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Northern California Winter Closures

Started by JayhawkCO, September 06, 2024, 12:11:03 PM

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JayhawkCO

For those that are more expert on California roads than I am...

I'm planning a little surprise trip for my wife in February where we visit the Rogue Valley wineries in southern Oregon. I have companion pass on Southwest for a brief period of time (part of a promotion) and so I'd like to fly with them. There are three airports that I could fly non-stop from Denver that are more or less equidistant - Portland, Sacramento, and Reno. I'd like to see more of northern California, so I was eliminating Portland. Looking at Reno->Medford, it looks like it goes through some pretty country, but I wasn't sure how often roads there close in the case of winter storms. I don't mind driving in snow in mountains, but obviously don't want to get stuck somewhere. Obviously if Sacramento was the choice, I'd take I-5 at least one direction, and I don't think there are closures there all that often? But I figured I'd check in with those more in the know. Thanks in advance.


JayhawkCO

Looks like CA89 is closed during winters in Lassen Volcanic National Park, so that answers part of my question I suppose.

Max Rockatansky

Really the only major closure is Lassen Park Highway (implied CA 89).  Thing is that CHP can be real fiends with chain control checkpoints on main highways (like I-5).  CA 139 probably is mostly immune to the worst stuff due to terrain.  US 101 and CA 1 likely won't close, at worst you'd might get severe winter showers.

JayhawkCO

How often are chain restrictions for all cars implemented on I-5? In Colorado, it's maybe once or twice per winter on the interstates.

gonealookin

#4
Quote from: JayhawkCO on September 06, 2024, 01:42:40 PMHow often are chain restrictions for all cars implemented on I-5? In Colorado, it's maybe once or twice per winter on the interstates.

Definitely than "once or twice per winter" over Siskiyou Summit, though an R-2 chain restriction is "all cars" but excluding AWD/4WD with snow tires.  In Northern California Caltrans does not use the R-3 chain restriction which is chains on all vehicles, no exceptions; they just close the highway.

I've driven the Reno to Medford route quite a bit.  The scenery isn't bad, but compared to the Sierra, and to the Rockies in Colorado, it's undramatic.  It's old volcanic terrain, gently rolling, and SR 89 from Susanville to I-5 at Mt. Shasta City has a lot of pine tree-lined stretches where there aren't really any views.  Most of it is 65 mph due to the easy terrain though.  The segment of US 395 from Susanville to Alturas is mostly dreary desert except for a couple summits, and pretty forgettable.

Edit:  A bit of absentmindedness on my part there as SR 89 doesn't go anywhere near Susanville.  I use "the CA 89 route between Susanville and Mt. Shasta City" as shorthand, but quite a bit of it is SR 44 around the east and north sides of Lassen Park, plus a shorter segment on SR 36 from US 395 through Susanville to the SR 44 junction.

JayhawkCO

Quote from: gonealookin on September 06, 2024, 02:58:55 PM
Quote from: JayhawkCO on September 06, 2024, 01:42:40 PMHow often are chain restrictions for all cars implemented on I-5? In Colorado, it's maybe once or twice per winter on the interstates.

Definitely than "once or twice per winter" over Siskiyou Summit, though an R-2 chain restriction is "all cars" but excluding AWD/4WD with snow tires.  In Northern California Caltrans does not use the R-3 chain restriction which is chains on all vehicles, no exceptions; they just close the highway.

Ah, so same restrictions as Colorado has all winter on I-70 (AWD/4WD). But you need to still carry chains, yeah?

Quote from: gonealookin on September 06, 2024, 02:58:55 PMI've driven the Reno to Medford route quite a bit.  The scenery isn't bad, but compared to the Sierra, and to the Rockies in Colorado, it's undramatic.  It's old volcanic terrain, gently rolling, and SR 89 from Susanville to I-5 at Mt. Shasta City has a lot of pine tree-lined stretches where there aren't really any views.  Most of it is 65 mph due to the easy terrain though.  The segment of US 395 from Susanville to Alturas is mostly dreary desert except for a couple summits, and pretty forgettable.

Good to know. I know I-5 isn't known as being scenic in most of California, but I think I'd hit the prettier bits either way.

gonealookin

Quote from: JayhawkCO on September 06, 2024, 03:06:01 PM
Quote from: gonealookin on September 06, 2024, 02:58:55 PMI've driven the Reno to Medford route quite a bit.  The scenery isn't bad, but compared to the Sierra, and to the Rockies in Colorado, it's undramatic.  It's old volcanic terrain, gently rolling, and SR 89 from Susanville to I-5 at Mt. Shasta City has a lot of pine tree-lined stretches where there aren't really any views.  Most of it is 65 mph due to the easy terrain though.  The segment of US 395 from Susanville to Alturas is mostly dreary desert except for a couple summits, and pretty forgettable.

Good to know. I know I-5 isn't known as being scenic in most of California, but I think I'd hit the prettier bits either way.

I-5 all the way from Redding to Medford is actually quite scenic, first the Sacramento River canyon, then Mt. Shasta and the ups and downs north of Yreka and down the hill to Ashland.  I was mostly thinking of comparing the Reno-Medford scenery vs. the Sacramento-Medford scenery; I don't think you gain as much coming from Reno vs. Sacramento as one might expect.

