Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Seattle to AZ in Dec driving

Wondering about driving conditions in Dec from Seattle to AZ. Has winter kicked off yet in early Dec most years? Any routes that could be better than others for avoiding winter weather? Kind of want to get it done as quickly as possible but also don’t feel like dealing with a bunch of winter weather.

One way would be to head down the coast on I5. Other way which is shorter takes you through Oregon, Idaho, and Nevada but I see chains are recommended in March.

I-5 to 210/I-10 is going to be the safest and likely quickest. You might get snow in the Siskiyous or Oregon passes, but they plow and gravel as soon as it gets slick. If you cut through Nevada or Utah it can get pretty bad, pretty quickly. Think 2-trailer semis rolled over.

In a sporty car go down the coast, it’s beautiful, and an absolute blast to drive (if you can get around the slower cars)

I5 route. When you get to Stockton take 99 south. You will end up on I5 but there is better places to eat,gas is cheaper, and 3 lanes in more places.

Thanks guys. I obviously will be watching the weather but it looks like i5 is plenty doable in Dec.

Weather-wise, 5 shouldn't be too bad, if it's raining. If it's snowing, which can happen, expect closures/chain requirements. And rain down low can mean snow in the passes.

If the weather cooperates, I'd recommend heading over to 97 when you get to Eugene, then over to 395 via 39/139. Make a decision as to how to get to AZ once you get to Reno. Heck, I'd even recommend taking 50E out of Carson City, then heading south to AZ. But that's me, and I love that stretch of road.

I'd tell my worst enemy to stay on 5 the whole way down to LA. Christ on a crutch, the stretch from Stockton down to the Grapevine is the stuff of nightmares. Eleventy million people parked in the passing lane, "passing" trucks in the slow lane with a .005 MPH difference in speed. Except when traffic isn't bunched up, and then they're passing you at 95. I make that drive once a year to visit family for the holidays, and I deliberately drive that section during the wee hours just to keep my blood pressure below 120/200. If driving in the middle of the night isn't possible, I'll stay on two lane blacktop for a goodly portion. The recommendation to use 99 isn't bad either, but compared to 5, in my experience, it's just a matter of degree.

Seriously, the East side of the Cascades and Sierras is where it's at. Weather permitting, of course.

Calvin, This guy^^^^ knows.

I used to have to get from E WA to Fresno (getting to AZ from there in the winter is easy......mostly) every Nov and back every Mar/Apr. At times due to weather I'd have to go all the way west to the 5 and take that route. Traffic will suck in Dec if your drive is any time near the Christmas holiday. Folks that have relatives in SoCal, and maybe worse those from Mexico will be pushing to get south at 90-100 mph in a two lane (your side of fwy) 65 zone. Then there's a chance you'll hit tule fog, with those same folks still trying to push the speed limit and higher.

I suggest watching the storm tracks, if your familiar with driving in winter weather ( You're from or in AK, right?) then if the storm looks to be hitting the coast area, like the 5, head east and take 97 down, or further east and take 395, or even further and take I 84 to either the 95 or 93 (maybe an ID member can comment on taking 93 south from there through NV to Las Vegas?)

It's very weather dependent on which route to take. The 5 has better conditions, outside the bad snow at times between the OR border and Mt Shasta, and the nutso drivers, millions of them. Should you take that route I'd suggest cutting over to the 99 at some point and then heading east around Bakersfield and up over through Tehachapi , Barstow, and connect to the 40 there and on into AZ. I personally avoid going over the hill into the LA Basin for ANY reason that's completely unavoidable. I make wide detours when going to visit folks further south in SoCal...............WIDE DETOURS.

If you take an inland route, 395 if plowed between storms is good for making some time south of Reno. Similar for the 95 to Las Vegas and then your choice of 95 or 93 depending on which part of AZ you're heading to.

When you get closer to your trip feel free to PM me as I've got bunches of miles on all those routes and plenty of experience planning trips around the weather. As with everything weather related though, one never knows.

This times 1 billion. We did Phoenix to San Luis Obispo regularly for 3.5 years. (Coming from CA to AZ) Got off the 5 onto 138 through the country to the 15, then skirted around LA on 215 and 210 IIRC through Pasadena and San Bernadino, never had bad traffic over on that corner of town.

I did it last December. Had my truck shipped to Seattle. Picked it up and drove to Phx in 2 days. Drove straight down 90 to 82 to 84, spent the night in Snowville UT as it was 3⁰ I got a room. Got up the next morning and drove to Phx. Probably the best route

I'd do the 90-82-84-93 route. Screw I-5 and I'd avoid Grant's pass.

Have done it all those ways and can't predict a best bad weather route because conditions/timing are so variable. If you use I5, the bottom end of OR and the top of CA can be nasty if a storm from the west dumps a quick load of snow in there. If that area weather prediction is clear, it seems best, but then get inland from CA to NV after that - probably best down through Reno. Those earlier comments about craziness on I5 from Sac down to LA are accurate.

If you go 90 to 84 over through WA/OR/ID then down I15 etc., that run between Pendleton and Baker City can be nasty, especially up on top, if it is snowing. But, they clear it fairly well afterward. So, get the prediction.

In good weather, my favorite is the above, but going south at Twin Falls and take the US route down through Wells/Ely/etc. to LV, then to Kingman/Wickenburg and PHX.

Hope this helps.

I-5 is a coastal route? Lol

Welcome to the Central Valley.

I 5 in winter. Come mid April take the other routes

At that time of the year, there's a good chance of running into tule fog along I-5 or 99 in the San Joaquin Valley.

Coastal compared to the back side of the Cascades.

And Stockton is on the coast, no?

As an Oregonian who travels all over the place and who detests freeways: Coast route ain't 1-5- that it is in the valley with 5 2000ft passes to deal with in Oregon. if you have cold wx - snow etc south oregon, cali border and south (remember most people up here dont know how to drive in snow) then could be a nightmare. Best when you get out of portland and are on 1-5 south then hang a right at corvallis and go to newport on the coast. Then enjoy a traffic free and ice free drive down the entire coast and thu norcal as well on hiway 101. Hang a left at Willits in cali and drive all the way staright east until you hookup with I-5 at williams north of Sac. from there it is a nightmare until you get over the mountains. Either go sac>reno or bakersfied>tehacapee pass depending on wx. Last time i did this was pulling a 36ft 5th wheel just before xmas. Coast the whole way until out of the snow zones!