Reno to Denver road conditions

[fmracerbob]

I'll be traveling next week leaving on Wed. to get to Kansas, near Kansas City.  I'd prefer to go by Hwy 80 through Reno to Cheyenne, take Hwy 24 S to Denver and then go east on Hwy 70.  Looking for any current road conditions along the route.  Don't mind the cold but don't want to get caught in snow storm and big hail.   I can get weather reports but road cameras are all I have about the route.   Appreciate any info someone might have.

I'll be returning down south on Hwy 40 so looking to not repeat the same route both way.

Appreciate the help

 

Bob

[Kirk W]

If I am understanding, the plan is I-80 east to Cheyenne, then south on I-25 to Denver where you change to I-70 to travel across CO and KS. I have traveled that route many times over the years and if you wish to travel quickly that would be my recommended route, but if you want a leisurely pace that enjoys the places you passTh through, then I'd shift over to the US routes and make the trip quite differently. On the weather issue, I'm not sure how to respond since I have traveled a great deal and have never found any way of ensuring weather conditions. The route which you have planned is one which is well maintained and heavily traveled and should it snow, the roads will be cleared quickly and this late in the winter/spring any snow will also melt off very rapidly. When it comes to chilly weather, spring weather is unstable in most places and ever here in TX it is currently on the chilly side and we have our warm clothing out again, but it is expected to be back in the 80's by Tuesday. Most of Kansas is dealing with that same weather but high temperatures will be about 10 degrees lower than ours. Thunderstorms with nasty weather and hail are just a part of spring weather. There is no route which is immune to them but neither is there a route that is more prone to them.  About all that you can do is to stay alert to the weather and get off of the road if things go sour and take cover if the worst should happen, 

I grew up in that area and have lived most of my life between the Rocky Mountains and the Mississippi River, so I have experienced more than a few spring storms. In spite of that, the worst I have experienced personally is a few roof repairs and some automobile damage a couple of times. Insurance took care of all of those which is the reason we buy it. I do keep an eye on the weather reports but that doesn't keep me from traveling where and when I wish. It is true that the area does experience some major storms, but they do not have earthquakes, forest fires, hurricanes, or any of the big disasters that other parts of the country experience. If you visit those places and do not lay awake nights, there is no reason to be especially alarmed on this trip! 

[Barbaraok]

I would stay on I-80 until you can turn straight south into Kansas without the hassle of driving around Denver. 

[fmracerbob]

Appreciate the info so far.   I do have a return by date so on this trip it's best to complete the out leg in a timely manner so I have more options on the return.  Have a date to be in the Kansas City area.   Since I haven't driven this route, usually using the southern routes, I don't have as much to go by on what I would typically encounter.

Getting over the Serria's to Reno I have experience with and can let the weather reports determine if I go out this way or return by way of 80.   Even now it is possible for the pass to get closed by a sudden storm, the drought is over. 

But I'm trying to get a feel for what to expect this time of year once past Reno.  I don't know if there are any elevations on the rest of the trip to Denver that would still have a higher than occasional chance of being closed by a sudden storm. 

A quick study of  average hail damage in Colorado shows it has been on the increase the last few years but appears to not really get going until into May.   Since I have an extensive solar setup on my coach and I almost exclusively "dry camp" I'd just as soon not expose myself to the inconvenience and expense of mid trip damage unnecessarily.

Living north of the San Francisco Bay area,  far enough to be out of the earthquake risk,  I've little past experience to go by but will be gaining knowledge as I will be doing a lot of traveling from now on.  Enough of that 'work thing'.

Bob

[fmracerbob]

Barbaraok

 

You wouldn't take 270 from 25 to 70 ?    Appears to be all freeway, not surface roads.

 

[fmracerbob]

Road cameras combined with local weather sites pretty much tell the story.  Here is a site with lots of road cameras for most of the this trip. 

http://oss.weathershare.org/?Center=38.91402077971106,-117.5983466796875&Zoom=8&Layers=CCTV,traffic#.WP0JX3BG1J8

[Barbaraok]

1 hour ago, fmracerbob said:

Barbaraok

 

You wouldn't take 270 from 25 to 70 ?    Appears to be all freeway, not surface roads.

 

It is traffic from Cheyenne south, so I'd stay on and take  US highway down at some point, maybe before Kearney, but that's just me.

[Randyretired]

Denver and the Front Range is proclaimed by many to be the hail capital of the world.  However there are only a few storms that produce damaging hail and more likely later in the year than during your trip.  Could it hail, yes but not likely. This week rain is possible mostly from Tuesday through the end of the week and there is a slight chance of a little snow in the lower elevations based on the forecast. Most likely you will encounter some annoying rain but little else unless the forecast changes.

[DJohns]

I would stay on I 80 until york,Ne then south to I 70. All 4 lane roads. I would not go through Denver period. You did not say exactly where in the Kansas City are you were going but if it is north of KC theer is a different route to take.

[fmracerbob]

Hi Dan

I will be North West of Kansas City at McLouth Kansas.    Any specific reason other than going throughDenver ?   I did notice this week there were high wind warnings along much of Hwy 70.

[DJohns]

23 hours ago, Dan Johnson said:

I would stay on I 80 until york,Ne then south to I 70. All 4 lane roads. I would not go through Denver period. You did not say exactly where in the Kansas City are you were going but if it is north of KC theer is a different route to take.

If north of KC I would go to Lincoln,NE , take HWY 2 to the right on down to I 29 then south. A little congested traffic in Lincoln but nothing like Denver. All 4 late highways. Goodluck.

[Kirk W]

On 4/22/2017 at 11:35 PM, fmracerbob said:

Don't mind the cold but don't want to get caught in snow storm and big hail.   I can get weather reports but road cameras are all I have about the route.   Appreciate any info someone might have.

 

 

40 minutes ago, Dan Johnson said:

If north of KC I would go to Lincoln,NE , take HWY 2 to the right on down to I 29 then south. A little congested traffic in Lincoln but nothing like Denver. All 4 late highways. 

3

Is this a route with warmer weather and fewer hail storms?   I really don't think that any route will change the weather issues he asked about significantly. I have traveled all of the different highways mentioned at some time and while each suggestion does have some good points, the weather probabilities will be pretty much the same no matter how you travel there. If you should get snow then the more major highways will be cleared most quickly. 

[fmracerbob]

Leaving tomorrow, the route is chosen.   Out HWY 80 all the way to Lincoln NB.  Take HWY 2 to HWY 29.   Head south to just before Platte City then turn west and use 92 to McLouth.    Avoids Denver and possible high winds through Kansas on HWY 70.   Appreciate all the input.

Bob