Iowa to Oregon

I will be moving to southern Oregon from Iowa in January and am a bit
nervous about the drive there. I'm used to driving in winter weather
in the midwest, but I've never driven through mountains before. I plan
to take I-80, I-84, and I-5, and I've been told that I will need to
carry chains in my car in some places (I will not go over the Siskiyou
Pass in Oregon). I've already decided that if chains are required on
the tires, then I just won't drive; I'll wait. Is it always mandatory
that drivers carry chains?

Any other tips that anyone has about driving this route in January
would be helpful. I'll cross Nebraska, Wyoming, northern Utah, Idaho,
and Oregon. I'll also be bringing 2 cats, so any advice about that
would be appreciated also.

Thanks!

wrote:
I will be moving to southern Oregon from Iowa in January and am a bit
nervous about the drive there. I'm used to driving in winter weather
in the midwest, but I've never driven through mountains before. I plan
to take I-80, I-84, and I-5, and I've been told that I will need to
carry chains in my car in some places (I will not go over the Siskiyou
Pass in Oregon). I've already decided that if chains are required on
the tires, then I just won't drive; I'll wait. Is it always mandatory
that drivers carry chains?


Chains are not the problem that they were in years past. The new kind
(available at Costco, Les Schwab and other tire places) can just be
slipped over the tire; you don't have to lay them in the road and roll
the car over them any more.

You might consider buying a pair (ours cost $37 at Costco) and trying
them on your car. If you can't manage to put them on easily, you can
always return them.

On 31 Dec 2004 04:41:20 -0800 in rec.travel.usa-canada,
wrote:

I plan
to take I-80, I-84, and I-5, and I've been told that I will need to
carry chains in my car in some places (I will not go over the Siskiyou
Pass in Oregon). I've already decided that if chains are required on
the tires, then I just won't drive; I'll wait. Is it always mandatory
that drivers carry chains?

It's entirely weather-dependent. If you have a 4 while drive
vehicle, you won't need them except in deep drifting snow (and
you would need a set of 4 for 4 wheel drive).