I looked up Ashland to Chiago and it shows 2,200 miles.
It shows taking I5 south toward Mount Shasta, then southeast on highway 89, towards Susanville, then Sparks, Reno, and I80 east to Chicago. When close to Chicago, you might want to take either I80 that is free (but not free of potholes,) or I88, that is a toll road and in slightly better condition. Just you will need to stop and put coins into the tool booth stations along I88.
(locals might chime in with actual conditions on both roads).
You might want to take I 90 and near Rapid City check out Mt. Rushmore. And in Northwest Wyoming, you can see Yellowstone NP. If you take I 90 west to Yellowstone, then go southeast towards West Yellowstone, then SR 20 to Idaho Falls, and I15 south to I 86, then west to I84, northwest to Onterio OR, then west on highway 20 to Burns and Bend, then 97 to Klamath Falls, then back home. This route is 2,337 miles (not including stops at Yellowstone NP or Mt. Rushmore NM).
I have been on highway 20 between West Yellowstone and I15, then west to I86 and I84, and it was a good road. So is I90.
I also stayed at a free campground between Grand Teton and Yellowstone.
Have fun either way you want to go.
Fred.
Money can't buy happiness but somehow it's more comfortable to cry in a Porsche or Country Coach!
donn0128 wrote: Go back North and take Hwy 62/140 out of Medford, North on Hwy97 to Hwy 20 to Ontario and pick I84/I80...
Not sure if you've left yet, but that would be my first choise.
We are originally from Grants Pass and this is the route we take every time. 1850 miles from GP to Des Moines, IA going this route.
My only snow concern would be around Crater Lake.
When are you leaving? Passing on snowy conditions can lead to a spin out and/or crash...OH, that wasn't the kind of pass you were talking about.
I cant speak for the mountain passes that I think you are worried about thru the Rockies but the way snow is hanging around the Chicago area it may not be gone until summer.
How about OR 140 to Klamath Falls, Lakeview, and on through Nevada, meeting I80 at Winnemucca? It's the shortest I can find on google maps. Actually it uses Dead Indian Rd between Ashland and Klamath Falls, though I'd ask locally whether OR66 is better.
Oregon's DOT site (Tripcheck) often shows snowy roads around Lake of the Woods (140), but 138 around the north side of Crater Lake is equally snowy. There are a couple of other passes in Oregon (either size of Lakeview) but this area doesn't get as much snow as the Cascades. If a storm was crossing the area I wouldn't try it, since 140 east of Lakeview gets pretty remote.
Paulj, we've taken 140 before but I wouldn't recommend it with anything other than a car. The main reason is there is (or was) a steep, almost 1 lane 9% grade with NO GUARD RAILS literally in the middle of nowhere. It made me sit up and pay really close attention in my car! My DW was very nervous and I get weak knees just thinking of taking the RV down that thing. The last time we travelled this road we passed one car going in the other direction and there's a sign in Nevada at the 140/95 intersection that says "Last gas for 200 miles". Oh, it's also open range territory.
This is a very poor copy of a photo taken from 140 at the top of the 9% grade looking at 140 at the bottom.
2Lane wrote: Paulj, we've taken 140 before but I wouldn't recommend it with anything other than a car. The main reason is there is (or was) a steep, almost 1 lane 9% grade with NO GUARD RAILS literally in the middle of nowhere.
I suspect you are talking about Doherty Slide, about 20 miles east of Adel. The road climbs some 2000 ft up a rim from Guano valley. It's a popular hang gliding site.
The 200 miles is from Lakeview to Winnemucca. Gas is available at Adel and Denio Junction, but those stations aren't always open. The closest I've gotten to this area was Fields (north of Denio Junction) and Plush (north of Adel).
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