Driving from Reno to Vail and back 1st week of March

[Tahoe_Skier]

Looking for input from those that have made the RT drive between Vail and Tahoe. Can't fly directly into Eagle from Reno. So would have to connect in Dallas or LA or Denver, etc. Or just direct to Denver, rent a car and drive to Vail.

So, I was thinking of making it a car trip. That way we can load up the Outback with anything and everything we want without the hassle of taking it on planes. But it's only a 1 week trip. Is it worth the risk of driving in the winter? What is the drive like if there is bad weather? Maybe stop half way and ski an afternoon in the Wasatch? I understand weather is not predictable, but would like overall impressions of the idea from anyone who has done it.

Thanks!

 

[fatbob]

It's a looooong drive. Pretty much all daylight drive from Reno to SLC then another SLC to Vail. Doable if you're driving overnight and napping in the car en route. I've done it as part of a bigger road trip involving skiing in SLC and time around Moab but wouldn't do it there and back in a week unless Vail had the only snow in the west.

 

[David Chaus]

How about Amtrak from Reno to Glenwood Springs, and either catch a bus/rental car/Uber from there?

 

[Tahoe_Skier]

Thanks for the reply, fatbob. Good realistic thinking.
David - The train is an interesting idea that never occurred to me! However it looks to be about a 19 hour trip.

 

[New2]

Definitely nicer if you can make it a 2-week trip and spend a couple days in Utah each direction. The nice thing about the train is that it's just downtime, so you can arrive/get back home relaxed. But yeah, it eats up even more time than driving.

The northern route (I-80 and US-6) has a good amount of traffic, has good roads, and is a top priority for the highway departments to keep open/reopen after a storm. The passes that route aren't usually snow magnets. But there's a lot of wide open space for wind and blowing snow. Salt Lake area provides a good halfway point, particularly if you want to ski the Wasatch.

The southern route (US-50 and I-70) is pretty remote, though the highways at least are well-traveled enough that you won't have to wait too long before someone else comes along in an emergency. Also generally not snow magnets, also a lot of empty space for wind & blowing snow. Baker & Great Basin National Park are cool stops well off the beaten track.

In my experience, few storms severely impact both routes, so it can pay to stay flexible and pick a road based on the forecast.

 

[David Chaus]

Thanks for the reply, fatbob. Good realistic thinking.
David - The train is an interesting idea that never occurred to me! However it looks to be about a 19 hour trip.

.

Yes. You get to sleep on the train and relax, vs a 13 hour drive straight through, assuming you don’t stop for the night someplace.

 

[Ski&ride]

Train is expensive.

Unless you get lucky with some promotion going on.

 

[Beartown]

What’s wrong with flying into DEN then driving to Vail? This is how I usually do it. To Summit County, Steamboat and even Aspen if the price difference supports it (which it usually does). Also don’t have to deal with cancelled/delayed flights into Eagle. Vail Pass can be a little rough, but it’s usually no big deal as long as it’s open.

 

[Philpug]

We do it regularly. 13 hours. Honestly, the worst part of the trip is leaving at 5:00 AM and dealing with the traffic by USA Parkway.

 

[Tricia]

We do it regularly. 13 hours. Honestly, the worst past of the trip is leaving at 5:00 AM and dealing with the traffic by USA Parkway.

This^^^
It's really a breeze for us. And like you said, pack the car and take what you want. Its not uncommon for us to leave Reno around 5 AM and be in Edwards by 6 PM, that includes stops.

We also take the trip in two legs so we can do some business in Park City or SLC, even hit the slopes at Alta, Snowbird or Deer Valley.

Once you do it you'll wonder why you flew.
The logic is, if you fly, you're going to waste a day with layovers, getting a rental car and driving up from Denver so.....

 

[Nathanvg]

This^^^
It's really a breeze for us. And like you said, pack the car and take what you want. Its not uncommon for us to leave Reno around 5 AM and be in Edwards by 6 PM, that includes stops.

We also take the trip in two legs so we can do some business in Park City or SLC, even hit the slopes at Alta, Snowbird or Deer Valley.

Once you do it you'll wonder why you flew.
The logic is, if you fly, you're going to waste a day with layovers, getting a rental car and driving up from Denver so.....

Nothing wrong with driving but flying to Denver and driving is a very reasonable option too. It gets you there in about half the time (7 hours flying vs 14 driving) Plus the flight option lets you sleep while in transit. Driving is cheaper and allows you to bring more stuff.