Grapevine snow closure?

[Ariel224]

We are driving down I-5 on 11/11 and returning 11/21. When does snow on the Grapevine start becoming a possibility?

 

[LavenderPeach]

It's possible in november but not as likely as say January. We drive several times a year between Northern California and Southern California (for the past 14 years) and we've never had trouble going over the grapevine because of snow. Not that it can't happen obviously. But it also depends on what time of day you plan on being on the grapevine. Usually, when they close the road, it's just during the night and then it reopens in the morning so if you'll be on it in the afternoon you should hopefully be okay.

But I will also say that since we've been having strange, cooler weather this year, you never know what might happen.

Hope that helps.

 

[skiingfast]

Remember snow comes across CA to NV. So it's about just as likely to get snow on the Grapevine as it is in the Ruby's. Can it snow that time of year sure. But I wouldn't count on it.

 

[pixiewings71]

The only time we had a problem with snow was over President's weekend in Feb of 09. They closed it, it sucked. lol But when we went in Nov, Dec, Jan we had no problems. Of course it varies based on weather, they don't "do" chain restrictions for the GV, if it's too snowy they just close it down completely. Once we drove thru and it wasn't closed but they were monitoring it closely, there were CHP officers everywhere and all cars were going about 20-30 mph, but it wasn't closed.

 

[disneychrista]

We are driving down I-5 on 11/11 and returning 11/21. When does snow on the Grapevine start becoming a possibility?

When it rains?

Honestly you should be fine. I have run into trouble (went around both times) Once late December, the other first of January. The first time I luckily caught it on the news before we left Anaheim that it was closed. The second time it was forcasted so we went around, turned out the snow never happened. Never ran into trouble early/late November.

 

[mommy2allyandaveri]

The only time we had a problem with snow was over President's weekend in Feb of 09. They closed it, it sucked. lol But when we went in Nov, Dec, Jan we had no problems. Of course it varies based on weather, they don't "do" chain restrictions for the GV, if it's too snowy they just close it down completely. Once we drove thru and it wasn't closed but they were monitoring it closely, there were CHP officers everywhere and all cars were going about 20-30 mph, but it wasn't closed.

We got stuck in that too! Had to go around, had no idea where we were going. Took us 12 hours to get home, luckily this was the 1 trip we did not have kids. That would have been miserable.

 

[longtimedisneylurker]

The only time we had a problem with snow was over President's weekend in Feb of 09. They closed it, it sucked. lol But when we went in Nov, Dec, Jan we had no problems. Of course it varies based on weather, they don't "do" chain restrictions for the GV, if it's too snowy they just close it down completely. Once we drove thru and it wasn't closed but they were monitoring it closely, there were CHP officers everywhere and all cars were going about 20-30 mph, but it wasn't closed.

We got stuck in that too! Had to go around, had no idea where we were going. Took us 12 hours to get home, luckily this was the 1 trip we did not have kids. That would have been miserable.

We were in that too! We had anticipated the possibility of snow, so we were watching the weather reports before and during the trip and already had an alternate route plotted out through Bakersfield. We left around 9 AM that Monday, and it took about 10 hours to get home. It was worth it though; that was a great trip. We skipped school that Friday and got to DL around 2:30 in the afternoon. It stopped raining the moment we finished our late lunch at Mimi's, and I don't recall that it rain again during waking hours until Monday morning.

That was the only time so far that snow closed the pass during our travel dates. We went home a few years back on Jan. 2 and encountered some snow flurries, and we heard that the Grapevine closed that night or the next I think. We have also encountered snow flurries driving down during our spring break trips a few times, but it was never serious enough to stop traffic, except for all the people pulled over on the side of the ride trying to catch snowflakes on their tongues or scoop it up in their hands like they'd never seen snow before.

 

[Funball]

oooooh the thought of snow gives me the chills!!!

 

[tdashgirl]

That is too funny - that closure in Feb. 09 affected us too! We didn't get stuck - we found out on the way there that it was closed. We ended up taking 101 all the way down. "More scenic drive" whatever! ... it took us almost double the time !

 

[Ariel224]

Remember snow comes across CA to NV. So it's about just as likely to get snow on the Grapevine as it is in the Ruby's. Can it snow that time of year sure. But I wouldn't count on it.

I live in NorthWESTERN Nevada. I'm absolutely clueless about the snowfall patterns in the Rubys. Donner Summit on the other hand.....


Thanks everyone for their responses. I know there's a MUCH greater chance of me hitting snow in November going over Donner, but there it's usually a matter of throwing on the chains and trudging through. When I hear people talking on here about snow closing down the Grapevine, I honestly have no idea what to expect.

 

[Master Mason]

That is too funny - that closure in Feb. 09 affected us too! We didn't get stuck - we found out on the way there that it was closed. We ended up taking 101 all the way down. "More scenic drive" whatever! ... it took us almost double the time !

I was on 101 that weekend going around it too. My normal time is 5 hours, it took us 7 that day.

