Heading down to Gold Canyon in Jan/15 and just wondering about any problem spots for winter driving. We will be pulling our Bighorn 3010RE. Heading south from Coutts border crossing. We will of course be watching the weather and are in no great hurry(except to get to some warmth). Thanx for ant info.
Pulling 5th wheel from Alberta to Phoenix - any passes to watch for in Jan
- Thread starter Pedro
- Start date
TandT
Founding Utah Chapter Leaders-Retired
Pedro,
Welcome to the Heartland Forum.
I am not familiar with the routes you would be taking in the far north. My suggestion would be to stick to interstates when possible. Also get a Rand McNally truckers atlas (Walmart), that will show you preferred big rig routes.
Third, I would check Google Earth and look at the routes that are available to you. This will show you whether there are any high passes, or narrow mountain roads along your route. Travel safe. Trace
Welcome to the Heartland Forum.
I am not familiar with the routes you would be taking in the far north. My suggestion would be to stick to interstates when possible. Also get a Rand McNally truckers atlas (Walmart), that will show you preferred big rig routes.
Third, I would check Google Earth and look at the routes that are available to you. This will show you whether there are any high passes, or narrow mountain roads along your route. Travel safe. Trace
At www.mountaindirectory.com you can buy a Western Mountain Directory book which has been very useful over the years. There is an Eastern version also.
Lynn1130
Well-known member
The NE weather will not bother him coming from Alberta. I don't know the crossing you mention. Does that mean you are traveling I-15 South and then picking up another route around Las Vegas? Depending upon weather fronts it can be a B---- until you hit the deserts and that includes Flagstaff south for 50 miles.
After your border crossing I would watch the weather ----you will have quite a few hills on I 15 from Great Falls to Idaho Falls, after that going south should not be a major problem. I-15 through Salt Lake can be very rough. After Las Vegas, feel free to take a secondary road (93 south) to Phoenix, no problem with an rv.
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Lynn1130
Well-known member
Again I can only stress, watch the weather. If storms are blowing through, 93 can have winds in the 60/80 MPH range from Vegas to Kingman. There is one very long pull coming up from the Colorado River that will be no snow or ice problem. If it is snowing and blowing I-40 from Kingman to the 93 turnoff could be closed and/or very dangerous. I-40 south to Wikiup and on to Wickenburg is hilly and generally does not snow pack but can ice over. The other problem with that route is that it puts you completely on the other side of town (70 miles or more to Gold Canyon) and a bunch of stop and go then freeway traffic If the weather is nice it would be a less stressful trip to Flagstaff on I-40 then south on I-17 to I-10 to US 60 and on east to Gold Canyon. But keep in mind I-40 is a major truck route and when snow packed is not fun. That is still going to be a lot of freeway but from the direction you are coming there is not much choice.
Oh, and avoid the last two weeks of January. Pre Super Bowl.
Oh, and avoid the last two weeks of January. Pre Super Bowl.
caissiel
Senior Member
We driving south during the winter I usually setup all the major cities I will drive through and watch the forecast for all. Usually a pathern can be noticed and then decide when to leave. Of course I do it for the east coast. On 2 trips the bad weather followed us south as far as Nashville. One time we travelled between 2 storms and were not affected. I never chance to drive in bad weather and will park and wait if required. Never chance driving on slippery roads and 4pm seam to be the right time to stop before the roads get slippery.
I appreciate all the feed back and keeping up to date on weather will be our focus. We should be down before Super Bowl but yes things will turn into a bit of a gong show about then. We definitely will take our time and wait out bad weather if necessary. Again the advise and tips are appreciated.