Author Topic: ROUTE ADVICE Bend, Oregon to Grants Pass, Oregon  (Read 7049 times)

KC Snellgrove

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ROUTE ADVICE Bend, Oregon to Grants Pass, Oregon
« on: November 07, 2015, 07:50:08 PM »
GOOD DAY fellow Beaver owners / friends! Well, just about ready to head out to Bend for some caressing of our Olivia Jean 2005 Monterey Coach. Got the house setter and  the leaf guy. Can anyone please tell me what is the best route to Grants Pass from Bend? Thank you so much!

KC Snellgrove
2005 Monterey 38' 400 CAT
Ms. OLIVIA - JEAN ;)

Mandy Canales

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Re: ROUTE ADVICE Bend, Oregon to Grants Pass, Oregon
« Reply #1 on: November 07, 2015, 08:55:55 PM »
KC...I would take Hwy 97 south to Hwy 138 (Crater Lake Junction), about 19 miles to Route 230 and continue to Route 62.  Follow that route about 3 miles past Shady Cove to Route 234 to Gold Hill and on to I-5, then north to Grants Pass.  I don't know of any shorter route.  Someone else may chime in here and safe travels.
Mandy Canales
90 Beaver Marquis 40'
Cat 3208
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Apple Valley, CA

KC Snellgrove

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Re: ROUTE ADVICE Bend, Oregon to Grants Pass, Oregon
« Reply #2 on: November 08, 2015, 02:25:10 AM »
Mandy thank yo so much. Happy Trails. KC :D

KC Snellgrove
2005 Beaver Monterey

Joel Ashley

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Re: ROUTE ADVICE Bend, Oregon to Grants Pass, Oregon
« Reply #3 on: November 08, 2015, 04:28:04 AM »
Oops.  KC, watch the weather reports.

We just came across 138 today, and beat the storm.  Yesterday we camped at Prospect and took the Explorer up to Crater Lake.  We did a few dances across some ice and snow enroute.  We beat it out of Dodge this afternoon with dark clouds following, and got across the Cascades to Hwy 97 before inclement weather set in.

138/230 is a good road, relatively wide with only a few winding areas, but be very aware of the weather forecast.  Diamond Lake is around 5400, with the summit of 138 around 5915 or so.  There was snow along the roadside.  Any wet spots on the road could be "black ice" if the temperature dips enough, as it did on the Crater Lake section of Hwy 62. 

When the time came to turn left or right at Diamond Lake Junction, we were conflicted because we really wanted to see the lake after decades, and looking back we probably could have spent an hour aside, but I was playing it safe and determined to get off the mountains ahead of bad weather tailing us, so I turned southeast (right) at the intersection.  We may take Pearl back up there this week, weather permitting.

We are at Big Pines in Crescent along Hwy 97 tonight and glad to have beat the weather across;  rain and snow forecast here tonight, so likely snow and ice up on 138/230.  It's raining here at the moment and relatively warm, but might not stay that way.  Cooler weather in Central Oregon, normal for this time of year, is expected from here on out.

Due at BCS Thursday, but watching daily forecasts closely.  You should do the same.  If the mountain weather is iffy, consider a Klamath Falls route.

Joel
« Last Edit: November 08, 2015, 04:45:08 AM by Joel Ashley »
Joel and Lee Rae Ashley
Clackamas, Oregon
36.9 ft. 2006 Monterey Ventura IV, aka"Monty Rae"
C9 400HP Cat

Joel Ashley

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Re: ROUTE ADVICE Bend, Oregon to Grants Pass, Oregon
« Reply #4 on: November 09, 2015, 07:43:03 PM »
KC, if you're coming to Bend from Milwaukie/Oak Grove, consider going to The Dalles and taking 97 south.  I don't know about Mt. Hood or Santiam, but the Cascade Passes down south got several inches of snow yesterday.  Usually if we're in Bend and there's snow between us and home we just go north on 97 and/or 197 to I-84 and west to I-205;  assuming the Gorge weather is palatable.

Joel
Joel and Lee Rae Ashley
Clackamas, Oregon
36.9 ft. 2006 Monterey Ventura IV, aka"Monty Rae"
C9 400HP Cat

Gary Wolfer

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Re: ROUTE ADVICE Bend, Oregon to Grants Pass, Oregon
« Reply #5 on: November 22, 2015, 05:22:58 PM »
If there is a lot of snow I would go the way Joel said but it is a long ways around but so far there has been just a little snow and I would go south on 97 to 58 into eugene then south on 1-5. You could go hwy 20 west out of bend then south at the santiam Y to eugene if there is no snow it would be the fastest.