I am trying to plan a trip out west to do some sleding. Try to find out how likely I80 maybe closed. I am coming all the way from CT and It would suck to get stuck in WY and have to turn back. I was thinking of heading out in Feb or March.
Road Closures (I80)
- Thread starter ljbarryiv
- Start date
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SledsWest
Well-known member
You're playing russian roullette with I-80 in Wyo anytime between Nov and April!!! If its closed, turn south and head for Colorado. If not, thank the holy God that its not and pray it doesn't close ahead of you before you get to where you're going. Thats about all you can do. If it is closed, count yourself lucky because I've been on I-80 when its not closed but should have been and its a death defying experience everytime! Especially with an enclosed trailer and the hurricane force cross winds while on the ice packed roads.
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SledsWest
Well-known member
It's closed all winter....I would head to the UP.
Thanks, I am glad to see someone has some usefull info. If you don't want to help don't post. I am sure there are a lot of people who have lived out there for more then a year that can make a good guess on how offten
I80 closes durring the winter and for how long.
My friends in ID want me to drive out there but I was hopeing they would meet me in snowys. Thats a lot more doable for me only one pass. I have driven though during the summer but thever the winter. I looked at the UP but seems like a lot of trail rideing and no mountains. I've got trail riding around here.
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Get weather alert on your cell. Hop in the truck and burn rubber !! >>>>.
As close as you're going to get to a real answer.....unless, of course, you have Al Gore's cell number.
http://map.wyoroad.info/
http://map.wyoroad.info/
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lookin4snow
New member
I have left Wisconsin when I 80 has been closed around the Nebraska/Wyoming border and by the time I got there the road was open and we made it to the Snowies. We have also left Wisconsin and had bad icy roads across Nebraska, only to have I 80 close within hours of us going through. On that trip, which was last April, the road opened just after we completed three days of riding and were headed back to Wisconsin. Many sledders were not as lucky as we were and they got stuck in motels and could not get to the Snowies to ride. Like others have mentioned here, it is a crapshoot – roll the dice. I’d check the weather the week before you are going and then confirm your plans with your friends and see how the weather fares for you.
Overall Wyo does a good job keeping I80 open. There is a lot of time that its slick and the visibility stinks, but it is still open. I would say that it may close quite a bit after dark, but not near as often in the daylight. When my kids were little I ran from Laramie to Little America, (divorced and kids are in Star Valley) a lot, at least once a month, Probably only missed 3 or 4 trips to closed roads in 10 years. If they were open I traveled. I was out there a lot in horrible conditions.
Slow down, stick it in 4H and come on in.
Slow down, stick it in 4H and come on in.
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CuzzinOlaf
Active member
I80 was closed for days at the Cheyenne Pass in the beginning of April last year. We ended up driving down to Ft. Collins and took 287 to Laramie.
If it closes, its probably open again within a day. Also, it seems you would be close to good riding territory going North or South if you had to divert. The vacation is almost always better when things don't go exactly as planned, it's more memorable. Don't let the anticipation kill your trip. Good luck.
always a way around the closure on the interstates. get a good state map and pick a backroad route. as far as 80 getting to togwotee. dont go through cheyenne or laramie. take 80 to ogallala nebraska, then take hwy 26 through scottsbuff, then into wyoming to interstate 25 then north to casper. then you take 20-26 to 26-287 right to the lodge. one pass between dubois and the lodge (38 miles total). thats the way we always go. avoids alot of the bad areas to get to togwotee. just my .02
just got back from there, 28 hours from door to door about 1600 miles.
ski
just got back from there, 28 hours from door to door about 1600 miles.
ski
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kevsled59
Member
I 80
We have been to the snowies in April and got stranded in Ogala NE, and stranded on the interstate between Cheyenne and Laramie for 6hrs waiting for the road to open. There must have been 20 ambulances coming out of there and when we did get to go there were alot of semi's totalled out. One local told us that it is the highest spot on I80 in the US and called it God forsaken country and that all kinds of weather can blow in there. All in all I have to tell you I have been on trips to the mountains for 20years and you can have bad roads anywhere and anytime. Just remember if you know the roads are closed just get a room and chill until they open and don't try back roads because they aren't always plowed and there are less places to stay.
Whatever you do have fun and be careful.
We have been to the snowies in April and got stranded in Ogala NE, and stranded on the interstate between Cheyenne and Laramie for 6hrs waiting for the road to open. There must have been 20 ambulances coming out of there and when we did get to go there were alot of semi's totalled out. One local told us that it is the highest spot on I80 in the US and called it God forsaken country and that all kinds of weather can blow in there. All in all I have to tell you I have been on trips to the mountains for 20years and you can have bad roads anywhere and anytime. Just remember if you know the roads are closed just get a room and chill until they open and don't try back roads because they aren't always plowed and there are less places to stay.
Whatever you do have fun and be careful.
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pullhardr
Member
I drove 1-80 in southeast Wy for 10+ plus years for work and never once didn't make it home at night. Not saying I didn't have my share of "why the heck did I jump on Happy Jack road?" when the interstate was closed between Laramie and Cheyenne. Go for it, I'd say more than likely you'll be allright. If by chance Laramie closes down in all directions for 2 days, I would like to apologize in advance for the bad advice!
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ccoleman77
ACCOUNT CLOSED
I-80 sucks. But so does life. Good luck planning that one ahead.
Most likely section of I80 to be closed is between Cheyenne and Laramie. When it closes, most likely the Happy Jack Road just to the north will close at the same time. You may be able to drop south into CO and catch 287 back up to Laramie, but from what I've seen that road will close a good share of the time that 80 closes. Other than those routes, your viable choices are about zero unless you want to go way out of your way.
Having said that, just allow yourself the flexibility to leave a day early or late to try to avoid the worst conditions.
Wind is a huge factor in closing the 45 mile stretch between Cheyenne and Laramie. Snow may not be falling but that area seems to be a wind tunnel and causes whiteout conditions where you can go from great visability down to zero in a few seconds.
Keep an eye on snow and wind forecasts. Also, knowing how much snow the area has on the ground from previous storms will aid in your decision because the less snow there is, the less likely there will be whiteouts from the wind.
Wyoming and Nebraska Departments of Roads have quite a few webcams on I80. Pictures are worth 1,000 words.
Having said that, just allow yourself the flexibility to leave a day early or late to try to avoid the worst conditions.
Wind is a huge factor in closing the 45 mile stretch between Cheyenne and Laramie. Snow may not be falling but that area seems to be a wind tunnel and causes whiteout conditions where you can go from great visability down to zero in a few seconds.
Keep an eye on snow and wind forecasts. Also, knowing how much snow the area has on the ground from previous storms will aid in your decision because the less snow there is, the less likely there will be whiteouts from the wind.
Wyoming and Nebraska Departments of Roads have quite a few webcams on I80. Pictures are worth 1,000 words.
