http://www.intellicast.com/Travel/Drivin鈥?/a> is helpful. I assume you would be taking I-80. The toughest part will be crossing the Sierra Nevada Mountains in eastern California. There is a good possibility that chains will be required at this time of year. If you have them, take them because if you have to buy them on the spot it will be $$$$. I-80 is a major highway so the road crews make great efforts to keep the road clear and open, but this part of the mountains gets many feet of snow in the winter.
Be prepared for anything. Carry winter clothing, food, water.
Have a great trip. It is a beautiful drive in the winter when conditions are good.
Edited to add this California Highway info site:
http://www.dot.ca.gov/cgi-bin/roads.cgi type 80 in the search box. Right now chains ARE required on all vehicles except 4 wheel drive vehicles with snow tires on all four wheels
Interstate 80, through the Sierra Nevada Mountains is CALLED and "all weather highway," however, during the worst storms it is closed, sometimes for several hours. The California Department of Transportation is well prepared and works very hard to keep the road plowed and opened, but if Mother Nature wants to win, there is nothing anyone can do about it.
Still, it IS open most of the time and an ordinary snow storm will not shut it down, but it can slow things down. Any winter traveling demands that you, at least, carry snow chains. Even if the roads are not snowed in, CalTrans workers and the Highway Patrol will set up inspection stations, sometimes, to verify that you are carrying a set during those periods of changeable weather. If you can't show that you carry the chains, you WILL be turned around and sent back.
Usually, when the chains are required, those inspection stations will also be manned by professional, licensed chain installers (affectionately called "chain monkies") For around $20, they will install the chains for you, and, at the other end of the restricted section, other installers will take them off for, I think, $5. My opinion is that it is worth the money to have someone else freeze their tushies putting them on. I can do it myself, but don't wanna unless I have to. (and, I HAVE been caught when sudden blizzard conditions shut the road down, so I have had to do it on my own a few times) So, it is best to practice installing them at least once, while you are at home and in dry weather.
Chains are not that expensive and should be considered essential equipment for ANY mountain driving in winter, whether it typically snows or not. I remember I was in Reno, Nevada in June, one year, and on the day we were due to drive back to San Francisco, it began to snow. It turned out that I didn't need the chains to get over the hill, but, ever since then, I ALWAYS keep the chains in the trunk of my car, or the back of my van. We go to Reno or Lake Tahoe about a half dozen times a year, and find it simpler to just keep the chains in the car than it is to try to outguess the weather and try to dig the chains out of storage. I always KNOW the chains are in the car. I carry a couple of extra sets of rubber chain tensioners and replace the used set every couple of years.
Interesting you ask the question as I know for a fact that it snows in Salt Lake and, unless you NEVER travel East, you must drive over a couple of substantial mountains.Drive from Salt Lake City to San Francisco?
As of this morning, the 80 was closed, but they are good about clearing it. Make sure you're not coming into SF on Sunday, traffic will be miserable. Overall, this is a simple drive, no turns, but the weather from Reno to Auburn is the only potential problem.
Yes, bring chains or have a 4 Wheel drive vehicle.
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