Easiest route Northwest to Midwest??

[mtyler]

My family and I are moving from Portland, OR to the Des Moines, IA area at the beginning of August.

My question is: What is the route with the least mountains/elevation change from the northwest to the midwest?

I am not concerned with attractions, entertainment, or scenery along the way.

We will be in a 16 ft moving truck, towing our car on a dolly behind us. (Front wheels on the dolly, back wheels on the road)

I'm debating I 84 to I 80 through OR, ID, UT, WY to get through the mountains.

OR

I 90 through WA, ID, MT, SD.

I want gas prices to be lower overall since all our belongings and our car will be pretty heavy, and I am not sure which way would be the best/easiest/cheapest.

HELP!!!

[Midwest Michael]

Welcome to the RTA Forum!

Let me start by STRONGLY recommending that you forget about the tow dolly and go with the full sized trailer. A trailer is going to make things much, much easier - with a tow dolly you can't back up at all, ever!

I would also remind you that your car should basically be empty while towing it - especially if you do continue with your tow dolly plan. (You indicated that your belongings and your car would be pretty heavy, making it sound like you are planning to use your car as additional storage space, which is not a good idea).

Gas prices tend to even out over the course of a trip - keeping your overall miles low will be more important to saving money.

Additionally, as long as you are sticking to the interstates, a moving van pulling a car is able to easily navigate any route you choose. I've driven such a combination over the heart of the rockies in Colorado without any issues at all.

But having said all of that, I-90 does stay at a lower elevation than I-80, it tops out around 6,500 feet, while I-80 is well above 6,000 feet for most of the trip across Wyoming.

[mtyler]

Thanks Mike.

All I plan on having in the car is our clothes/cooler/snacks and what not for the trip. We were going to break it up into 3 stints, and I don't want to crowd the cab of the moving truck anymore than I have to.

With that being said, I was weary of the dolly anyway and after some quick research, I have decided to switch to the carrier. Thank you.

But as for the original question, do you know which has more mountains/hills/elevation change? I've been advised to take 90 and avoid the Rockies and surrounding area like the plague, but I haven't found any solid evidence that it's going to be that different.

The overall difference in miles according to google maps is only 40 miles, with I 80 being the lesser, so I was thinking the less stress I put on the truck, the better my ride would be. Any thoughts?

[Midwest Michael]

As I indicated in my original response, I-90 stays at a lower elevation for the vast majority of the trip. The passes on I-90 are at a lower elevation than what you'll find on nearly all of I-80. I-80 is on a high plain for most of the way across Wyoming, with a few passes around 8,000 feet - being up on a high plain also means wind can be a significant issue, especially in a boxy moving truck. I-90 on the other hand has a few passes, but generally is traveling through valleys.

It should also be noted that breaking this trip up into only 3 days is really pushing the limits. Considering the lower speeds and higher stress driving, we'd really recommend limiting things to about 500 miles per day. Doing this in 3.5 days would make things safer and more comfortable for you.

[mtyler]

Awesome. Thank you for your replies. We planned on driving about 8 to 9 hours a day, regardless of distance traveled. If that means we have one more stop, we would be OK with that. My biggest concern is ease of travel, and overall cost. 1 extra night unexpectedly would be a small price to pay in comparison to an over extenuation of our awareness and ability, and the potential problems that may cause...

Thank you again, and happy travels!

[Southwest Dave]

We planned on driving about 8 to 9 hours a day,

That will take a full 4 days of driving but will be worth it as the trip will be more relaxed.

[glc]

Specifically, take I-84 out of Portland to I-82. Take that to US-395 through Kennewick to I-90 at Ritzville. Take that to I-29 to I-680 to I-80. The only non-freeway stretch is 395 through Kennewick, but it's multi-lane divided with traffic lights and a 45 mph speed limit, it's only about 5 miles.

I'd plan on overnights in Missoula MT, Buffalo WY, and Sioux Falls SD. All 3 of these cities should have a good choice of hotels with truck parking.

[landmariner]

Visually, you can see a few different choices using this program (elevation.net):
http://elevationmap.net/portland-or-...true&c10=false

Gas Buddy provides a visual representation of gas prices across the USA in its "heat map" display. As you zoom in you will see more details and eventually pricing information as well.