Winter driving in the West

In Oregon, it can be bad like that a lot. The reason, Oregon department of transportation is the worst in all of the U.S. When it comes to putting any effort at taking care of the roads in the winter. Sometimes I belive they want everyone to wreak their equipment. Same weather will hit in Washington, and the roads are 5 times better.

 

Wyoming gets the nod for me. December ice patches are still there in February...

 

If i was running east into pdx I'd go south across Santiam pass. It's been a ice box in N. Or. for 2 weeks. Warm up on the way.

 

One thing about eastern Oregon and Washington winter weather is that the relatively warm, moist air from the Pacific Ocean runs right through the Columbia River Gorge and meets the colder air mass east of the Cascade Mountains. That's why you will get extended periods of icing in that region. It's a battle between wet and cold, a convergence zone. Growing up in Seattle, where we might get below freezing a few times a year and maybe one to three snowfalls that melt fairly quickly (the heavy, wet, slick snow) it was only an hour's drive to the ski areas with 10's of feet of snow and a couple hours more into the eastern basin with below freezing temperatures for weeks at a time.

I always pay close attention to weather maps at any time of year, but especially in the winter. If I can plan a route around a known problem area I'll do it in a heartbeat, even as a company driver. Traveling a hundred or more miles out of route and making delivery on time is far better than getting stuck in ice or heavy snowfall.

 

Oregon, montana, wyoming, nebraska

 

Wow, your not the type that says eff it, I dont chain up like the majority here that dont have the big girl camisolas on. The idiots driving too fast is why your sitting waiting for open roads. Usually they just leave the wreck there till the weather clears up. Could be a few days. A swift rollover was on the top of cabbage last year for like a week before they removed it. How the hell do you roll over going up cabbage?

 

One of the heavier snowfalls I have seen was in Tucson, AZ

 

I think one thing that a lot of easterners don't get is how isolated the west can be. It can be 100 miles between towns, even on the interstate, much less a town with something that can help you if you break down get stuck. Can you sit in your non running truck (hello freightliner) for 9 hours until the repair truck arrives???? Serious cold weather gear (which you should have being from Canada), food, water, poop can, pee bottle, serious boots. (can't tell you how many truckers I see with ratty tennis shoes. it's minus 20 and snowy and slick). diesel anti-gel. (and put it in BEFORE it freezes up). Fuel over 1/2 all the time, DEF too.

Also they close a LOT of roads in the west, simply too far and too isolated (and too windy) to work them during a storm. Expect to sit occasionally and there's no need to be the first guy through.