Houston to Boise in February

I am driving from Houston, Texas to Boise, Idaho. I leave in a couple of weeks, on Feb 7, 2016. I really would like to take a scenic route but am a bit wary of driving in the mountains in the snow. Map apps suggest going Hwy 50 from Walsenberg, NM up to Interstate 70 @ Grand Junction, CO then up Hwy 191 to Spanish Fork, UT, then up through Salt Lake and to Boise. Alternatively, I could to up through Dallas to Amarillo, through Colorado Springs, up to Cheyenne Wyoming and over to Salt Lake. Anyone have any advice for someone who is not used to driving in snow or in mountains? Am I crazy to choose to go up through Utah? Who moves from the sub-tropics to Boise in the winter??

Thanks so much for your insights.

Welcome to RTA!

If you are not used to driving in the snow, I'd try to stick to Interstates when you get into snow country, but you never know. Roads may be fine, you won't know till you are ready to hit the road and have current road conditions and weather forecasts.

I think I'd head to Amarillo and take US-287 to I-70 to Denver, then I-25 to I-80 to I-84. Another option is US-87/US-64 out of Dumas to Raton to pick up I-25.

If the weather is good US-50 is a very scenic drive, but there are passes between Pueblo and Montrose which are very subject to snow.

You can't go wrong with Gallup, NM to Moab, UT via US Hwv 264/191. If weather is nice clear day you will enjoy Arches NP and it will make your day. If you can get there by noon...