Crossing the Rockies? Advice Please!

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keocera

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Oct 28, 2012
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I am planning on going to Las Vegas from Minnesota.  Choices are I-90 West thru South Dakota and South thru Denver then West across the Rockies.  Choice 2 is South to Oklahoma City then West and North to Las Vegas.  Another route would be West thru Wyoming and South thru Utah. Another would be South to Des Moines and then West thru Nebraska and Colorado. They are all within 100 miles of being equal in distance.  I have a 2012 Winnebago Vista 35F with the V-10, 362 Horsepower, 467 lbs of Torque, with the Tow/Haul feature.  Will I have a difficult time traversing the Rocky Mountains with a Gasser or should I try to avoid the Mountains entirely? Crossing the Rockies is the shortest route. I likely will be towing a car with a tow dolly.
 
    I am by no means an expert on gassers or the west, but the difficulty I see with heading west through Denver is that you have to go over/through the Eisenhower Tunnel, which peaks around 11,000 feet.  While it is an Interstate, so the grades shouldn't bother you, some gas units do have difficulty with the high altitudes.  We have gone on either side of without problems.
    We used I 80 to Salt Lake City, then down, and we have used I 40, but both add milage.  Either offer lots to see and do.
    I'm sure the western crew will soon chime in with their detailed knowledge.

  Ed
 
SeilerBird said:
I vote for West thru Wyoming and South thru Utah. Easiest of all the routes. Piece of cake actually.

I agree, I've done that route a few times in a car and on my Harley, never in a motor home, but I don't recall anything that would cause me concern in my Fleetwood Bounder 33U (V10 gasser). I'll be doing the reverse route in 2014 when we travel to Sturgis for the MC Rally (Bucket list thing).
 
I agree with RT 80 to Salt Lake City and then down I-15 to Las Vegas - very good road and only really one big hill and it isn't bad on the up side but it is a long steep downhill into Salt Lake....it is Rt 80 highway so not bad with climbing lane and decending lanes just take it easy an you will be fine.

I-40 from Flagstaff to Kingman is very rough and scheduled for re-surfacing so either expect a rough ride or delays!

I drove up from Vegas to Salt Lake yesterday and the road is easy and beautiful. Heading back tomorrow.

Good Luck

Jim
 
Wigpro said:
I-40 from Flagstaff to Kingman is very rough and scheduled for re-surfacing so either expect a rough ride or delays!
That road is rough however if they are taking I-15 from SLC to LV they won't go anywhere near I-40.
 
Thanks for all the good advice, I really appreciate it.  So far West thru Wyoming then South seems to be the consensus.  I have traveled these routes by car, usually thru Denver and West.  Remember watching the motor homes creeping up the hills and over the passes. I likely be heading out at the end of March so weather may be a factor.  I know that Wyoming can be a real Bear with wind at times, so will watch the weather patterns forming out west.  It may require that I go South to Oklahoma and then West thru Flagstaff then North to Vegas.  That happens to be the longest route tho.
 
Suggestion. Either gas or diesel powered vehicles I would suggest when you get to the mountain climbs to back down on your speed and use your gears to aid in building more torque for the climb. There is no need to keep up with traffic flow and rev the engine hard climbing grades. I live in the mountains of Idaho and after 20 years of living here finally learned to do as the truckers do climb grades slow and steady.  ;)
 
We entered MN at International Falls MN. last summer , down to Fargo ND took 94 to Belfield ND , took 85 then 90 to Gillette WY. . From Gillette we took 59 to 367 to 259 to 25 to 220 to Rawlins .
From Rawlins Wyoming  we took 80 to Silver Creek Junction then 40 to 189 to 15 to Las Vegas .
We did take a cut into Bryce Canyon on the way to Vegas . If you would like that rout let me know .

We were driving a 24' with 350 engine , tow dolly towing a Chev Aveo . There were a few grades of 6% but we had no problems with the grades .

Bill
 
    I forgot to mention, to miss the grade that Jim referenced, take I 81 from I 80 to I 15, that pass has very little grade.

Ed
 
Hfx_Cdn said:
    I forgot to mention, to miss the grade that Jim referenced, take I 81 from I 80 to I 15, that pass has very little grade.

Ed

Not sure there is an I-81 - but this route will miss the big hill at Park City = Parleys Canyon...

we took 80 to Silver Creek Junction then 40 to 189 to 15 to Las Vegas . This will take you past the reservoir and out Provo Canyon. two lane and a little twisty but good road and you avoid the big hill at Parleys Canyon and it probably cuts a few miles off the trip....not many and beautiful scenery and if you want to fish the stream right below the dam has a ton of nice trout in it!!

Safe Travels - Late March should be OK - I-80 is a major truck route and they keep it open pretty much nor matter what but the wind can be a factor in Wyoming.

Jim
 
I've taken I-80 across the Rockies twice. Both times pulling an 8K lb TT with a 1/2 ton Tundra (5.7 V8 gas). The GCW was about 13.5K. I had no trouble at all with the gas motor not having enough power. It's the only route I have used, in that area, over the Rockies so I have nothing to compare to but I-80, other than being a little boring, was a great road to travel.
 
    Tom, it runs east of Brigham City to meet I 80, and there are virtually no hills through the Rockies.  I took it in 2010 when my radiator was overheating and was looking for the flattest route east.  Then it starts up again in Scranton PA and runs to I 90 in Sturbridge MA.

Ed
 
Ed - I stand corrected. I used to live in SLC and did not recall an I-84 so I looked it up twice on Google maps and missed it both times. I looked it up again and there it was. Thanks for correcting me. I can see it is a much flatter route but it would take the OP a few miles out of their way.
 
SeilerBird said:
Ed - I stand corrected. I used to live in SLC and did not recall an I-84 so I looked it up twice on Google maps and missed it both times. I looked it up again and there it was. Thanks for correcting me. I can see it is a much flatter route but it would take the OP a few miles out of their way.

I hadn't thought of I-84 but it is a flatter route, it takes you a little further North but up through Weber Canyon is a pretty trip and it would avoid Parleys Summit and the long uphill and longer downhill through Parleys Canyon.

There is another route that is a little easier, and that is to exit at Jeremy Ranch off I-80 - one exit West of the Park City Exit (Kimball Junction) and turn left under the highway and take the access road up towards the Summit at Parleys, you are off the highway it is good road and the climb for some reason is not as severe...then at the top at Summit Park you go back under the highway and get back on I-80 and enjoy the thrilling downhill ride through Parleys Canyon!

Just another option....
 
We have a 2004 Winnebago Sightseer gasser and we live in SW Colorado. We go across the Colorado Rockies frequently on a variety of routes and have never had any trouble. Just remember you are going to go slow and you shouldn't be embarrassed if a VW passes you :)  Best advice is to take your time and enjoy the scenery...it's spectacular.

Wendy
 
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