Need some good advice

[RoadTripper Brad]

I've got most of the route set for my trip from Central Washington that's coming up in October set... except for one thing. I don't really want to go through Page, so I was considering sticking with I 15 into Vegas, then working my way over the Hoover Dam, then down into the Phoenix area on US 93 and 60, but jumping on AZ 74 (carefree highway) to zip over to I-17 to avoid Grand Ave/US 60 Construction through the West Valley.

Any Phoenicians and Vegas-dwellers care to share an opinion or two?

[Mark Sedenquist]

I've got most of the route set for my trip from Central Washington that's coming up in October set... except for one thing. I don't really want to go through Page, so I was considering sticking with I 15 into Vegas, then working my way over the Hoover Dam, then down into the Phoenix area on US 93 and 60, but jumping on AZ 74 (carefree highway) to zip over to I-17 to avoid Grand Ave/US 60 Construction through the West Valley.

Brad, your route through Las Vegas and then US-93 is the usual way I go to Phoenix, but I am wondering what your "beef" is with Page?

It seems like Las Vegas is a bit out of your way. Why don't you include a drive through Zion and then Alt-89 and cross at Marble Canyon and then US-89 south? There are plenty of small roads to consider as you make your way south.

Actually, If you have time I would love a field report for SR-276 in Utah as you make your way south (in particular, take that ferry crossing at Bullfrog Bay on Lake Powell.

Mark

[PNW Judy]

I, too, am curious about why you want to avoid Page. You don't have to drive into Page itself. Just bypass it and continue onto Flagstaff via 89 South. Gosh, that's a gorgeous drive! Have you done it several times and just need a change? If so, then why not go through Vegas. I'm not help, am I?

[RoadTripper Brad]

I would love to go through page and Zion... but the fact remains that we are taking a very large Uhaul with another vehicle in tow, so we want to avoid too many stretches of nothingness...

I have never done that stretch, and would really enjoy it in a passenger auto, but considering that my friend is on a tight budget as it is, going on too many side adventures will be bad.

We hope to visit Hoover Dam as our only "tourist" stop on the way down.

[Mark Sedenquist]

We hope to visit Hoover Dam as our only "tourist" stop on the way down.

If you take a U-Haul across the dam, I can just about guarantee that it will be throughly searched -- so pack accordingly.

I had forgotten about the U-Haul part, given that parameter, I wonder why you are going down I-15 at all? If it were me, I would use I-90 to I-82 to I-84 to I-5 to I-10. If you still want to do I-15, I would suggest bypassing the Hoover dam and use US-95 to Laughlin and then US-93 right to Phoenix.

Mark

[RoadTripper Brad]

If you take a U-Haul across the dam, I can just about guarantee that it will be throughly searched -- so pack accordingly.

I had forgotten about the U-Haul part, given that parameter, I wonder why you are going down I-15 at all? If it were me, I would use I-90 to I-82 to I-84 to I-5 to I-10. If you still want to do I-15, I would suggest bypassing the Hoover dam and use US-95 to Laughlin and then US-93 right to Phoenix.

Mark

I thought they had opened the Pat Tillman bridge bypassing the Dam already... if not, then I might just have to do via laughlin. I'd do the I-5 thing, but it would begin with I-90 to Seattle and I-5 south if I did. Now I have to reexamin it again...
Is there a problem with I 15 that I don't know about?

[PNW Judy]

I would love to go through page and Zion... but the fact remains that we are taking a very large Uhaul with another vehicle in tow, so we want to avoid too many stretches of nothingness...

I have never done that stretch, and would really enjoy it in a passenger auto, but considering that my friend is on a tight budget as it is, going on too many side adventures will be bad.

We hope to visit Hoover Dam as our only "tourist" stop on the way down.

By "nothingness" do you mean services? If so, the area from Page to Kanab is fairly sparse with services but it's not like you go horus without a town, so it's not too-too bad in that respect. There's is a stretch with fairly narrow, windy 2-lane roads. That might be a bit aggravating to drive with a U-haul but it's not for too many miles. Maybe a couple of hours at most. In the scheme of things, it's just a short part of your trip. Going that way would be about 1400 miles. According to MS Streets & Trips, this is the quickest route.

