Travelling to Bend, Oregon from Portland in winter
I will be travelling from Portland (more specifically Hillsboro (Tanasbourne)) to Bend, Oregon for a weekend ski trip. I have not done this route before and know of a couple ways via car to get there.
- Route 26 East, past Mt Hood then Route 97 down into Bend
- Route 5 South connecting to Route 22 then 20 into Bend.
According to Google maps the quickest is #2 (slightly) 3hr 15min with #1 being 3hr 23min.
Since I will be leaving by car (Chevrolet Cruze) from Hillsboro at 5pm Fri 13th Feb what would be the better route considering the following
- Road conditions such as snow/ice
- Road quality
- Safety
- Peak traffic through Portland (for #1)
- Would the car be suitable or would a 4x4 be required
I will not have chains so I would imagine safety is best. I have not driven in snow/ice before
Best Answer
If you've truly never driven on ice or snow before, my recommendation is: neither. A winding mountain road is not the place to be learning. The first time you try to stop, you will skid, the first time you take a corner, you will be going too fast, and it's much better to do so in a place where the worst that can happen is that a tow truck needs to pull your car out of the ditch.
My recommended route is to take I-84 to US-197 to US-97 to Bend. You cross the Cascades near sea level, so it's far less likely to have snow. It's about 45 minutes longer under normal conditions, but if US-26 and SR-22 are snowy, it could be considerably faster.
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Is it safe to drive from Portland to Bend in winter?
If you have 4WD and chains(and know how to put them on) should be ok. Hwy 26 is a good pass, but still a mountain pass. If snow is of concern at high elevation, it might be easier to go up I-84 the Gorge to Hwy 97 and follow that all the way down to Bend- its longer, but if snow is an issue may not be that much longer.Do I need chains to drive from Portland to Bend?
In particular, it appears that every route from Portland to Bend includes sections where it is mandatory to carry chains, including US 26, OR 22, US 20, and even the I-84 route suggested by Mark. So if you don't have chains, you can't go.Do you need snow chains in Bend Oregon?
Chains are required in Oregon whenever winter conditions exist and SNOW ZONE signs are posted advising drivers to carry or use them.What is there to do in Bend Oregon in the winter?
Best Things to Do in Bend in Winter- Fat Tire Biking. Discover Bend Oregon in a new light with Fat Tire bike trails. ...
- Snowmobiling. ...
- Downhill Skiing & Snowboarding. ...
- Snowshoeing. ...
- Nordic & Cross-Country Skiing. ...
- High Desert Museum. ...
- Winter Fest.
Bend Oregon Winter Driving Tips
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Images: Brett Sayles, Pixabay, Tabitha Mort, Brett Sayles