Change to winter tires for mid Oct. drive to Seattle?

[redevil]

So,

I'm planning to drive down to Seattle from Oct.12-18. I currently have my 18" Kumho SPT's summer tires on my FXT. Question is should I change it up to my winter set up just in case is snows when I drive down to Seattle and the drive back home to Calgary?

Not sure what the weather is like through Cranbrook, Spokane, and Seattle at this time of the year. Let me know what you think!

Not sure how the SPT's are in a little snow..... :dunno:


Thanks

[2002civic]

I would say better to be safe than sorry....

[Ferio_vti]

Which highway route are you taking?? Thru the mountains and higher altitudes, I'd want to have winters on. Even if there isn't any snow or ice, with lower temps your summer tires would have zero traction.

[Inzane]

x2 the previous two posts.

[prae]

we encountered snow in august on the drive back from seattle so i would say yes, you should.

[redevil]

yeah looks like I'll change them over, better to be safe then sorry.

[riced]

Originally posted by redevil
Not sure how the SPT's are in a little snow..... :dunno:

That's funny.. last winter, it was all nice and shizz so I decided to put my SPT's on cause it looked like winter was finally gone.. the next friggin morning it dumped like no tomorrow, traffic was horrible, the weathernetwork failed me and I barely made it to school.
If you go put some slurpee on you driveway by your tires and try to drive, you'll spin em. It's ridiculous haha

But, I made it to school and ended up getting stuck in the damn parking lot.

[matt302]

the weather in around spokane is decent up to the border around that time, however further north, snow is definately a possibility, gone on crowsnest during the fall time and it can suck. Washington and Idaho are fine that time just cooler weather. Also watch out for I-90 segments near spokane, ritzville, and ellensburg, major cop traps. Also what part of seattle are you going to, I-5 is bad around 3-8pm. I-405 is better for reaching eastside areas of the seattle area. Also check out the central market downtown. Hope you enjoy. I live in the seattle area, let me know if you need directions or recommondations.

[redevil]

Originally posted by matt302
the weather in around spokane is decent up to the border around that time, however further north, snow is definately a possibility, gone on crowsnest during the fall time and it can suck. Washington and Idaho are fine that time just cooler weather. Also watch out for I-90 segments near spokane, ritzville, and ellensburg, major cop traps. Also what part of seattle are you going to, I-5 is bad around 3-8pm. I-405 is better for reaching eastside areas of the seattle area. Also check out the central market downtown. Hope you enjoy. I live in the seattle area, let me know if you need directions or recommondations.

What is a cheap but good area to stay at. I was looking to book a hotel but don't really want to spend anything more then $550 or so. Ideal location is downtown but you have to pay extra for parking every day. I'm thinking just north of downtown.

[blinkme_210]

Originally posted by redevil


What is a cheap but good area to stay at. I was looking to book a hotel but don't really want to spend anything more then $550 or so. Ideal location is downtown but you have to pay extra for parking every day. I'm thinking just north of downtown.

Try Hotel Nexus on Northgate Way. Short 5 min drive into downtown, free parking, free breakfast, close to Northgate mall, etc.

[redevil]

Originally posted by blinkme_210


Try Hotel Nexus on Northgate Way. Short 5 min drive into downtown, free parking, free breakfast, close to Northgate mall, etc.

Hey Thank you very much for that suggestion, they were the cheapest but nicest hotel by far out of all the ones I looked at! :clap:

[v2kai]

as soon as it gets cold SPT's might as well be polished metal wheels on the road, no traction whatsoever

[pyroza]

If you're leaving within a couple of days, switch to winters. There's a big pacific storm coming through and you never know what might happen at higher elevations.

[matt302]

Great advise, about northgate, that area is quite decent for the money, watch out though, a bit more crime in that area. Definately check the city out, you won't be bored. Just watch out driving, seattle drivers are very aggressive. Check out the wharf, the music experience, and the pacific science center, very cool. Too bad you missed seafair, but it should be a great time regardless. Don't waste too much time on the eastside of the seattle area, the main city area is where the action is at.

[matt302]

hey redevil, what is your route, are you going through canada till I-5, or are you coming down to drive through idaho and washington on I-90?

[Cooked Rice]

who are the one's who voted to stay on SPTs? :thumbsdow winter tires and some tire chains in the trunk are a must for travel through the mountains any time there is the probability for snow.

[redevil]

Originally posted by matt302
hey redevil, what is your route, are you going through canada till I-5, or are you coming down to drive through idaho and washington on I-90?


I'm going through Cranbrook, through Kings Gate boarder crossing. I haven't really looked at the map yet.

:nut:

[blinkme_210]

Originally posted by redevil


Hey Thank you very much for that suggestion, they were the cheapest but nicest hotel by far out of all the ones I looked at! :clap:

Yeh, no problem. There's lots of good restaurants @ Northgate Mall, and if you're ever hungry in the middle of the night, there's a 24/7 McDicks across the street; with the obligatory Starbucks, haha.

[matt302]

sweet, took that route before, quite scenic, got from calgary to cranbrook in about 4 hrs, and there to spokane in another 3.5. Nice drive, didn't get bored from driving. Spokane to Ellensburg is the worst part, soo straight. Have fun though, Seattle is a great city. Let me know if you need any more help, always ready to help.

[redevil]

so what is the best way to get to Spokane, WA, from Calgary?

I tried to mapquest and googlemap but,

Google, takes me through Banff hwy 93 to hwy 95 to Invemere

Mapquest takes me to head south hwy 2, to ROUTE 540/ 626 AVE E, then to hwy3 though Crowsnest pass?

What you recommend?

[Senseiz]

Originally posted by redevil

What you recommend?


I took this way in March,
http://maps.google.ca/maps?f=d&saddr=Calgary,+AB&daddr=49.59647,-113.57666+to:seattle,+WA&hl=en&geocode=&mra=dpe&mrcr=0&mrsp=1&sz=7&via=1&sll=49.566605,-118.269875&sspn=5.422591,14.282227&ie=UTF8&ll=49.567978,-118.267822&spn=5.422591,14.282227&t=h&z=7

Through Cranbrook and Spokane. I would definitely go that way again. It is a boring drive from Spokane to Ellensburg, but going through the mountain, we encountered snow storm, so as for the winter tires, yes, put them on.

The other way going through Vancouver should be ~30 minutes shorter, however near March, I was worried highway 1 was going to be closed due to weather so I picked that route.

[redevil]

so just take hwy 2 all the way down till it hits hwy 3?

Or is it quicker to take hwy 22 south (if so what would be the best way to get over to hwy 22?)

I will be staying the night at Spokane then off to Seattle in the morning.

[prae]

93/95 is easy, bout the same as the 3. I've done both. Did the 3 back from Vancouver, do the 93/95 a lot to get to my cabin. Crossed at Eastport last time I went down south and it was smooth.