Driving To Disney On Interstate 5

[NStramler]

Those of you who are driving to Disney on I-5 need to watch the road conditions. This morning there was snow on I-5 and on HIghway 58 (the long way around). It is still raining here (I am in Bakersfield) and the weather is calling for snow tomorrow....... We only get snow about every 10 years so we will see.
So just a heads up to watch those roads!

 

[smiley_face2]

Those of you who are driving to Disney on I-5 need to watch the road conditions. This morning there was snow on I-5 and on HIghway 58 (the long way around). It is still raining here (I am in Bakersfield) and the weather is calling for snow tomorrow....... We only get snow about every 10 years so we will see.
So just a heads up to watch those roads!

thanks for that! we are watching closely, because we are driving down but not until the end of the month. I'm hoping that by then it will be over with for another 10 years!! We have to go over the Siskiyou summit in northern Cali, and right now it's even closed because of all the snow! But then, there is snow all through Oregon, and Washington, and northern Cali. yuck!!

 

[smiley_face2]

Hi all, Happy Safe Holidays to everyone..
Im here in frozen Portland O.. heading South Sat/20th road trip to Disneyland.
Need some suggestions on a drive. Seems Siskiyous are having a bit of yuck. I dont like driving in stuff that is frozen ... was thinking of linking over to 101 via 199 in Grants pass. What I wish to know,, how is that drive.?
Then once south of Oregon where is best/easiest to shift east to get to I-5?
I would like to avoid as much yuck driving as possible.. HELP

Excellent question! We are looking to learn exactly the same info! have you been checking the traffic cams in oregon and north cali? I think there may be a thread for this topic on it's own somewhere....I'll copy and paste this whole post into it if I find it... we may get more info that way!
found the thread....I've pasted this from the floating away with rain thread.... Thanks in advance to any and all with information to give!

 

[BurnsideMommy]

We've never taken a route other than I-5, so no help on the alternate route, sorry.

We did *just* drive home though yesterday. We left Disneyland Sunday at 1pm, and drove all night (ugh) to get home yesterday - Monday - at 11am. Once we got to Redding the roads were horrid, and remained that way all the way home to Corvallis, Oregon. Just a skating rink with folks sliding all over. One poor BC fellow crashed, putting out 3 out of 4 of his car lights, kept driving and an hour down the road smacked the concrete median again, and again kept going. His car was a wreck.

If you can figure out a way to fly (southwest is always cheap), I'd do that. We were terrified on the road because of all the fools in front wheel drive cars just zipping past us, later to crash. Plus our normally 14 hour trip took about 22 hours. We usually don't drive straight through, but needed to get home in a hurry, making it worse!

Oh, and I'm sure you all know, but you are required to carry chains (or have studs) over Siskyou and near Mt Shasta even if the weather looks ok. They actually had folks on the road flagging certain cars to check.

 

[smiley_face2]

you really wonder about people.... all the police and tow truck drivers and insurance guys they've had on the news the past few days of bad weather have all said the same thing.... people just will not slow down! and even if you are a good driver doing the right thing, you can still get some idiot piling into you!! We went to 2 different places today trying to get chains for our new vehicle, had to get the dealer we bought it from to order them in for us. We've driven down a few times at Christmas, usually it's before though, end of November very beginning of December, one time right at Christmas, we've always been lucky with the weather.

 

[Jagger8dogs]

Burnsidemom,

We are doing the exact same trip (Corvallis to Disneyland) at the end of the week. This will be the first time. Can you recommend a good place to stop in between (we will be leaving at around 10:00 a.m.) for the night? We have a good vehicle (4x4, chains, etc...) but any other advice would be appreciated. Thank you and happy holidays.


J8D

 

[wazowskiLOVER:)]

I'm hoping I-5 is clear when my family is driving there from San Jose (January 3rd - 6th). I'm crossing my fingers for no rain/snow. EEEEK!

 

[smiley_face2]

I'm hoping I-5 is clear when my family is driving there from San Jose (January 3rd - 6th). I'm crossing my fingers for no rain/snow. EEEEK!

this is a handy website for checking your travel, it has links to all the highway webcams in California and Oregon, all the different roads as well as the I5. Nothing like seeing it with your own eyes to figure out if you can make it or not! The Siskiyou cam looks really bad still.

http://www.medfordfuel.com/Medford_...w.medfordfuel.com/Interstate_5_California.htm

 

[wazowskiLOVER:)]

this is a handy website for checking your travel, it has links to all the highway webcams in California and Oregon, all the different roads as well as the I5. Nothing like seeing it with your own eyes to figure out if you can make it or not! The Siskiyou cam looks really bad still.

http://www.medfordfuel.com/Medford_...w.medfordfuel.com/Interstate_5_California.htm

Oh geeez. That sucks. Thanks for link, I'm going to be checking it frequently in the next couple of weeks

 

[smiley_face2]

Oh geeez. That sucks. Thanks for link, I'm going to be checking it frequently in the next couple of weeks

The 199 from Grants Pass over to Crescent city on the coast looks good though, it has all along, so I think that is what we would do, cut over to the coast and drive down that way for a half a day, don't know which road to cut back over to the I5 on though, which is what jmqidoc wanted to know as well. Last trip we drove all the way on the coast just as part of our vacation, but that took a few days!