 

[tink2dw]

Make sure to take tire chains!!! and know how to use them!!

 

[idkmybffminnie]

Oh my goodness, this happened to me once coming for nor cal to disneyland. We weren't sure of the closure to the grapevine and headed down anyway and once we saw the signs, we were doomed. It was in Dec of 08 and we ended up doing the 101 i think and what should have been a normal 6 hour drive, took us 10! I don't think you'll hit snow in nov but never say never.

 

[momto2nenas]

Lovely about February. We are moving to North California the end of Feb. and are flying into LAX, doing a Disneyland layover and then driving up. I hadn't really considered bad weather or driving conditions! We've lived in Hawaii and South Texas the past 6 1/2 years... I need to retrain my way of thinking when it comes to winter weather, lol

Where exactly does "the Grapevine" start and end?

 

[Master Mason]

Lovely about February. We are moving to North California the end of Feb. and are flying into LAX, doing a Disneyland layover and then driving up. I hadn't really considered bad weather or driving conditions! We've lived in Hawaii and South Texas the past 6 1/2 years... I need to retrain my way of thinking when it comes to winter weather, lol

Where exactly does "the Grapevine" start and end?

It starts just south of where 99 and 5 merge, and is the steepest grade allowable by law. Personally I concider it being through it when I get to Magic Mountian. But the snow problems are really the first half from the North end.

And chains really don't help there, they tend to just close it rather than put in chain requirements. I think thats because of the grades.

 

[camidges]

Is it usually safe in May or does it still close even that late? We will be driving from Oregon in the first week of May..

 

[Master Mason]

Is it usually safe in May or does it still close even that late? We will be driving from Oregon in the first week of May..

Probably pretty safe in May. It's always possible, but highly unlikely.

 

[pixiewings71]

We got stuck in that too! Had to go around, had no idea where we were going. Took us 12 hours to get home, luckily this was the 1 trip we did not have kids. That would have been miserable.

OMG we DID have kids!!!!! We even took 1 friend per kid of ours so we have 4 kids, and the younger one sat in the back and cried and whined the whole drive back.....unless she was sleeping she was whimpering and it about drove me nuts....keep in mind this was last year so the youngest kids were 9! I could not believe she was acting that way LOL. It took us 12 hours as well, it was horrible!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We were in that too! We had anticipated the possibility of snow, so we were watching the weather reports before and during the trip and already had an alternate route plotted out through Bakersfield. We left around 9 AM that Monday, and it took about 10 hours to get home. It was worth it though; that was a great trip. We skipped school that Friday and got to DL around 2:30 in the afternoon. It stopped raining the moment we finished our late lunch at Mimi's, and I don't recall that it rain again during waking hours until Monday morning.

That was the only time so far that snow closed the pass during our travel dates. We went home a few years back on Jan. 2 and encountered some snow flurries, and we heard that the Grapevine closed that night or the next I think. We have also encountered snow flurries driving down during our spring break trips a few times, but it was never serious enough to stop traffic, except for all the people pulled over on the side of the ride trying to catch snowflakes on their tongues or scoop it up in their hands like they'd never seen snow before.

Oh it was worth it for us too, we just didn't anticipate the GV being closed, we were happy we went tho. We had a Garmin and we thought it would pick the best route home, clearly it didn't or we would have gone a different way too. lol

I live in NorthWESTERN Nevada. I'm absolutely clueless about the snowfall patterns in the Rubys. Donner Summit on the other hand.....


Thanks everyone for their responses. I know there's a MUCH greater chance of me hitting snow in November going over Donner, but there it's usually a matter of throwing on the chains and trudging through. When I hear people talking on here about snow closing down the Grapevine, I honestly have no idea what to expect.

Yup, when we drive thru Donner we just put on the chains and go but the GV simply closes. It's a bit frustrating, especially when you know you can make it if they just let you put chains on.....

I was on 101 that weekend going around it too. My normal time is 5 hours, it took us 7 that day.

LOL everyone went that weekend huh. LOL

It starts just south of where 99 and 5 merge, and is the steepest grade allowable by law. Personally I concider it being through it when I get to Magic Mountian. But the snow problems are really the first half from the North end.

And chains really don't help there, they tend to just close it rather than put in chain requirements. I think thats because of the grades.

I don't know, I honestly think it's just because most people in CA don't know how to drive in snow. I grew up in the mtns of Oregon, we had grades that were at least that steep but people drove them all the time....I think it's just because of Californian's trying to drive it too fast, too many accidents so they chose to simply close it down when it's bad enough.

Is it usually safe in May or does it still close even that late? We will be driving from Oregon in the first week of May..

In May you should be fine, we've been to DL many times and we never had any questions past March.

 

[Ariel224]

Maybe another reason it closes is because Southern California probably doesn't have a fleet of snowplows or sanding trucks hanging around on standby all winter like they do up here.

 

[pixiewings71]

that's possible Ariel but they can get them. The Sierra's have snowplows and sanding trucks hanging around and there are places in the GV they could store things like that.