Snow On Stephen’s Pass in March??
Nov 30, 2023, 2:14 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2023
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Snow On Stephen’s Pass in March??
Hi all: I’m planning to drive from San Diego to Everett, WA at the end of March, pulling a small 4’x8’ boxed trailer. I’m wondering if it’ll be safe to go over Stephen’s Pass. I’ll be driving a 2022 Toyota Corolla. I’d appreciate your advice. Thank you.
Nov 30, 2023, 10:28 pm
#2
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Probably the wrong forum to post this (I'd advise the WA forum on TripAdvisor). That said, is your vehicle even capable of towing the trailer? I wager not and steep hills and going too fast up them could wreck your drive train, and downright dangerous going down hill if the trailer does not have its own brakes. ou also need to wire the Corolla to provide lights to the trailer. As for towing capacity, look at the placard (inside of the driver door frame). There will be a GVWR which is the maximum weight of the vehicle (gas + pax + stuff onboard) and GCWR which is the total weight including trailer.
Dec 2, 2023, 8:26 pm
#3
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Although I have never driven on either, it would seem a lot more prudent to take Snoqualmie Pass via I-90 than Stevens Pass via U.S. 2.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stevens_Pass
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snoqualmie_Pass
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stevens_Pass
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snoqualmie_Pass
Dec 2, 2023, 8:45 pm
#4
Join Date: Dec 2004
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Posts: 752
If you’re driving from San Diego to Everett, it’s a straight shot up I5 and you don’t need to go over any mountain passes (Stevens or Snoqualmie) in Washington unless you choose to. Either pass could wreck your car going up or going down if your trailer is overweight or poorly loaded.
Dec 4, 2023, 8:58 am
#5
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1. I-5 to Redding then 2 options…stay on 5 over a 4000 ft mountain pass thst you can get snow or go 97 to klamath falls thrn head north a bit thrn take OR 58 to rugrnr which is a very low mountain pass thst truckers use to avoid the climb and devrnts on 5.
other option is near thBay Area you’d cut over to 101 and take thst up the coast thrn inland to 5 at some point.
going 15-84 type of route would put you over the 4000+ pass in eastern oregon blue mountains and go over the cascade passes host are all about 3800 ft and higher. I-90 is 3800. Snoqualmie is 5500 ft. White pass/ US 12 is over 6000 ft. WA 410 and WA 20 are closed from mid November- late May on average. Going this route you have a much higher snow risk without going over mountains.