However, the shortest route is as follows: I-84 to Twin Falls, ID; 93 to Ely, NV; 6 until it meets with 318 just north of Barnes, NV; 318 to Crystal Springs, NV; then back on 93 until it meets up with I-15 just north of Las Vegas; then 93 over the Hoover Dam and down to I-40, then 93 & 60 to Phoenix. (1317 miles) I would suspect that a significant amount of those Nevada miles is also taking you through "nothingness" when it comes to services.

Gosh, if you want to avoid the search at Hoover Dam, maybe going down I-5 then across on I-10 would be your best bet? But then you're looking at 1600+ miles. I'm not sure it's worth an extra 300 miles to avoid a search.

Hmmmm, don't know what to suggest as the best for your trip. It's a bit of a coin flip, imho. So I would go the route that takes you through the scenery you and your friend want to see the most.

[Mark Sedenquist]

However, the shortest route is as follows: I-84 to Twin Falls, ID; 93 to Ely, NV; 6 until it meets with 318 just north of Barnes, NV; 318 to Crystal Springs, NV; then back on 93 until it meets up with I-15 just north of Las Vegas; then 93 over the Hoover Dam and down to I-40, then 93 & 60 to Phoenix. (1317 miles) I would suspect that a significant amount of those Nevada miles is also taking you through "nothingness" when it comes to services.

Brad,
I drive US-93 quite often and I would recommend it from Twin Falls to Las Vegas. Very pretty country and some interesting towns along the way. There are some mountain grades, but since US-93 is generally routed in a north/south orientation, you will be parallel to most of the ranges.

The "search" is nothing to mess with -- the inspectors will spend much more time with a U-haul than a RV and both are "prohibited" crossing the dam (actually several types of vehicles cross every day, but there will be significant delays -- especially with an orange alert). On the other hand, if you don't mind the "adventure" of the search -- the dam is truly awesome and the gorge is breathtaking. Plus you will get a bird's eye view of the incredible super highway they are building to cross the Colorado River (and bypass the dam road).

But if want to avoid that pesky search -- here is a good alternative!
The route through Las Vegas is down the eastern side of the valley (US-93/US-95/I-515 are all the same road) but instead of turning east on US-93 (to go over the dam) stay on US-95 (a four lane road) and go east on NV SR-163 to Laughlin (also a four lane road). If you want a really, really cool side trip -- take the dirt road "Christmas Tree Pass Road" that goes north about 12 miles east of the turn-off at US-95 and drive about 1.5 miles to the parking lot at Grapevine Canyon . It is an easy walk to see thousands of petrolglyphs. Then you can return to to SR-163 and drive to Laughlin and then AZ SR-68 to Kingman and then continue on US-93 to Phoenix.

Mark

[Mark Sedenquist]

...SR-318 to Crystal Springs, NV;...

I do have to share one small bit of detail that "MS Streets & Trips" failed to disclose. SR-318 is one of our favorite roads for petal-to-metal driving. In the 90 mile strech from Lund to US-93 the road goes from 5,771 feet to 3,980 feet and includes some very gnarly curves in a section known as "the narrows." Not the route I would choose, on purpose, for a fully-loaded U-haul truck. It is also the "official" race track for the SILVER STATE CLASSIC where souped-up racing machines drive flat-out twice a year.

So, stay on US-93 and leave this route to us speed demons.

Mark

[RoadTripper Brad]

I will leave it up to the speed demons.... that is until I get a chance to do the trip "Sans Uhaul" and in a passenger car.

I know I already told you Mark, but I would like to announce to the rest of my friends on RTA that I am no longer with out a car. For the last 2 months I have been taking the bus and taxis to get around... due to a costly repair that I chose not to have done on a car with 351k+ miles on it. So now I am driving a very nice 91 Dodge Dynasty LE. The previous owners (only 2) were related and not only kept it very clean and nice, but also with it's origional documents, and an entire history on the car.

It's nice to be back on the road with my Amigos del Camino!
-Brad