Best route through Rocky Mountains
Jul 10th, 2009, 04:58 AM
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Best route through Rocky Mountains
We are moving from Wisconsin to San Diego at the end of this month. We will be renting a 26' Penske moving truck and will be hauling one of our vehicles behind it. We will be taking the 90 over to see Mount Rushmore and then after that I was trying to figure out what would be the best route with that big of vehicle. Either taking the 25 down to the 80 or the 70? Then from there taking the 15 through Las Vegas. We wanted to try to get a scenic route on the way. So would either the 70 or the 80 be a good route with that big of truck?
Jul 10th, 2009, 04:11 PM
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I-70 might be the best bet. This is the route that Fed Ex and UPS use with their double trailers. It's quite scenic as it crosses the red rock country just west of Green River in Utah. Then I-15 is an easy run down to Vegas and beyond.
Jul 10th, 2009, 05:43 PM
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I-70 is scenic for sure thru the Rockies west of Denver - can't beat it. You will however climb to 11,000 feet at the Eisenhower Tunnel, so it will be slow going uphill and be prepared to shift into low gear and take it easy going downhill. It is 4 lane highway but plenty of twists and turns.
Jul 11th, 2009, 08:52 PM
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To me, the easiest route with a 26 foot rental truck loaded down with all your stuff would be I-80 across southern Wyoming.
But, that route is perfectly boring and barren of scenery for the most part.
It is easier, though, than I-70. On 70 you not only have to climb up to the Eisenhower Tunnel (and come down), but you've also got to climb & descend Vail Pass. Once over Vail Pass the rest of the ride is easy-schmeezy.
And it's a lot prettier ride than southern Wyoming.
As long as your rental truck seems to have the power and the transmission and the brakes for the 11,000 foot Eisenhower Tunnel and 10,600 foot Vail Pass, then go for I-70. By the time you make it to Cheyenne you should have a pretty good feel for what your truck can handle.
If by then you have some doubts, then consider I-80, or even I-25 down into New Mexico to I-40.
But, that route is perfectly boring and barren of scenery for the most part.
It is easier, though, than I-70. On 70 you not only have to climb up to the Eisenhower Tunnel (and come down), but you've also got to climb & descend Vail Pass. Once over Vail Pass the rest of the ride is easy-schmeezy.
And it's a lot prettier ride than southern Wyoming.
As long as your rental truck seems to have the power and the transmission and the brakes for the 11,000 foot Eisenhower Tunnel and 10,600 foot Vail Pass, then go for I-70. By the time you make it to Cheyenne you should have a pretty good feel for what your truck can handle.
If by then you have some doubts, then consider I-80, or even I-25 down into New Mexico to I-40.
