Road Trip from Seattle to Denver in Feb 2nd week!!

[BennyOfftoDenver]

Hi,

I'm planning to drive to Denver from Seattle in the second week of February in my Rear wheel drive Lexus stuffed with some moving boxes in the trunk and the back seat. I'm worried about snow and driving in bad weather conditions during Feb 2nd week time frame.

Please suggest a safest route avoiding snow, slippery routes and places to take a halt. I will be checking the weather report of the routes in consideration before I start, however, I need some expert suggestions here who had already travelled through the below routes to Denver in the winter. Below are the routes in consideration..
1) I-84 E and I-80 E (OR, ID, UT, WY to CO)
2) I-90 E and I-25 S (WA, MT, WY to CO)
3) I-84 E and I-70 E (OR, ID, UT to CO)

Thanks,
Benny

[Midwest Michael]

Welcome the RTA Forum!

It really is impossible to give you a route to avoid snow/slippery conditions/etc at this time. All of the routes between Seattle and Denver have the chance of seeing winter weather, and the weather forecasts for exactly when you travel really are the only thing that will matter.

Of the routes you mentioned, I-90 is probably the easiest getting across the rockies, as it stays at the lowest elevation, I-80 across Wyoming is relatively flat, but it stays at a constantly high elevation, that can see snow and high winds. The I-70 option has two big negatives, first you would have to use US-6 to get there, which while it is a good quality road, it is not interstate quality and isn't going to get the same attention in severe weather, you then would be going over the heart of the rockies through Colorado.

But again, the weather forecasts is really what will make all the difference, and the difference in weather between Montana, Wyoming, and Colorado can be pretty huge.

[AZBuck]

Welcome aboard the RoadTrip America Forums!

The time has not yet come to settle on a route. Each of the three routes you've laid out will work perfectly fine, take about two and a half days to drive, and get you to Denver through some gorgeous scenery. As you note, the deciding factor could and should be the weather at the time of the drive, and there is simply no way to know that know. So review all three routes and get a feel for what's along them, but wait until just a day or two before you leave to review the weather forecasts and make a final decision.

Time is also you greatest ally in winter driving. Being in a position where you have to drive regardless of the weather in order to keep to a schedule is never a good idea. You should have extra time built into your schedule so that, should the need arise, you can simply sit out any wintry weather and let the road crews do their jobs, all while you sit warm in a comfortable motel room. And only when the roads are clear and the sun out again get back on the road. Since no matter which way you go, the trip will take two and a half days, if you plan on three that extra half day should be all that you need.

If you would like to visit sites along the way, then you'll need more time, at least a fourth day. And while we'd be glad to offer a few suggestions, those would depend on both your interests and the route you eventually end up taking.

AZBuck