I may have occasion to drive a 14' or 16' U-Haul-type truck from Colorado Springs to Seattle....
I'm wondering which route is best.... The less time having to traverse cities, the better. And I am assuming that a truck will not have stellar performance climbing up mountain passes, so that's a consideration too. Haven't driven one of these beasts in a long time so, again, staying out of heavy city traffic as much as possible is a good thing.
Mr. Google suggests four possible routes, each more or less the same amount of time:
1. I-25 north through Denver to Cheyenne, then west on I-80 to Ogden, and then northwest.
https://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&sou...938354&t=m&z=8
2. I-25 all the way north to Sheridan, and then west on I-90
https://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&sou...&t=m&z=5&via=1
3. West out of Colorado Springs on U.S. 24 (cutting the corner on Denver) up to Breckenridge, I-70 west to Green River, northwest on U.S. 6 to Orem/I-15, thence onwards
https://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&sou...&t=m&z=5&via=1
4. South out of Colorado Springs to Canon City, then west on U.S. 50 through the Arkansas River canyon, then U.S. 50 all the way to Grand Junction, thence per #3.
https://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&sou...e=UTF8&t=m&z=7
Leaving Colorado Springs in the morning, the traffic to Denver and then through Denver can be nasty and crowded (so that affects #1&2), but then it looks like no bad city traffic the rest of the way? Taking route #3 avoids the Denver problem, but means Salt Lake City traffic (although I think that would probably be mid-day) Route #4 also avoids the Denver issue but the Arkansas River canyon can be both beautiful and challenging, and I don't know what the rest of the U.S. route to Montrose/Grand Junction is like.
I also don't know which route has the fewest high mountain passes. I have looked on actual paper map and I know that there is a high pass west of Denver on I-70 and just before Breckenridge if taking route #3 but have never driven anything north of Cheyenne or Salt Lake City.
So, what wisdom do you have to offer. I'm guessing this can be done in 3 long driving days, and since it's just me I'd probably look for well-rated-on-Trip-Advisor local cheap motels along the way (since I know that prices for less adventuresome lodging soars in the summer months in the west).