West Coast Bound End of March
 

Hey all:

Any suggestions for safest route to take from Grand Rapids, MI to Vancouver, WA at the end of this month (March 2014)?

I've seen where 80 picks up in Illinois and then changes to 84 in Utah all then way up to my destination. I'll be driving a 4 door sedan (smallish) car with only myself and 2 cats in tow (and some personal belongings) with no trailer. Are there any dangerous areas where there are treacherous mountain ranges, tunnels, etc to be aware of? I've never been any farther West than Illinois and Wisconsin from MI, so any insight would be much appreciated!

The high point for I-80 is between Cheyenne and Laramie WY.
Plan on going through there in the middle of the afternoon so you won't see any icy roads. Rock Springs would be a good place to stop for the night.
There is a rest area at the summit between Cheyenne and Laramie. It has a bust of Abraham Lincoln marking the highest point on the Interstate.

> Are there any dangerous areas

Just about any expressway that will get you to Vancouver WA -- even the parts that are perfectly flat -- can be perfectly safe in the morning, and then become an icy nightmare by the evening. Elevation is PART of the question, but FAR more important is the weather that happens to hit during your drive. Late March SHOULD be safe along most of your route, but there are no guarantees. All I can suggest is to watch the Weather Channel and drive where ice and snow won't happen. That MIGHT mean you go north of whatever storm is hitting the west or midwest, or it might mean you go south of it -- there's no way of knowing. It may even happen that you'll have to wait out a day in a cheap motel in the middle of nowhere while the roads get cleared. Just be willing to change your itinerary based on the weather.

One good thing to keep in mind: at this time of year and along this route, you'll be able to get lodging just about anywhere you want. You won't have to make any reservations on any day, simply because there will be PLENTY of vacancies at just about EVERY motel, no matter when you arrive. Late March is not exactly the height of the tourist season in this area.

Thanks for your the posts.

I figured late March is not the best time to be driving long distance, but my car was recently hit in a parking lot while it was standing still, so anything can happen anywhere at any time. It's been a brutal winter here this year in MI and the last thing I want is to be driving in a snow storm on icy roads.

Good point about the hotel stays. I may wind up flying out instead due to the iffy weather this time of year.

If the weather is good count on 4 8-9 hour days of driving (2300 miles).
You can get from Grand Rapids to Vancouver Washington by riding only 2 Amtrak trains. (Pere Marquette and the Empire Builder)
You would have a 3 hour layover in Chicago. Recently the Empire Builder has been arriving late sometimes by more than 5 hours.
Riding the train for 2.5 days might appeal more to you than driving 4 days or flying for 4 hours.
The cost for a coach seat to Vancouver WA is about $215.

You'll enjoy the drive once you hit the mountains. Awe inspiring. Don't worry.