Winter trip Montana to Coast then South, info please

[western traveler]

With the new TD build we want to do something different and head South this year in early December.

Typically when we make this trip starting near Great Falls Montana we head down I-15 to San Diego.
Often that time of year between storms/blizzard conditions over the passes. So if the roads are clear we don’t stop until Ogden and then Las Vegas bypassing some awesome areas we have camped in the past.

We did a car trip down the Oregon Coast two January’s ago from Portland to Astoria to Crescent City California for about 10 days. We also saw the Jedediah Smith Redwoods and traveled through Grants Pass back to Portland.

Rain isn’t so much of a concern (we saw plenty last January) as the mountain passes on icy roads while towing.

Trip A:
Travel across Idaho cutting across near Craters of the Moon Hwy 84 and on to Crescent City California staying clear if possible of Grants Pass.
Any info regarding the Passes or other sketchy areas we need to be aware of? I’m thinking this is the touchiest part of the trip. Any alternate route that might be better?
Ideas of places to camp and visit along the Coastal route from there to San Francisco? Fort Brag and Muir Woods come to mind as places to see. Any other places that stand out would be appreciated. We have crossed Napa off our list.

Once we are south of San Francisco we plan on Carmel, Monterey, Big Sur, Hearst Castle area, SLO, Moro Bay, maybe Gaviota State Park campground and Santa Barbara. We will try to squeeze into one of the beach campgrounds above Ventura. We’ve got it south from there. We will camp at Santee Lakes at some point and possibly San Elijah State Beach and Silver Strand. All in San Diego County.

Trip B:
Pick our way down I-15 and depending on weather most likely catch our breath in Bryce or maybe Kanab, if Bryce is too harsh. Then travel to Page and on to Flagstaff. From there to Sedona and maybe camp in Oak Creek Canyon (we have visited nearly all the historical Indian sights around there). Open to suggestions on things to see along that route but very familiar with the harsh conditions that can be found in Southern Utah that time of year.
Any other thoughts would be appreciated…
Ralph

[Tom&Shelly]

Sounds like two good ideas, depending, as you mention, on the weather.

We're thinking about a Southwestern trip this Winter, covering some of the same southern areas you mention, so we'll also be interested in ideas folks suggest to you. Our first draft is to go from Albuquerque to Williams AZ, and take the train up to Grand Canyon to see it in snow (hopefully). We plan to check the weather first as I-40 can be terrible in a storm, but we expect cold dry conditions at Williams. Then west, and down in elevation, to the Mojave Desert. Then on to the LA area to visit old friends and see some sights (I used to live there).

Suggestions for LA (in case you make it to that area):

- Fishing on a charter boat out of San Pedro/Long Beach. You can rent gear and pay for a license at the charter place, and there are several.
- Visit the Huntington museum and garden in Pasadena. Interesting collections. Includes indoor art, etc. in case you need a rainy day activity.
- La Brea tar pits. Somehow, in eleven years, I never made it there.
- A number of nice beaches, such as Redondo, Manhattan, Hermosa, etc. The weather is often fine, but they usually pile sand up to protect the strand from winter storms, so it's maybe not quite as nice as summer. On days off, I used to go down and eat breakfast, then walk between the piers for exercise.
- Griffith Park. Great place for a picnic, and you can see the Hollywood sign close up. There is also a zoo and observatory.
- Disneyland.

We're then thinking of going down to San Diego. The zoo is as nice as any anywhere. We want to go there mainly so we can say we've been as far South West as we are likely to take our teardrop (barring drastic improvements in the drug/crime situation in Mexico.) On our return, we may hit Organ Pipe Cactus NM in Southern AZ, and Gila Cliff Dwellings in Southern NM. But I know little about them, just picked them as interesting sounding places that happen to be at about the right distances for a day drive between them.

But, I don't mean to hijack your thread--we'll be interested in ideas folks suggest to you!

Tom

[twisted lines]

Denio Junction OR. Will get you really well off the beaten path if the weather is ok; Stay away if the weather is bad.
Have done Nov / Dec just fine.
That can get you too; Medford OR / Cresent City CA.
Other wise your looking somewhere near Redding CA. Then over.

