Best route Riverside, CA to Spokane, WA

[Mac964]

Looking for best route, minus steep inclines and declines on mt. passes. Scenic? Safe? Thanks. We are leaving tomorrow morning. THANKS

[msmith1199]

paulj wrote:
Technically NV375, running NW from US93 to US6 that is ET. The EW route from Caliente to Tonopah is nearly 200 miles without gas stops.

SN on 93 is 230 miles from LV to Ely.

You are correct. The 93 route then takes you by the ET highway so you have to make a left if you want to see the aliens. Aliens aren't allowed on 93! 🙂

[msmith1199]

Tom/Barb wrote:

msmith1199 wrote:
Most of the other routes for the OP (other than 101 or 5) take you through some of the most remote country in the lower 48. One of the routes Google picks goes up the ET Highway (93) out of Vegas. That is probably the one you would find me taking. You could drive for hours on that road and not see a single other person. Last trip I took through Nevada was going eastbound to Utah and I took Highway 6. I was all alone for an hour or more at a time and there was zero cell phone coverage. I recall driving along being glad I had the toad just in case something happened, then all the sudden it dawned on my that the low fuel light was on in the toad when I hooked it up and I meant to stop and fill the tank before I got into the back country. I wasn't worried at all until I remembered that, then I started getting a little nervous about being out there.

That is the way it was in all of America not so long ago. Funny how we survived that. 🙂

I think lots of people didn't survive that. That desert claimed a lot of lives back in the day of people trying to cross it.

[paulj]

Technically NV375, running NW from US93 to US6 that is ET. The EW route from Caliente to Tonopah is nearly 200 miles without gas stops.

SN on 93 is 230 miles from LV to Ely.

[Tom_Barb]

msmith1199 wrote:
Most of the other routes for the OP (other than 101 or 5) take you through some of the most remote country in the lower 48. One of the routes Google picks goes up the ET Highway (93) out of Vegas. That is probably the one you would find me taking. You could drive for hours on that road and not see a single other person. Last trip I took through Nevada was going eastbound to Utah and I took Highway 6. I was all alone for an hour or more at a time and there was zero cell phone coverage. I recall driving along being glad I had the toad just in case something happened, then all the sudden it dawned on my that the low fuel light was on in the toad when I hooked it up and I meant to stop and fill the tank before I got into the back country. I wasn't worried at all until I remembered that, then I started getting a little nervous about being out there.

That is the way it was in all of America not so long ago. Funny how we survived that. 🙂

[msmith1199]

Most of the other routes for the OP (other than 101 or 5) take you through some of the most remote country in the lower 48. One of the routes Google picks goes up the ET Highway (93) out of Vegas. That is probably the one you would find me taking. You could drive for hours on that road and not see a single other person. Last trip I took through Nevada was going eastbound to Utah and I took Highway 6. I was all alone for an hour or more at a time and there was zero cell phone coverage. I recall driving along being glad I had the toad just in case something happened, then all the sudden it dawned on my that the low fuel light was on in the toad when I hooked it up and I meant to stop and fill the tank before I got into the back country. I wasn't worried at all until I remembered that, then I started getting a little nervous about being out there.

[2oldman]

msmith1199 wrote:
It isn't the route I'd take, but probably the best if road conditions are the main concern.

Thanks...yeah, I often take longer freeway routes just to feel 'safe' if something goes wrong. And especially to maintain phone service.

[msmith1199]

2oldman wrote:
I-15 to Butte MT, then 90

I thought you were trying to be humorous when suggesting going all the way through Montana to get to Spokane until I looked on Google maps. Although this route is a little longer than some of the others, by the looks of it, it does appear to be the best route to take if you want to spend as much time as possible on the Interstate and have the better roads overall. It isn't the route I'd take, but probably the best if road conditions are the main concern.

[paulj]

Take a look also at the Texas to Spokane thread. Routes using 93/95/395 would also apply to a California start.

[paulj]

Atleast on paper, the summit to Ashland looks shorter and steeper than the California side.

[Tom_Barb]

paulj wrote:
Looking at Google Maps terrain, Sisykou summit on I5 is 4400 ft. At the base of Herd Peak, US97 gets up to 5000 ft. But Weed is 3600ft, Klamath Falls is 4000, Medford 1500ft.

I haven't read complaints about I5 being difficult (too high or steep); it just can be snowy. When I drove it in a car, I felt like I was playing hopscotch with the trucks.

I haven't driven US97 south of Klamath Falls, but it appears to climb gradually (and relatively straight) to the 5000 level, and then stay near that level all the way north past Bend.

There is a long hard pull from Yreka to the border on I-5, 97 is a much easier climb. the climb thru Mt. Shasta, and the lake, is a pretty good one too.

[paulj]

Looking at Google Maps terrain, Sisykou summit on I5 is 4400 ft. At the base of Herd Peak, US97 gets up to 5000 ft. But Weed is 3600ft, Klamath Falls is 4000, Medford 1500ft.

I haven't read complaints about I5 being difficult (too high or steep); it just can be snowy. When I drove it in a car, I felt like I was playing hopscotch with the trucks.

I haven't driven US97 south of Klamath Falls, but it appears to climb gradually (and relatively straight) to the 5000 level, and then stay near that level all the way north past Bend.

[Tom_Barb]

Mac964 wrote:
I97 still takes you over Sisykou Mt range? Noted on map Herd Peak and Goosenest at around 8,000?

When you leave I-5 at Weed, you do not go over the high passes crossing Sisykou Mt range. you will be well east of the Sisykou range at Bend.
The I-84 to 395 is a good alternative to 97 to 90

[Mac964]

I97 still takes you over Sisykou Mt range? Noted on map Herd Peak and Goosenest at around 8,000?

[n7bsn]

paulj wrote:
US97 to I84 to US395 bypasses a couple of modest passes on Washington US97.

US97 through Oregon is mostly flat and straight, at 5000' altitude. There is a grade in north as it drops to the Columbia River.

Not freeway, but I'd consider it.

I would never consider I-15 to I-90. Talk about adding passes and grades, it takes you across the divide, twice, plus two major grades to get from Montana to Idaho.