Calif to Colorado

['956Wheel]

We will be taking a trip to the denver area this coming winter. From So. Cal. I could go up the 15 to the 70 and across or the 40 to N. M. and the 25 up. What is the best way... scenic, campgrounds and such. I know the 40 route is a bit more but I have not been through N. M. since I was a kid.



Mike

 

[K_Arts]

I travel from Denver to LA pretty much every year. I would say go 15 to 70.





It is not too bad to drive and it has some pretty cool scenery.



If you have any questions about the route... or just in general. . don't be afraid to ask.



Kev

 

[BarryG]

I would agree with Kevin take 70. Going through Utah is pretty and if you are willing to go off the freeway and take some state or US Highways the scenery defintely gets even better. (ie 15 north to the Zion area cut through Zion NP and then north to hwy 12 past Bryce Canyon NP up through Boulder to US24 through Capital Reef NP and up to 70. That is one Scenic route. Nothing wrong with New MExico but I40 through there is quite boring when you hit 25 north it gets nice through the Pecos area north of Sante fe but by the time you get past Trinidad it is pretty boring the rest of the way to Denver.

 

[LSMITH]

Mike, either coming or going I would recommend that you go through the central part of CO and NM. If you were coming back that way it would go something like this (it has been a few years, so I don't remember all the road #'s). Take 70 west out of Denver, over the top through the Eisenhour tunnels to 91. 91 is just west of Frisco. Take 91 south to Leadville. Take 24 south out of Leadville to Buena Vista. Take 285 south out of Buena to 160 in the san Luis Valley. Take 160 west over Wolf Creek pass, to Pagosa Springs. From Pagosa you can head south on 84 down to Santa Fe and catch I-40 in Albuquerque, or continue west on 160 to the four corners, and drop down to Tuba City AZ and on down to I-40 in Flagstaff. 84 south to Santa Fe is good road and good scenery. 6 hours from Denver to Pagosa, Pagosa to Albuquerque is another 4 hours. From Pagosa to Flagstaff is about 7 hours. If you take 160 west out of Pagosa stop at Mesa Verde, the Anasazi ruins are really neat to see. That is near Cortez.



The views from I-70 to Leadville CO and down to Buena Vista are as pretty as I have ever seen. I grew up In Pagosa Springs and when I drive back to visit my folks I take that route both ways if I can. You are on top of the world for a lot of that drive. I-70 through Utah and western CO is well worth the trip in one direction too.

 

[T-Ricky]

In the winter I would not decide until I was rolling out. Check the weather.

Rick T.

 

['956Wheel]

Yeah, pulling in the winter with 2WD I'm thinking the 40 to 25 way. I have been the 15 to 70, as far as Grand Junction but that was in July.



Mike



P. S. Where do the chains go on a dually?

 

[dan_gilson]

Chains:

On a 4x4 you can put on either drive axle. Putting them on the rear end will give you a better ride. Less virbration on the steering wheel. Some people have reported better traction on the putting chains on front. When it gets really bad you put them on both. At that time around here they normally have already shut down the highway.



On a 2x4 you must put a least a set on the rear axle. Front would be optional.



They do make dually chains that go over both tires at the same time. They do offer some advantages in that the cross links are staggered, which means that you always have a cross link on the ground. My mind tells me that a dually chains are probably easier to install in that you do not have to worry about the tensioner between the two tires but I do not know that this is for sure the case. In all cases they are a downright PITA to install in the you have to crawl down in the wet to get them hooked up.



There are a lot of websites they can explain. http://www.tirechains.com/ Is where I got my chains. They were good doing business with. They answered my questions and make some recomendations. There is also a table at the bottom of the page with links to each state on chains rules.