Washington State to Vermont in December

[jamieline]

I have to make a trip from Washington State to Vermont in December. Looking at traveling mainly RT 80.
Anyone made this trip before? Expectations?
Places to stay? Looking at needing hookups every other day to recharge and LP.

Thanks for any help.
Jim

[steve gravelle]

Sounds COLD and windy! If you have any flexibility, keep an eye on weather in Wyoming and Nebraska, I've been there in December and it can be brutal and dangerous! I have seen scores of cars and semis piled up personally and on Youtube. We use Passport America a lot and this kind of trip is in their wheelhouse, just overnights at basic campgrounds. But be sure to check whether parks are open! As Jackson Browne and Glen Frey wrote, "Take It Easy"!

[minnow101]

A trip that is best done without the RV. No way would I be crossing the upper part of the USA in the dead of winter towing an RV.

[steve gravelle]

minnow is more directly saying what I think! Check airlines, even without a fifth wheel it will be a dicey journey somewhere! Been there,...

[C&H Conner]

Not a trip I would take with an RV but if you absolutely have to here are some tips (have made the trip many times in winter - it sucks).

- Plan for shorter drive days with a reachable destination early in the afternoon. Setting up in the dark when it's 15 degrees and snowing sideways isn't fun. If the roads are nasty but haven't been shut down 200 miles is a long, long day.
- buy quality chains for front and rear axles of pickup and a pair for trailer as drag chains - i like Z chains as they go on fast, stay tight and you can run 30-40 mph (road condition dependant). Thy also survive better if its mixed snow and ice with a few bare spots.
- Run on the top half of the fuel tank -running out of fuel isn't an option. Keep the truck running while stopped for shorter breaks and if it gets really cold maybe overnight. Make sure your truck batteries are in good shape before leaving.
- Check your equipment more often - tires, brakes, anything under the trailer where ice/snow can build up and tear stuff apart.
- Plan for a long trip and don't rush - you may be in BFE Wyoming or Nebraska and they close the road for a couple days. Nothing you can do but hunker down and wait it out. realize they don't make peeps chain up they just close the road unlike our country where they only close the roads after enough vehicles spin out it's impassable ( think Cabbage hill).

Personally, I would stay on 80 all the way across. They take pretty good care of the road and unless you hit a whiteout it stays pretty passable. Lots of truck stops along the way where you can hunker down if needed and the support services (think wrecker) are fairly quick to jump into action.

Truly, flying is a much, much better option if available. Cost will be about the same I suspect. Good luck!

[Barbara & Dave]

In eastern Ohio and Western Pennsylvania, lookout for "Lake effect snow". Can easily dump 6-12 inches of snow in a couple of hours, whiteout conditions, road closures, etc.

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[Capt Jim]

Jamieline,
Greetings from another Grand Design owner in Pasco.

Please...re-read everything C&H Conner wrote above. If you cannot abide by these conditions, you should not attempt this trip pulling a Trailer. I have been there, done that, bought the t-shirt.
Winter weather across the Mid-West can be brutal and unpredictable.

I wish you well.

[SkiSmuggs]

If the weather looks iffy for your time frame, you might look at heading south to I40 or I10 for the crossing. My biggest issue with winter towing is the road chemicals. I live in Vermont and know what it does. Also, where do you plan to stay when you are in Vermont? There are no full time commercial campgrounds. The only one I know of is on the NH border. Oops, while looking for that one, I see Shelburne Campground mentioned as being year round. That is south of Burlington on Lake Champlain.

[SkiSmuggs]

And that was Crazy Horse CG in Littleton, NH which has seasonal snow mobiler camping. Phone ahead for any of them.

[Sirsea]

If you decide to make this trip, it would be good if you posted your experiences and offered tips for others who may be considering a similar trip. It's way out of my comfort zone, don't think I have the cojones to try that. Best of luck to you, hope everything goes well.