Inland Southern California - winter driving conditions

[citrus]

Hi all,

I'm headed to Death Valley (from the Bay Area) around New Year's. I know to check weather conditions when the time gets closer, but for planning purposes, what sorts of winter driving issues crop up that far south? I know CA-58, I-15, CA-127 is pretty much always kept open. What about CA-178, US-395, and CA-190 from Bakersfield toward Death Valley? Any other suggestions? (Unfortunately, CA-108 and CA-120 are almost certainly going to be closed, and my companion's probably not going to be happy with longer detours.)

[gonealookin]

On US-395, I can't remember the last time I've seen chain requirements posted anywhere south of Big Pine.  The highway stays below 4000 feet south of there.

Rarely you will see chain requirements on CA-178 east of Lake Isabella over to US-395 (oops) CA-14, and even more rarely on CA-190 heading east of 395 over to Death Valley proper.  These should always be passable with chains.  If you're not prepared, just find something else to do for a few hours while the stuff melts.

That December-January period is a gorgeous time to visit Death Valley.  Sparkling clean winter air, temp on the valley floor usually in the 60s or low 70s during the day and dropping to the 30s at night, which is fine for camping.  The only places which may have access issues in the winter are some of the west side areas, either the Wildrose area or occasionally the road to Saline Valley, which can close briefly due to ice and snow.



Couple more things I might add:  1)  If you are coming from Bakersfield over CA-178, a sensible route is to continue on 178 through the city of Ridgecrest (last town of any significance before Death Valley).  The state highway designation ends, but the county highway continues through Trona northward through the Panamint Valley to where it meets CA-190.  This is a mostly high-speed route with zero traffic, and in the Panamint Valley you have the added bonus of getting buzzed by low-flying jets on training runs out of China Lake.  2)  Leave Ridgecrest, or US 395 at Olancha, with a full tank of gas.  There are a couple of stations in the National Park but you're looking at a surcharge of a good $1.50/gallon.

[iwvpinnaclegeek]

As an adjunct to the previous reply, if there is snow on CA-178 between Bakersfield and Lake Isabella, CalTrans will close CA-178 through the Kern River Canyon.  Also, the quickest way to get from the Bay Area to Death Valley, and probably easiest (if you or your companion is not comfortable with a windy mountainous road) is to take CA-58 east out of Bakersfield, and then take CA-14 north to either CA-178 east or US 395 north.  Even though CA-178 looks shorter than CA-58 to CA-14 ( and it is by ~20 miles), it will take you about 1.5 hours to get to Robbers Roost/Freeman (the south junction of CA-178 and CA-14).  If you're looking for a beautiful drive, however, take CA-178 all the way from Bakersfield to the Pinnacles, where it will turn into a San Bernardino County highway, and that will lead you through Searles Valley and up to CA-190.

[gonealookin]

Good point about the Kern River Canyon segment of CA-178.  It is very scenically interesting, but that stretch from the mouth of the canyon up to where the 4-lane expressway starts is twisty and slow.  Also, the flip side of the canyon scenery is that if you get a series of saturating storms the stretch can be prone to rockslides which will close the road.  On occasion the damage has been severe enough that the repairs have taken weeks, similar to what sometimes happens on CA-1 in areas like Big Sur.  Check the Caltrans road conditions page before you go.

[citrus]

Saturating storms like what I'm getting in SF right now! Thanks for the comments, everyone. I don't mind a twisty drive, but didn't have much to go off besides Google Maps, which suggested that stretch of CA-178 as part of the quickest route. (via CA-58 was listed as a few min longer.) For sure, I'll check Caltrans road conditions before I go.