Driving to San Fran for the Bowl game.

So, the lovely Bostoncoug's wife has agreed that for Christmas this year, Santa will be providing money to send the Bostoncoug family to the Fight Hunger Bowl. I've never driven to San Francisco before (except on a bus during a Choir trip in High School). I'm wondering if any of you guys have driven through Donner Pass during the winter, what to expect etc. I've heard that chains are required. Is that true?

I have been over Donner Pass several times, and have never been stopped. However, I can't recall that any of those times were in the dead of winter. My understanding is that chains are not required unless conditions merit it, i.e. snowpacked road. You can learn more by googling DOT California chainup requirements, or Donner pass chain requirements.



But if there is any doubt, you could take the southern route through Albuquerque. Mapquest says the shortest route from Boston to SF is the northern route - approximately 47 hours. Southern route is 4 hours longer - about 51 hours. You could decide when you get closer (in Utah) by watching weather reports, and change the route accordingly. In that case, you wouldn't go through Albuquerque, but Vegas.

I actually do live in Utah, just lived in Boston when I created the account. I was really thrown off when you suggested I go through Albuquerque! Thanx for the input!!!

bostoncoug wrote:
So, the lovely Bostoncoug's wife has agreed that for Christmas this year, Santa will be providing money to send the Bostoncoug family to the Fight Hunger Bowl. I've never driven to San Francisco before (except on a bus during a Choir trip in High School). I'm wondering if any of you guys have driven through Donner Pass during the winter, what to expect etc. I've heard that chains are required. Is that true?

Wait. This could be a mistake. I do not want to spoil your plans, but players and coaches were quoted yesterday saying that they still hold out a slim hope for a BCS bowl by winning out and hoping NI and Fresno State stumble. Never mind. Your plans are safer than their pipe dreams.



But, please clarify. Who are you saying is lovely? You or your wife?



Note that referring to yourself in 3rd person did not throw off The Bibster at all on this one - just the placement of the word - lovely.



But that 3rd person thing might wind up a few of the locals.

bostoncoug wrote:
I actually do live in Utah, just lived in Boston when I created the account. I was really thrown off when you suggested I go through Albuquerque! Thanx for the input!!!

Yeah the moment I saw bostoncoug, I was going to suggest going south on route 66.

I have no idea what it's like to drive due west from Utah in the winter, since I spent the majority of my life in Kansas City, we always drive route 66 during the winter to get to phoenix, or California.



Have you gotten your tickets? Curious what the best available are now from the bowl site.

Cougarbib wrote:

So, the lovely Bostoncoug's wife has agreed that for Christmas this year, Santa will be providing money to send the Bostoncoug family to the Fight Hunger Bowl. I've never driven to San Francisco before (except on a bus during a Choir trip in High School). I'm wondering if any of you guys have driven through Donner Pass during the winter, what to expect etc. I've heard that chains are required. Is that true?

Wait. This could be a mistake. I do not want to spoil your plans, but players and coaches were quoted yesterday saying that they still hold out a slim hope for a BCS bowl by winning out and hoping NI and Fresno State stumble. Never mind. Your plans are safer than their pipe dreams.



But, please clarify. Who are you saying is lovely? You or your wife?



Note that referring to yourself in 3rd person did not throw off The Bibster at all on this one - just the placement of the word - lovely.



But that 3rd person thing might wind up a few of the locals.

Can you imagine with a loss to Virginia a team still getting into the BCS? I would rather avoid the negativity and take on a beatable opponent. We're not ready for A+M, LSU (trying to think of mid BCS bowl tier opponents this year).



So far it looks like we could be playing

USC, Oregon State, UCLA, or Arizona... I'd still rather play Utah... it's hard for me to want them to get bowl eligible though... simply because of how that will look to recruits if they don't.

I've driven the pass many times over the years and only put onthe chains twice. I've only heard of the pass closing once. Make sure you have them but you'll probably be fine getting through. I'm driving to Reno for the UNR game after thanksgiving. Not expecting any problems.

It's a total gamble. If there isn't a storm, it will be fine. If there is, you could have huge trouble. We once tried driving over the pass (going from Utah to the Bay Area) around new years, and it was snowing. A van skidded out in front of us, hit our minivan, and started a chain reaction crash that involved about 20 cars and a jackknifed semi. We were very lucky to be have been in the front part of the crash, there were serious injuries behind us. After that, to get over the pass chains were required, and the roads were horrible. It was very stressful, and took hours of extra time.



Odds are you will be just fine. And, you can purchase chains in Reno or Sparks if the weather is bad, on the way home if the weather is bad there are plenty of places to get chains on the way up.



Whatever you do, don't put your family's safety at unnecessary risk - even if it means you miss the bowl game. Be open to selling your tix if when the time comes, there is a forecast of a lot of bad weather.

jvquarterback wrote:
I've driven the pass many times over the years and only put onthe chains twice. I've only heard of the pass closing once. Make sure you have them but you'll probably be fine getting through. I'm driving to Reno for the UNR game after thanksgiving. Not expecting any problems.

