I am headed to Fargo, ND on Friday from Vegas and I am curious about the roads. I am going to take the I-70 from Utah to Denver to the I-76 on up. If the weather is good do they keep the I-70 in Western Colorado open in the winter? Or do they always require chains and 4x4. I am headed up in my Civic. I am used to driving in winter conditions because I lived in the Dakota's but what I am worried about is hitting the I-70 and finding out its closed. Thanks!

 

Heh... Man, you'd think we all step outside each morning and yodel at the pilgrims
haulin' their wares across the barren dirt plains in their ox-drawn covered wagons.

Yeah, it's open if the weather is good, it's only closed during blizzards.

-chris

 

Like Chris said, blizzard conditions cause problems from west side of Vail pass to east side of Eisenhauer tunnel.

DND58

 

Keep an eye on the weather channel or tune into the local Denver channels for road info. It only closes during extreme storms and that is pretty usual anymore - global warming and all.

 

Just a thought, It might be faster to stay on 15 all the way to Idaho Falls. Go up hwy 20 to West Yellowstone on into Bozeman, hit 90 to Billings and Take 94 to Fargo.

that is also dependent on weather. I use to make a trip to Vegas from Eastern MT every January that way without issue. 14 hours from Vegas to Billings.

 

Here's the Colorado Dept. of Transportation road conditions site.

Real-Time Road & Weather Conditions

 

Another site is Colorado Department of Transportation's Home Page, there are links to
road conditions/closures and cameras (some of which may lead to the above-mentioned
cotrip org site):

CDOT Home Page

I'm watching the morning TV news, they're talking about windy & warm on the eastern
plains but winter storms in the mountains today. It's probably more common for the chain
law to be in effect or the highway closed on I-70 between Vail <-> Eisenhower/Johnson
Tunnels than it is for I-70 to be closed on the eastern plains between the edge
civilization* & Kansas.

The chain law generally only affects commercial vehicles.

* The edge of civilization is... Limon? Kiowa? Dunno, but it depends on road conditions.