Denver-Pittsburgh, mid-January

[emahead]

Hello,

I will be helping my partner move back to Pittsburgh from Denver and we were thinking about doing it MLK Jr. weekend, maybe leave Thursday and hope to get to Pittsburgh by Monday. Any advice about what routes to take? How high-risk of a trip is this? I am mostly worried about the weather as I am a Southern California girl with limited experience driving in the snow...

[Mass Tim]

Welcome to the RoadTripAmerica Forum!

I think your best bet, given the time you have and your concerns about weather, is to a) check the weather for the areas in which you plan to travel close to your departure date, and b) stick to the Interstates - which means primarily I-80 or I-70, depending on the conditions at the time you plan to leave. I don't think it's any more "high risk" of a trip as any other as there are thousands of folks driving these roads each and every day.

[AZBuck]

Welcome aboard the RoadTrip America Forums!

You actually have two of the best things going for you on this trip that you possibly could, and so it is not much of a high risk venture at all. First of all, Denver and Pittsburgh are connected by direct Interstate route, meaning you've got the best highways available to you. The most direct is just I-70 all the way to Pittsburgh. The other, and even better, thing that you've got in your favor is that you have more than enough time to complete the trip safely no matter what the weather may bring. You could make the drive to Pittsburgh in about 2½ days at a steady, but not over-taxing, rate. Since you have 5 days, you have plenty of time to sit out any inclement weather and just wait for the roads to be plowed and for the sun to melt any residual snow cover. Just remain flexible and enjoy the drive.

AZBuck

[glc]

I-70 also has considerably less tolls than I-80 and it avoids the Chicago metro area.