HueyPilotVN said:
As I recall 138 from I-15 at Mormon Rocks to Lancaster has been referred to as "The Highway of Death".
A two lane road with a history of head on crashes from passing vehicles.
Maybe it is more than two lanes now.
Yes, Hwy 138 has been considerably improved. It's a wide shouldered two lane road with passing lanes from I-15 to the junction with CA 18 and widely separated 4 lanes from there west to Palmdale ... the former "highway of death" stretch. I wouldn't hesitate to use it but watch for winds coming down from the mountains in the winter.
Up until a year ago I used to drive that route regularly as part of my job. From Banning, I'd pick a non-commute starting time (10 am - 2 pm) and take I-10 west to I-215 and follow it north to I-15 and over Cajon Pass. Near the summit you can pick up CA 138 and follow it to CA 14. There are a couple of relatively short but steep climbs between I-15 and Wrightwood, but they've been improved with passing lanes.
Or if you want to avoid those grades, continue north on I-15 to US 395, then turn left at the second stoplight (about a mile past the Pilot truckstop) at Phelan Rd. Take it west to join 138. It's a mostly rural, flat 55 MPH road with a couple of stoplights. Then continue on west on 138 to CA 14.
Then take CA 14 north, if you're not afraid of descending the Grapevine continue west on CA 138 north of Lancaster. It's a fast, flat rural highway to I-5 at the top of the Grapevine.
Or continue north on 14 to CA 58 over the Techahapi Mtns. It's an easy climb going westbound.
The problem with taking 385 north to Kramer Junction is the half dozen stoplights going through Adelanto, then north of there are several grades without passing lanes that keeps everyone stuck behind slow trucks.
The alternate back road route from Banning to Apple Valley is to go east on I-10 to CA 62, then north to CA 247 in Yucca Valley. It's considerably longer than going west to I-215 and has a couple of mile long grades on 62, and a steep climb on 247. Then you'll face about 10 miles of city driving to get through Apple Valley to CA 138.