We live near Hamilton and always take the 401 and cross at Detroit to pick up I-75.
Friends of ours from the same area like to cross at Fort Erie and pick up I-71 near Cleveland and head towards Cincinnati to pick up I-75. So many times our friends got caught in lake effect snow off Lake Erie and had to wait out bad conditions in the Erie area. All routes are very weather dependent but the south side of Lake Erie seems more risky than the north side. I-77 is a great route in good weather, but we would never consider it in the winter. As others have said, too many hills and drivers with limited experience in icy conditions.