JayhawkCO

Quote from: gonealookin on September 06, 2024, 03:12:39 PM
Quote from: JayhawkCO on September 06, 2024, 03:06:01 PM
Quote from: gonealookin on September 06, 2024, 02:58:55 PMI've driven the Reno to Medford route quite a bit.  The scenery isn't bad, but compared to the Sierra, and to the Rockies in Colorado, it's undramatic.  It's old volcanic terrain, gently rolling, and SR 89 from Susanville to I-5 at Mt. Shasta City has a lot of pine tree-lined stretches where there aren't really any views.  Most of it is 65 mph due to the easy terrain though.  The segment of US 395 from Susanville to Alturas is mostly dreary desert except for a couple summits, and pretty forgettable.

Good to know. I know I-5 isn't known as being scenic in most of California, but I think I'd hit the prettier bits either way.

I-5 all the way from Redding to Medford is actually quite scenic, first the Sacramento River canyon, then Mt. Shasta and the ups and downs north of Yreka and down the hill to Ashland.  I was mostly thinking of comparing the Reno-Medford scenery vs. the Sacramento-Medford scenery; I don't think you gain as much coming from Reno vs. Sacramento as one might expect.

That's what I was referring to with "I'd hit the prettier bits either way", but I guess I'd miss Redding to Mt. Shasta if I went the quickest way from Reno. Appreciate the input.

Max Rockatansky

Yes, at R2 even 4WD/AWD is required to carry chains.

michravera

Quote from: JayhawkCO on September 06, 2024, 01:42:40 PMHow often are chain restrictions for all cars implemented on I-5? In Colorado, it's maybe once or twice per winter on the interstates.

Tejon Pass (between Kern and LA Counties) gets restricted or closed for maybe a couple of hours maybe a couple of times per year. CalTrans makes a great effort to keep it open and to open at least a couple lanes as soon as possible. It is 4 or 5 lanes in each direction (and maybe a couple extra slow vehicle lanes). I think that Black Butte Summit gets closed far more often and for longer periods and are mostly just two lanes in each direction. It is much further north (41.5 vs 34.8 degrees) and a just bit lower altitude (3912 vs 4160 ft).

cl94

R-3 (all vehicles, no AWD/4WD exceptions) is extremely rare, and even in the crazy 22-23 winter, it was only used at Big Bear Lake and on the west slope south of Yosemite. What is common is a full road closure during major storms, either for avalanche control or because they can't keep the damn road closed. US 50, CA 88, and NV 431 frequently close for avalanche control during and after storms. I-80's closures are usually because people are idiots and crash, blocking the road and preventing the plows from going through. When 80 is closed, CA 49 is generally restricted to local residents.

Before the Dixie Fire, I'd say that CA 70 was the "safe" trans-Sierra route, and chain controls are relatively rare due to the lower elevation. However, the fire destabilized Feather River Canyon, and the canyon was closed for the better part of the last 2 winters (after only reopening post-fire in Summer 22), so don't rely on it being open.

North of CA 70, CA 44 is generally the "safest" option and the one Caltrans considers the prime trans-Cascade road, to the point where it has the only year-round heated rest area in the region. District 2 (most of NE California) is generally less aggressive with chain controls than other parts of the state, often stopping at R-1 (chains *or* M+S tires) or R-1 modified (chains on trucks only).

I will note that I-5 north of Redding will often screen vehicles for chains, even if chain controls aren't currently active.

Around and south of Lake Tahoe, you start getting into seasonal roads, but it doesn't sound like you'll be that far south. CA 89 around Emerald Bay is frequently closed in winter due to avalanche danger, while every pass between CA 88 and CA 178 (apart from those along US 395) is seasonal.

Enjoy your trip! NorCal and NW Nevada are gorgeous in the winter, and I have loved spending the last 2 winters here. Low elevations in CA are nice and green, high up has snow, coastal towns are decently mild, and it's generally sunny unless there's an ongoing storm. Reno's airport has one of the best approaches in the country, providing great views of the Sierra, Lake Tahoe, Reno, and/or Pyramid Lake depending on the approach path, and it's very easy to get in/out of.
Please note: All posts represent my personal opinions and do not represent those of my employer or any of its partner agencies.

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lstone19

Quote from: cl94 on September 06, 2024, 07:26:56 PMDistrict 2 (most of NE California) is generally less aggressive with chain controls than other parts of the state, often stopping at R-1 (chains *or* M+S tires) or R-1 modified (chains on trucks only).

I will note that I-5 north of Redding will often screen vehicles for chains, even if chain controls aren't currently active.

I thought it was CHP that made the call on what chain level is in effect.

In the two years since we moved to Reno, I've never seen I-80 or US 50 be R-1. They're either none or R-2 (or closed). I-80 seems to close more than US 50.

Although they say 4WD/AWD must carry chains when R-2 is in effect, the one time I've been over Donner with R-2 since moving here, I was quickly waved through without being checked for carrying chains. I suspect the combination of a Subaru, three-day old tires, it was 1am on a Sunday morning, and NV plates (I strongly suspect NV plates get more respect from Caltrans than CA plates do) helped.

kkt

And along CA 1 and US 101, while snow is very unusual, closure due to landslides or floods is possible.  Maybe every 2 or 3 winters there's a closure.

Max Rockatansky

Quote from: kkt on September 09, 2024, 02:20:56 PMAnd along CA 1 and US 101, while snow is very unusual, closure due to landslides or floods is possible.  Maybe every 2 or 3 winters there's a closure.


There is usually one if not several storms that close the Cabrillo Highway segment of 1.  That said, if you can get good weather that really is the time to get the entirety of Big Sur to yourself.  Shoreline Highway I tend to find isn't as weather prone but sees a big drop off in people present.

JayhawkCO

Just FYI per the original purposes of the thread, I just booked a rental car picking up in Sacramento and dropping off in Portland. With my discount from work, this was dirt cheap with no one-way charge.



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