Kiwi_too
Western, WA
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Joined: 05/13/2003
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We are planning a trip from WA to LA via I84 & I80, S. Wyoming. What I was hoping to get is an idea of how the passes on that route look the first to middle of Oct.
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Doug and Cassi Glass
Clifton Forge, VA
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Joined: 02/20/2006
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My daughter just moved from Cheyenne to Valdosta, GA. While in Cheyenne they got some snow every month of the year. Wyoming is all pretty high (in elevation) so winter comes early.
I think I'll head down I-5 to I-40 and then head east.
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kknowlton
Wisconsin Border Country, IL
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That will depend on what the weather is like in October. If it's still relatively warm, the passes in Wyoming should be ok; highest is the one between Cheyenne & Laramie.
There's some major road construction in SLC on I-80 - you may want to bypass that if you can (I-84 will allow you to do that), but that goes thru the mountains too - haven't been on I-84 in a while so can't advise on that.
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bldrbuck
Boulder, Colorado
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I 80 has the easiest passes. I would not worry about snow but would be concerned about high winds. I have crossed Wyoming many time and had no real problems with the passes. You will want to go around Salt Lake City (there is a long fairly steep grade just before SLC) to I 15 to I10. I80 goes to San Francisco.
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1fastdad
mo.
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I40 sounds like your best bet. It's not as senic but if your not in a hurry there a lot of things to see along old route 66.
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Loc
Houston
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Joined: 07/30/2003
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None of the hills will be difficult. However, they will be slow climbs. On I-84 you have an uphill climb (eastbound) just outside of Pendleton, Oregon called Cabbage Hill and/or Emmigrant Pass. If I remember correctly it is four plus miles of 6% grade. If you take I-84 north of Salt Lake over to I-80 you will avoid a pretty good climb in between Salt Lake and Park City, Utah on I-80. I-84 is the more direct route. On I-80, there is a good climb (headed east) just outside Laramie on the way to Cheyenne. A little shorter than the I-84 climb. There are a couple of other hills on I-80 (like the Wyoming / Utah border), but they are not as bad. As someone has mentioned, the winds on I-80 can be fun.
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belfert
Shoreview, MN, USA
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Joined: 10/06/2004
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It snowed along I80 in either Utah or Wyoming on Oct 1st last year. Another vehicle was traveling home from the same event a few hours ahead of us and it had snowed enough to be plowable. By the time we came through the snow had melted.
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dave Stringham
I was hoping you'd know, California
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Wyoming has 2 seasons, winter and August (better known as road construction). I have seen it snow on Elk Mt (outside of Larimie) on the 4th of July. It wasnt a bad snow, but it flurried. Wyoming has several small passes on I-80, but most are straight up and straight down for a couple of miles, nothing real serious. The mountain pass outside of Salt Lake is not that bad if you have any hill driving experience at all, multilane freeway.
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scbullis
Travis AFB CA
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The passes in Wyoming aren't bad, but I-80 is above 7,000 ft for most of the distance across the state. The altitude west or Rollins peaked at about 7,500 feet going through some rolling hills. At those altitudes, winter can come early without much warning.
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chuckster11
Idaho
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Joined: 04/30/2004
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I'd say your worst passes will be in Oregon--crossing the Blues. If you take I-80 out of Ogden, Utah, which you most certainly should, you have a pull up over the Wasatch Mts. just before Evanston, Wyo and one primarily down hill stretch from Laramie to Cheyenne.
October should be no problem--the best month of the year at these altitudes--warm days and cool nights. Always a chance of snow in these parts but anything heavy would be unusual.
It will be a nice drive that time of year--enjoy.
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