Best route from Central Washington

[thook]

I'm sure I asked this question before but CRS prevents me from knowing for sure............What is the best route to avoid snow between central Washington to Pheonix, AZ without going down I5?
We hope to be on the road January 25 weather permitting.

[Montana_4944]

We went down I5 because central Oregon can be bad this time of year. There are phone numbers you can call to check weather reports before you head out. It might have to be a last minute decision.

[Searchers]

Tom, here's a link to CA road conditions, which also provides links to other state Departments of Transportation for road conditions. I'm not sure you'll find a route without the possibility of snow somewhere along the way this time of year. http://www.dot.ca.gov/hq/roadinfo/

Good luck,
Don

[drhowell]

Tom, the key for snow problems is normally elevation. I5 has about three mountain passes that can be a problem. Just North of Grants Pass, So of Ashland and near Mount Shasta in Northern CA. Highway 97 is high desert, lots of truck traffic and if stormy it is bad from Bend to Mount Shasta. Farther East 395 or I80 has its share of weather related issues also. Highway 101 doesn't usually have snow but can close with all the wet weather from slides etc.

So; The best route if no major storms are predicted IMHO is 97 when coming from the Tri Cities area. I5 will usually have the least traffic delays if there is a storm and the least miles of snow pack or ice.

Once you get to Redding CA, I5 is smooth sailing (weather wise). East of the Sierra's 395 can be a good route South of Reno but there are some very high sections that can be a problem in bad weather.

Hope this helps you. Over all I5 is the fastest (usually) and best maintained.

[Sunshine]

We're in central Oregon and right now things are very snowy. Our Montana is not leaving the home place until March, much as we would like to join folks in Quartzite and points south!

[Montana Sky]

thook,
Look into going over I-90 to Butte, MT and then catching I-15 South. Jump over to US-89South to I-17South into Phoenix. I had a friend who just got back home and this is the way he went, I hope I posted it correctly. Anyway, the only place he had snow was right at Lookout pass and it was just coming down not really sticking. The rest of his trip through Montana, Idaho and southward was clear sailing. You can get the exact directions from mapquest.com

[Northstar]

Any way you travel at this time of the year from the north country is dicy at best. Best of luck.

[toolmanroy]

Time of day when going over the mountain passes is important. Midday is best. There has been snow at the summit in Ashland but none at Sexton near Grants Pass, though that may have changed since we drove from Eugene home to Medford on Saturday.