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NutmegCT

NutmegCT

Great Pumpkin
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May be leaving a few days later than planned (brake issues ...), but stll planning on leaving some time in the week of September 16.

Question: In late September, I'll be driving from Minneapolis to Seattle. What route(s) would you suggest?

Lots of beautiful country up there. One route I'm considering is to follow the old Yellowstone Trail (1912-1925):

https://www.yellowstonetrail.org/

Today it's mostly US 12 and US 10. It'll be at least three days, and I want to enjoy driving mostly two lane blacktop. Here's the original route:

1920YTmap.jpg


Here's a more recent photo set:

https://www.flickr.com/slideShow/index.gne?user_id=roadandrailpictures&set_id=72157631716572379

Any thoughts or other suggestions?

Thanks.
Tom
 
Weather should be fine... though Yellowstone is famous for their "Christmas in August" thing (stemming from an incredibly early snow some years ago). For a gutsy move there is a "Lolo Pass" highway from Missoula into Lewiston, but that gets you a little off course; still you'd then get to drive along the Columbia a ways. The highway in question in Idaho is a winding 70+ miles through fantastic wilderness.
 
Tom, if you plan on going through Red Lodge over the Beartooth mountain pass just outside of Red Lodge, on your way West out of Yellow Stone, check the weather up in the pass! We tried to go through the pass in late September and ran into a snow storm, in which we had to turn around and drive 70 miles out of the way to get to where we wanted to go. It was 74 degrees when we started up! 33 degrees near the pass! Just a thought. PJ
 
Boink said:
The highway in question in Idaho is a winding 70+ miles through fantastic wilderness.
Click to expand...


IMO Idaho makes any other wilderness state look likes it was clear cut at some point. I once drove from New Orleans to Anchorage 20 years ago and the northern part of Idaho was the best we saw. I don't know anything about what he's suggesting, but if it gives you more road in Idaho I'd take it.
 
Hi Tom,
I just read your latest blog post. It really sounds like the brakes were quite the mess! Hope you can find the parts. It's good you're getting all this sorted out BEFORE you leave.

Just one thought on the route. Have you ever considered dropping straight down to Logan through Yellowstone, and then heading NW out of Logan to Spokane? You could then continue farther south through California as you originally had planned. The road down through Yellowstone and Jackson and then on to Logan is very scenic, and the road from Logan to Spokane is pretty good too. It will save you driving across Nevada and the Salt Flats, which is really not all that scenic. You should be early enough to miss the snow in the Yellowstone area, but as Paul said, you will want to check the weather each day before heading out!

Keith
 
Basil - note that Albuquerque is on the map now. Beware! (By then I'll probably be needing a padded cell and only able to eat soft foods ...)

Keith - never considered that route. I'd like to give you a call - maybe tonight? Scenery and driveability is high on my list. What road(s) from Logan to Spokane, etc.

Thanks all.
Tom
 
NutmegCT said:
Keith - never considered that route. I'd like to give you a call - maybe tonight? Scenery and driveability is high on my list. What road(s) from Logan to Spokane, etc.
Click to expand...

Hi Tom,
Tomorrow night will be better; it's been a busy day. The more I think about it, you should avoid the trip across Nevada and Utah on 80. Maybe someone else will chime in on this, but I've driven it quite a few times, and I suppose there's certain stark beauty to it, but after 8 hours you'll be pretty much brain dead. I don't know the roads up to Spokane all that well, but there are a number of choices depending on the tradeoffs between scenery and speed.

Keith
 
Keith -here's a proposal. I-90 west from MN, then US 14 to Yellowstone Park, then US 89 south to Logan UT.

Then, I-15 north to I-90 (or I-84 and US95 if better scenery) to Spokane.

I'll give you a call tonight (Tuesday).

Thanks!
Tom
 
NutmegCT said:
Keith -here's a proposal. I-90 west from MN, then US 14 to Yellowstone Park, then US 89 south to Logan UT.

Then, I-15 north to I-90 (or I-84 and US95 if better scenery) to Spokane.

I'll give you a call tonight (Tuesday).

Thanks!
Tom
Click to expand...

Sounds good. I'll be around. I-15 to I-90 will be fine (far better than Nevada), but I-15 to US95 would be spectacular.
Keith
 
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