oilpatchrules
Southern Alberta
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I'm looking for the safest not necessarily the shortest route from Osoyoos B.C. to Twin Falls ID. The trip would be in Dec/Jan so am interested in travelling in areas with lower elevations to avoid any ugly weather conditions. Having never taken this route, I'm looking for suggestions. Will be driving a diesel 4 X 4 pulling a 5th wheel. Thanks
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paulj
Seattle
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Joined: 06/11/2007
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The first route that Google Maps gives makes sense
US97 - stays in the river valley
WA17 - climbs on to the Colombia Plateau
US395
I82/84 - passes through mountains, but there isn't an alternative
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mockturtle
WA
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I would take 97 south to I-82 to I-84 east. There probably will be snow that time of year but at least I-82 & I-84 should be no problem.
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paulj
Seattle
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US97 has 3 passes, which Blewett is highest. This is the simplest route to describe, but a little longer and higher than taking WA17.
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mockturtle
WA
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paulj wrote:US97 has 3 passes, which Blewett is highest. This is the simplest route to describe, but a little longer and higher than taking WA17. Yes, I should have added that, in winter, it might be better to take 28/281 from Wenatchee south to I-90 and then east to 395 south through the Tri-cities to I-82/I-84.
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paulj
Seattle
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I often take US2 over the Cascades instead of I90, so am quite familiar with crossing from Wenatchee to I90 via Quincy (28/228). Looks like they are slowly working on a East Wenatchee bypass, using Eastmont Ave (up the hill).
But even that way, I'd head south from Moses Lake on 17 rather than go all the way east to the US395 exit.
I haven't driven the whole length of 17, but have done bits and pieces of it, including the Ephrata - Coulee City part on a recent drive to Spokane (crossing from I90 to US2 east bound). The part of 17 through Moses Lake is a little slow, but no worse than 28 through E Wenatchee.
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Actually the shortest route from Wenatchee/Quincy is to jog SW on I90 to Vantage, and follow the east bank of the Columbia south, taking 243, 24, 240. 240, skirting Hanford is another of those flat middle of no where roads, typical of the whole area before irrigation turned many areas into farm land.
* This post was
edited 05/06/12 10:26am by paulj *
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mockturtle
WA
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I sometimes take the 17 route just for variety but it seems to take forever.
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obgraham
Eastern WA
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There's no getting around potential bad weather that time of year. I-84 between Pendlelon and Nampa can be an adventure in the snow. Heck, this March even Boise was a whiteout the day I went through. Check ODOT for road conditions the day you want to go.
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Flyboy320
Tappen, BC
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We took WA 17 thru Soap Lake to/from the south this past winter. Long, boring, narrow and some areas of less than ideal road conditions.
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paulj
Seattle
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Alternatives to 17 are longer, just not so boring.
If you are willing to cross Blewett Pass, then sticking with US97 to Ellensburg, and then taking I82 to Oregon is probably most interesting and straight forward route. I82 over Manastash Ridge is not high, but feels a bit like a highspeed roller coaster. WA 823 is a section of old US97 that winds its way through a canyon between Ellensburg and Yakima. It's pretty but slower.
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