MA to AZ in early January

We travel that route in November and have done it once after Christmas as well. The biggest issue seems to be frost on the road earlier in the morning, it's interesting to see the tracks of cars that head towards the center median or the shoulder, no accidents but these are a dead give away about the road conditions.

As a Canadian, we face these conditions regularly and they aren't of concern. Best bet is to wait until the sun and temps melt the ice or snow, in November one year we had to leave later in Monahans Texas after a snowfall.

I felt a lot less safe in Virginia than I did in South Texas.

Padlin wrote:
Will be heading to AZ this winter right after Xmas and was wondering about the weather along I-10, picking it up at New Orleans. Hoping to take a couple weeks along the route. Any need for concern about snow or ice. Having a hard time determining what the Mts are like in TX, NM, and AZ along I-10.

It is a gradually climb un to the continental divide, no mts to worry about on I-10. Sometimes snow & ice. We've spent an extra day in Van Horn, TX, waiting for ice to clear, and same in Demining, NM. Just watch weather forecast and stay an extra day if weather is uncertain. Going west, just one permanent border check west of Las Cruces NM. Temporary checks are on side feeder roads, not interstate.

My winterizing strategy is to be south of I-10, usually in Texas.

Spent much of one winter at Davis Mountains State Park just outside Fort Davis - 40 miles south of where I-10 and I-20 join/ split.

The hill country west of San Antonio gets a few days below freezing each year. And a winter weather event - with a little ice - about one year in four. Farther west maybe one year in two has a bit of ice.

If you can watch local TV weather - they will shout and moan about the horrible winter weather coming, and being from MA, you are going to say - this isn't winter weather.

Normally, the ice has cleared and the temps are above freezing by 9-10 am. Watch the 18 wheelers/ big trucks. If they are parked, you should park also.

We did see a multi-day ice event - the first they had seen in seven years. TXDOT closed I-10 between Balmorhea and Van Horn for two days.

You will know if the roads are clear to leave San Antonio and head west. Check at Fort Stockton at truck stops - we use Flying J - they will know about the roads to El Paso. There are also several RV parks in Fort Stockton if needed.

We vastly prefer to travel US-90 from San Antonio to Van Horn rather than I-10 - it is only 20 miles longer distance wise, less than an hour longer time wise - and much less traffic. It's a bit farther south - but if there was a major winter storm predicted, I'd stay on I-10. US-90 goes through some long stretches with no cell service, no traffic, no towns, no homes.

While closer to the border, I'd have no concerns about traveling that route, though I wouldn't 'Wally Dock' as the roadside rest areas/ picnic areas. I'd prefer to be in an RV park for the night.

Several at Del Rio, good state park near the Pecos River, a fair overnight stop place at the Judge Roy Bean Museum in Langtry, good RV parks at Sanderson, Marathon, Alpine (Lost Alaskan on the north side if town is very nice), and Marfa.

RoyB wrote:
Be super alert when driving the border with Mexico... Especially parking at the Rest Stops... Lots of info on-line about this... Could be lots of People traffic in the middle of the night. I10 can also have Border Patrol Inspection stops that can show up anywhere along this route depending on their alert status.

Also we always shut down our Internet devices when we are close to the borders to prevent roaming fees from a foreign country etc...

I would not venture far from I10 in these areas. You might get into a trafic lane heading for the border and have no way to turn around. You might get back OK but your RV may not...

just some of my thoughts for us travelers that are not all that familiar with this area.

Roy Ken

Oh my gosh!!!!! Don't people realize that millions of people actually choose to live along the borders? The areas are perfectly safe. Problem makers aren't going to stay near the borders. They are heading to your big cities. :) Read headlines daily of U.S. cities across the country and the problems they have? Man, those statements are absolutely ridiculous.

we,ve done this three times ,just the one time it was bad, carry bottled water for the toilet, and antifreeze in the tank, just in case, but thousands run this route every day, it,s not as bad as made out. but its a area that changes day by day. go have fun, I might be the rv right behind you, were leaving in early jan to.

I have made that trip a number of times. Ice can occur west of San Antonio in the areas you mention. For the most part the roads are closed until the sun clears the path. I have seen I-10 closed for days. Since you are not in a hurry my suggestion is find an RV park and stay put for a few days if you hit bad weather. If you have unheated tanks then do not use them in freezing weather or use RV antifreeze to flush with.

Be super alert when driving the border with Mexico... Especially parking at the Rest Stops... Lots of info on-line about this... Could be lots of People traffic in the middle of the night. I10 can also have Border Patrol Inspection stops that can show up anywhere along this route depending on their alert status.

Also we always shut down our Internet devices when we are close to the borders to prevent roaming fees from a foreign country etc...

I would not venture far from I10 in these areas. You might get into a trafic lane heading for the border and have no way to turn around. You might get back OK but your RV may not...

just some of my thoughts for us travelers that are not all that familiar with this area.

Roy Ken

I have enclosed but not heated tanks. Is it cold like travel dry?

yes snow an ice, you never know from hour by hour, and it was cold till I hit the az border, I sat in tye texas for two days ,iced in,