You don't say when you want to go. If there is no possibility of snow my preferred route is Reno to Susanville (395) to Burney (36/44) then 89 to I5. A very scenic route with no problems unless you want to fly low. Odds are pretty good you will find a CHP between Reno and Susanville. We take this route at least once or twice a year. Actually your chances of snow are probably just as high or higher going over 80 to Sacramento (Think Donner Party).

Planning on a July trip. The Susanville is my preferred option...not being familiar with the area just didn't know if this was a steep mountain pass, switchbacks, narrow road etc.

Thanks for the information!

bdpreece wrote:
You don't say when you want to go. If there is no possibility of snow my preferred route is Reno to Susanville (395) to Burney (36/44) then 89 to I5. A very scenic route with no problems unless you want to fly low. Odds are pretty good you will find a CHP between Reno and Susanville. We take this route at least once or twice a year. Actually your chances of snow are probably just as high or higher going over 80 to Sacramento (Think Donner Party).

X2

This is the route we take when going to the Oregon coast.

Good roads, traffic not bad, places for an overnight or longer, good views and actually an easier climb over the Sierra's than going I-80.

Yep. 395, 36, 44, 89 & I-5. We take it all the time. Perfect.

36 to Red Bluff has a couple of short low passes and a short stretch of very curvy road. No problem for any rig. 44 has no pass of any note. A steep downgrade into the community of Old Station. 89 Old Station to McCloud has no grades to worry about.

89 through Lassen Park not recommended for your rig. Doable, but you won't like it nor will the other drivers sharing the road.

We have used I/5 to 89 to 44 to 36 to 395 on our way home from Oregon a few times. It's a very nice ride. We'll use itagain.

korbe wrote:
Yep. 395, 36, 44, 89 & I-5. We take it all the time. Perfect.

Will be doing that route in reverse order in late April/May. Is that 2 lanes both way? I was planning on doing I 80 but this might work better. I am not a fan of single lanes.

rdmike wrote:

korbe wrote:
Yep. 395, 36, 44, 89 & I-5. We take it all the time. Perfect.

Will be doing that route in reverse order in late April/May. Is that 2 lanes both way? I was planning on doing I 80 but this might work better. I am not a fan of single lanes.

Well if you're not a fan of two lanes roads, you may want to stay on I-5. I love these two-lane mountain type roads. The scenery is kinda naturalistic. :)

I am having a hard time putting my beliefs into words but I'll try. First off my father and my DW like seeing someplace new and my Mom hated going on side trips. I don't worry about much when it come to planning routes, grades in the road lead to summits and beautiful vistas, switchbacks going up or down a mountain just means it takes a little longer(with the exception of severe roads not meant for anything but mules and 4X4's) and lets me see a little more of the area. With one or two exceptions the roads of today are pretty well signed for low overheads and the like. Shear drop off scared the bejesus out of my mother and my DGD, I don't fear them, I love HWY 1 in CA., the part near Kirk Creek is fun and beautiful.

The road into the canyons of Canyonlands NP from Island in the Sky is amazing, would I take my RV down there, no! But I figured out that one of the favorite 4X4 spots in the country isn't for RVs, even little ones like the Bounder, we took the Suzi and it was really cool.

There are not many but there are roads that were meant for foot traffic, I got on one of them when the BRP was closed due to snow. I guess we were young and stupid way back in 2011 and while we really didn't know how to get out of there, but we had a fun four hour out of the way side trip and maybe the brakes got a little warm, but, now that were older, I'm 75, as I look back, we were never in danger.

I am not deriding anyone who has fears, concerns or doesn't want to exceed there personal capabilities, I am saying I think that there is a lot of overthinking about routes and eliminating anything but a smooth level straight road when planning on getting from point A to point B.

One of us here has a tag line that says "Options you've got to have options". Mine is and always will be, unhitch, turn around, hitch up and go back a ways and find another route when the rig won't go any further or if I don't feel safe.

Remember the Corps of Discovery, no one knew the best route from the Eastern Frontier to the Pacific. Now we have so many choices, no one can definitively say which one is best.