Well you won't have problems if you are going to Reno only. That's before the pass. Nothing but flat, ugly I-80 between here and there.



Also the weather is much likely to be worse around christmas/new years than thanksgiving, since temperatures are much colder then.

Donner can be tricky if there is snow. They do a pretty good job of keeping it clear since it's such a major pipeline. On average, I'd say chains are required about a half dozen times a year or so. Completely depends on how heavy the snowfall is.



P.S. Here locally, "San Fran" is a dead give away you're tourist. Stick to "SF."

I talked to a friend who makes the trip out there several times a year, he said it's such a miserable drive, regardless of weather, that it's fly or nothing for him. Not that that helps you much, but there it is.

Gunk wrote:
Donner can be tricky if there is snow. They do a pretty good job of keeping it clear since it's such a major pipeline. On average, I'd say chains are required about a half dozen times a year or so. Completely depends on how heavy the snowfall is.



P.S. Here locally, "San Fran" is dead give away you're tourist. Stick to "SF."

I grew up in the Bay Area and everyone always just called it "The City"

hawkwing wrote:
I talked to a friend who makes the trip out there several times a year, he said it's such a miserable drive, regardless of weather, that it's fly or nothing for him. Not that that helps you much, but there it is.

I agree with this. Fly, if too expensive for the whole family just take 1 of your kids, then you avoid all the stress of worrying about the weather. Factor in gas, and wear and tear on the car, if you fly southwest you can get good deals, and in the long run might actually be cheaper than driving. Plus, by flying you save 2 days that would otherwise be wasted by driving through fugly towns like winnemucca, lovelock, and battle mountain.

"Life is an adventure - go for it!"



Not sure if Brother Donner ever said that, but The Bibster believe it to be the best way to look at life.



"You cannot die, if you have never lived"



Another Bibsterism. Not sure if I stole these from someone or made them up myself.



I use that last one with my wife to try to get her to let our overly sheltered Irish Setter out of the house and yard without a leash and run through the orchards a little. She alwats comes back in 1/2 hour or less. I only know this because I let her slip out once in awhile when nobody is around.



But I have a practical side, too. Buy the chains before you go. Do not open them unless you have to use them - then sell them later if you do not need them - or depending on return policy - return them if not used.



The price of chains goes up dramatically when the snow is already flying. Especially in small towns that are tourist stops. Take some bungee cords to tighten the slack out of the chains.



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hypercoug wrote:

Donner can be tricky if there is snow. They do a pretty good job of keeping it clear since it's such a major pipeline. On average, I'd say chains are required about a half dozen times a year or so. Completely depends on how heavy the snowfall is.



P.S. Here locally, "San Fran" is dead give away you're tourist. Stick to "SF."

I grew up in the Bay Area and everyone always just called it "The City"

Same and still live here.



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hypercoug wrote:
We once tried driving over the pass (going from Utah to the Bay Area) around new years, and it was snowing. A van skidded out in front of us, hit our minivan.

Biggest insight from this thread is that hypercoug drives a minivan yet chose to take his picture in front of a pickup for his avatar. Mullet plus minivan would = pure awesomeness! I want to see that avatar updated hyper! :crazy:

hypercoug wrote:

I've driven the pass many times over the years and only put onthe chains twice. I've only heard of the pass closing once. Make sure you have them but you'll probably be fine getting through. I'm driving to Reno for the UNR game after thanksgiving. Not expecting any problems.

Well you won't have problems if you are going to Reno only. That's before the pass. Nothing but flat, ugly I-80 between here and there.



Also the weather is much likely to be worse around christmas/new years than thanksgiving, since temperatures are much colder then.

Except I'm driving from west to east. You'll be fine most likely. And if there's snow drive an extra four hours through Las Vegas and Bakersfield from Salt Lake (and only two hours extra from Provo). It's only an extra 220 miles.

This happened when I was a teenager, 16 years old or so. Our whole family (except for my mom) was in the good ol' 1989 dodge grand caravan.



As for me, now, I actually drive a GMC Sierra Pickup :)

It's blue though.



And if I take my shirt off, I am ashamed to say I actually do look a lot like the guy in my avatar. I've got a bit more meat on my bones than that dude, but not much....

I drive from Utah over Donner Pass every other year for the last six years for Thanksgiving. Half the time we have been required to have chains or 4-wheel drive to pass. The last time I drove I had bought chains and they broke one mile later after I put them on. That required that I buy some new ones from the many, many chain vendors that suddenly appear along the way. Actually I've begun to take the California Zepher (Amtrack) as it only takes a couple hours more and it is much more peaceful. We found it just as cheap as driving. It goes from Salt Lake all the way to SF.

I also make the trip over Donner regularly and say that about half of the time during that time of year expect to put on chains, and expect the 35 mile per hour line of traffic for about 2 hours or so down into Auburn.



I presume that you've got "chaining up" experience in that you've lived in Boston and Utah, but if you don't, may I suggest a rubber mat to kneel on and a good pair of channel locks to assist in the installing the chains.



PS also avoid using the term "'Frisco" the locals hate it.