I need some help with this [smiley=nixweiss.gif].. I am leaving Kelowna, B.C. on Sunday and heading down to Reno. I can either take highway 97 South or highway 395 South. I don't know either highway so I am hoping you can help. I am concerned about the high altitudes in the Sierra Mountains and the possibility of snow. Any suggestions?
Canuck
I'd probably opt for US 97. A couple of years ago I rode with a friend from Yakima to Redding, Cal. He continued south and I turned around and went back on 395. As I recall the mileage was right at 600 from Yakima to Redding and I did approximately 710 going north on 395. The road between Pendelton, Oregon and Burns Oregon is not the fastest stretch of road you'll ever encounter. It's a fun road not a fast one. From Burns South its high desert and pretty wide open and you can travel at extra-legal speeds. Us 97 in Oregon starts with a climb up from the Columbia and then is mostly high plateau to Bend. From Redmond to Bend is a little slow as its pretty built up with a lot of traffic and congestion. South of Bend to Klamath Falls is fast 2-lane with plenty of passing lanes. When we traveled to Reno we took 97 to Klamath Falls and then Oregon 39 to Cal. 139 to just west of Canby. We followed 139 into Susanville. Again, a fun road but not a fast one. As I recall you'll be around 4000 feet a good part of the way in Northern Calif. An alternative is to take 299 from Canby into Alturas and then continue South on 395. Yet another option is to turn east just South of La Pine Oregon and take Oregon 31 and intersect US 395 just North of Lakeview.
In Wash. 395 from Kettle Falls to Spokane is a neat road. Getting through Spokane can be a pain in the ass as North-South traffic is limited to a few major arterials. Your then on the Freeway to Ritzville and then a 4-lane to the Tri-Cities. You'll see a lot of wheat fields. You then stay on I-82 and 84 to Pendeleton. So all 4-lane from Spokane to Pendelton; fast but not the greatest way to travel. There are ways to avoid the Freeway but it takes some time and planning. On the other hand Us 97 follows the Columbia River. High desert, orchards and mountains. The stretch over Blewett Pass from the intersection of US 2 to E-burg is also a nice road. You can take the freeway from E-burg to Toppenish but I usually travel on Wash. St. route 821 along the Yakima River. Its a fun little canyon road with a speed limit of 45 but can be traveled at a brisker pace if the local law enforcement is not patrolling. Law enforcement usually hangs out at either end of the canyon. You can also take I-82 and travel up and down the ridges into Yakima. The grades are 5-6% and with your new cams and 6-speed you should be able to climb those hills in 6th at 80. You can pick up us 97 in Toppenish and the make a quick run across the Res over Satus Pass and down, down , down to the Columbia. Be careful around Goldendale as their is a State trooper detatchment there that lives on speeders getting ready to decend to the Columbia.
I don't think snow will be an issue this time of year. My wife and I drove to Reno in late March and got snowed in one day. Other than that the passes were bare and dry. It will get cold over 3500 feet especially in the morning and evening.
Hope this helps.
Dan
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Topic: Highway 97 or highway 395? (Read 1832 times)