[western traveler]

Denio Junction OR. Will get you really well off the beaten path if the weather is ok; Stay away if the weather is bad.
Have done Nov / Dec just fine.
That can get you too; Medford OR / Cresent City CA.
Other wise your looking somewhere near Redding CA. Then over.

Twisted Lines,
Thanks for that. Actually via Redding looks like a cleaner drive just in a cursory overview on-line. Our main objective is to get to the coast and travel down from there. I need to look into things further. The less high mountain ranges the better.

Tom,
I don’t feel this is hijacked at all. In fact I think it would be great for folks to weigh in for both routes or others.

Coming from your direction I would suggest Meteor Crater, and Walnut Canyon National Monument, maybe stand on the corner of Winslow Arizona as well. Then on into Flagstaff out to the Grand Canyon then double back and down to Oak Creek Canyon to camp and explore the Sedona area. Maybe check out Montezuma’s Castle and Montezuma’s Well.
Do you know about the gathering that takes place in Quartzsite Arizona in January? It is huge. We may go by to check it out. You can head on to L.A. from there.
I found the La Brea tar pits fascinating. The San Diego Zoo and Balboa Park are must sees in my mind. The zoo is owned by the children of San Diego.

Santee Lakes in Santee CA. are a snowbird destination with bike trails, fishing, bicycling etc and central enough to explore S.D. from there. We really like spending time there.

It would be great to catch up with each other if you two get down that way. We will be there through March.

[halfdome, Danny]

Nice trip you've planned , I'm envious but my wife is still edgy about traveling with covid still hanging around, maybe next year .
December is the sunniest month of the year in San Diego (San Diego native) with the medium year round temperature of 69 deg.
As children my brother and I would walk 4 miles from East San Diego (grandparents house) to Balboa Park & spent many days visiting the zoo, listening to the John D. Spreckels Organ, visiting the museums, etc..
I have mentioned the zoo in my will since we got in for free, up to 16 years old.
Also a must to do is, The Hotel Del Coronado on Coronado island, Crystal Pier in PB & La Jolla Cove.
You can rent a bike in Mission Beaches, Belmont park and ride along the boardwalk to PB.
Danny

[western traveler]

Trip A:

We will try to squeeze into one of the beach campgrounds above Ventura. We’ve got it South from there.

We will camp at Santee Lakes at some point and possibly San Elijah State Beach and Silver Strand. All in San Diego County.

Ralph

I guess I should have been more clear but I have always kept a home in San Diego we winter there now. I’m an O.G.

Danny,
You nailed it!

We used to ride our bikes from La Mesa to do the same things. Are you old enough to remember “Frank the Train Man”?
He was in your neighborhood and we always stopped to visit him (I might be aging myself now). I know my build would have been a lot easier had I done it the year I joined this forum.
Father times’ clock spins faster each year…

[twisted lines]

Denio Junction OR. Will get you really well off the beaten path if the weather is ok; Stay away if the weather is bad.
Have done Nov / Dec just fine.
That can get you too; Medford OR / Cresent City CA.
Other wise your looking somewhere near Redding CA. Then over.

Twisted Lines,
Thanks for that. Actually via Redding looks like a cleaner drive just in a cursory overview on-line. Our main objective is to get to the coast and travel down from there. I need to look into things further. The less high mountain ranges the better.

I Think Redding may be a better route, Then Donner pass if it is bad

[Socal Tom]

If you ok going off the road, there is some cool stuff in the mojave national park ( depending on time of year)

[halfdome, Danny]

Yes, I do remember Frank The Train Man, located at the intersection of El Cajon Blvd and Park, just a short walk from the house I rented in Normal Heights (Hillcrest).
I loved his neon sign
I built a 5' x 10' twin train layout with a mountain etc. back then.
One of my uncles had a train layout in a vintage trailer and he had a flip up track at the door.
What part of San Diego do you still have a house?
My parents old house above Bay Park/Morena area is worth over a million and it's only 1,100 sqft. and no view.
Danny

[Squigie]

Avoiding passes and taking I-84 really feels like a "can't get there from here" situation.
Unless you like desolation and long stretches with no services, Southeast/Southcentral Oregon and Northern NV should be avoided. And if there *are* storms, those roads may not get plowed for some time - up to a few days after the snow falls, in some cases.
And, no matter what, you have to go over the mountains.