 

[fairycat]

If you are looking for road information in California this site is the best

http://www.dot.ca.gov/cgi-bin/roads.cgi

Just type in the freeway or road you want to travel and it gives you very up to date information.

I wouldn't worry about future trips, this mess is not that common, but sometimes snow does close the Grapevine. Today's storm is a bit bigger then we have seen in years!

 

[pixiewings71]

I'm hoping I-5 is clear when my family is driving there from San Jose (January 3rd - 6th). I'm crossing my fingers for no rain/snow. EEEEK!

Me too!!!!!

Oh geeez. That sucks. Thanks for link, I'm going to be checking it frequently in the next couple of weeks

Me too!!!

If you are looking for road information in California this site is the best

http://www.dot.ca.gov/cgi-bin/roads.cgi

Just type in the freeway or road you want to travel and it gives you very up to date information.

I wouldn't worry about future trips, this mess is not that common, but sometimes snow does close the Grapevine. Today's storm is a bit bigger then we have seen in years!

The Grapevine is what scares me. I just hope it's clear when we drive thru and then again when we drive back home.

 

[smiley_face2]

Me too!!!!!



Me too!!!



The Grapevine is what scares me. I just hope it's clear when we drive thru and then again when we drive back home.

did you see the grapevine webcam? I don't know how close to the actual freeway that one is...but it's all white!
our weather is really unusual here too, very cold and over 6 inches of snow now!

 

[pixiewings71]

No, but I don't need to look yet....I've got another 2 weeks to go yet. If it's closed we will drive the long way, we just don't want to. I'll check the road conditions closer to when we are heading out.

 

[jmqidoc]

Glad to know Im not the only one trying to find alternate routes..
anyhow.. I leave Saturday 20th.. yeah.. its snowing now in Portland.. and more due on Saturday.. I will drive south to Salem on Friday to meet my DD and her DH. Pack the car.. and.. leave early Sat am.
I dont think I really want to drive the pass.. scares the gabeezzies out of me...
so.. I am looking at linking up in GrantsPass.. to 199 to go to Crescent City Ca. From there it will be HWY101.. south.. I will take that until I link up with I-20. I20 to I5 http://www.dot.ca.gov/hq/roadinfo/do1map.htm
Once I am on I5 I will stay on I5 till Bakersfield I am thinking of going across on 58 to about Edwards then I will head south.. I DO NOT LIKE THE GRAPEVINE.. Trying to figure out if it is ok.. I think linking up to Anaheim via the east... kind a backway in to avoid some of the traffic things.. but then.. who knows what happens once I get south of the Oregon boarder... ..
Love to hear others input please...

 

[NStramler]

Right now I 5 and Highway 58 are both closed due to snow. Also, the news just announced that Palmdale schools are closed for tomorrow due to snow!

Hugs,
Susie

 

[smiley_face2]

Well Let's all really hope that this once every decade type event, is going to be over with in the next little while...by the time we all go, it will be back to sunny, dry and warmish!

 

[jernysgirl]

For anyone traveling through southern oregon and northern cali in the next few days, be prepared to be cold!!!

Earlier today, it was 7 degrees here (just about 45 minutes south of Oregon & the Siskiyou Summit in Mount Shasta). It is VERY icy, and we are suppose to get 8 inches or more of snow tomorrow, and snow is forecast through Christmas.

I have not checked the roads here lately, but I would assume they will be closed tomorrow.

 

[Melb]

I'm driving from San Diego to Grants Pass next Tuesday/Wednesday. Not looking forward to this drive. We will prob sleep in Redding and drive over Shasta Wed morning.

I hate this drive - it's OK in the summer but in the winter- NOT fun.

 

[NicoleDisneyFan]

I remember when we drove back in January when I-5 was closed when we were going home from disney to the San Francisco area. I keep telling my dh that I-5 wouldn't close and boy was I wrong! LOL My mother called and said that the rodes were closed because of a rain storm at that time and drove to the exit before the grapevine and had to turn around. Our gps sent us on 101 and that was the longest ride ever I think compared to I-5. My advice is to find a hotel if you have the time and if you think the rodes will open because it was horrible on 101 especially late night in the rain.