Donner Pass, though more likely to get terrible weather, is usually maintained better than the smaller roads.
I would expect the same of Grants Pass, but have never been through there in the winter. I don't know.

I would be looking at two routes primarily:
A) I-84 to US-20 (Ontario, OR). Follow 20 west until you reach Riley. In Riley, you can continue west to Bend and then down US-97 -- *or* take US-395 south. Either way, you end up in Klamath Falls or Lakeview and pick your poison for getting through the mountains from there.
B) Just head for I-80 and commit to Donner Pass. Going south to SLC, splitting off I-84 in Twin Falls, or jumping to I-80 via US-95 out of Nampa.


If you choose the I-15 route to Bryce/Kanab, just remember that Bryce isn't Cedar City. There's an elevation difference and the same weather fronts do different things. Bryce gets socked in several times every year, even if Cedar City doesn't even get rain.


It sounds like you have your reasons for wanting the routes that you've given, but I have another suggestion for consideration.
Only. Only if the weather is good when you start the trip:
Lolo Pass, US-12 to Kooskia (Lewiston), and then US-95 all the way to I-80.
Lolo Pass and the drive along the Lochsa are fantastic - even better if the weather is clear. Great way to start the trip.
You should be able to make it out of the mountains in a day's drive. If not, you'll probably be around Caldwell, which is fine. From there, you can shoot down to Reno and work toward Redding and Crescent City. Or, the option to split off on US-20 and/or US-395 are open again.


(I've been through OR many times. But, this year, my family did I-86/I-84 to US-20, Bend, US-97, Diamond Lake, OR-138, Roseburg, OR-138/OR-38, Reedsport, US-101, up to Astoria, across to Ilwaco WA, and played along the way. Then back along US-30, from its origin, to Pocatello.)

[Tom&Shelly]

Just head for I-80 and commit to Donner Pass.

Don't like the sound of that! Isn't that what the folks they named the pass for tried to do?

Tom

[twisted lines]

Instead of 80;
I would go U.S. Route 50 to reno , Tear drop thing! ( Ha I have less then a mile )
I have done both in December with 80 K

If it snow's and your in Grant's pass; its all good going to the Coast Twisted Roads.
If you wan't to get to Grants pass from anywhere else and it's snowing

[western traveler]

Squigie and twisted lines,
Thank you for taking the time to map out those routes. I realize I have to cross the mountains to get to the coast. I could have worded it better. I’m in a place that sometimes I have to wait days for the highway to be cleared to make the 40 mile drive to I-15 to head South.
I can get around Butte Hill between Helena and Butte MT by going through Twin Bridges and coming out in Dillon but then I need to get over Monida Pass 6800’ on the Montana/Idaho border. It’s a long one and often a real pain. Great points on the long stretches with no services. I did notice that in my limited research.

I am now considering I-15 South to Hwy 86 above Pocatello to Hwy 84 to Ontario. Pick up Hwy 20 to Eugene and Hwy 126 over Santiam/Mackenzie Pass Hwy (4700’) to Florence. Then down 101. I realize that is a ways above Crescent City. Not sure what else I am dealing with on that route.
Thoughts?

[western traveler]

If you ok going off the road, there is some cool stuff in the mojave national park ( depending on time of year)

Socal Tom,
We would like to do Joshua Tree or? in March/early April if the desert blooms. We had a place south of Palo Verde on the River for many years.

[western traveler]

Yes, I do remember Frank The Train Man, located at the intersection of El Cajon Blvd and Park, just a short walk from the house I rented in Normal Heights (Hillcrest).
I loved his neon sign
I built a 5' x 10' twin train layout with a mountain etc. back then.
One of my uncles had a train layout in a vintage trailer and he had a flip up track at the door.
What part of San Diego do you still have a house?
My parents old house above Bay Park/Morena area is worth over a million and it's only 1,100 sqft. and no view.
Danny

Danny,
I understand about your parents place. I wouldn’t mind having one of the condos I owned in Pacific Beach. Over 7 digits today, but no regrets. When I was 21 I promised myself I would always own in S.D.

We have a home in Rancho Bernardo now. In a golf community by the Bernardo Winery. Funny thing is I don’t drink and I don’t golf but it is a quiet area compared to the beaches today.
I figured you would know Frank the Trainman. I loved going into that place. I sure remember that sign!