What should I expect driving in Montana this time of year?

[gcal]

I'll be driving a Penske Lease and pulling a 48 foot dry van.
Only been through there in the spring summer. What should I expect dead of winter? Is it as bad as everyone says, road closers and stuck in truck stops for days etc? or is it plowed and drivable with out chains?

[bentstrider]

It's not that bad.
Unlike CA, fresh powder fall will not cause a road shut-down out there and they're quick to get pellet trucks out there for ice.

[thephoneispapa]

I live in northwestern Montana and this winter has been very mild on the west side of the rockies. Out east they have had some snow, but there aren't really any major passes once you get beyond Bozeman. I90 is always kept pretty clear, since it is a major east/west road. You should have no problems with a loaded 48 footer. If you go through St Regis, (exit 33) try the OK Cafe for a great meal and plenty of truck parking.

[jonp]

I'll be driving a Penske Lease and pulling a 48 foot dry van.
Only been through there in the spring summer. What should I expect dead of winter? Is it as bad as everyone says, road closers and stuck in truck stops for days etc? or is it plowed and drivable with out chains?

Death and destruction, tornados, hail, locusts and plague, birds dive-bombing the truck and dragons with zombies thrown in to make it interesting. And watch out for the rabid wolves

[gcal]

I live in northwestern Montana and this winter has been very mild on the west side of the rockies. Out east they have had some snow, but there aren't really any major passes once you get beyond Bozeman. I90 is always kept pretty clear, since it is a major east/west road. You should have no problems with a loaded 48 footer. If you go through St Regis, (exit 33) try the OK Cafe for a great meal and plenty of truck parking.

COOL! Thanks!

[gcal]

Death and destruction, tornados, hail, locusts and plague, birds dive-bombing the truck and dragons with zombies thrown in to make it interesting. And watch out for the rabid wolves

LOL your too funny

[jonp]

lol, couldn't help it. You never said where in MT your destination was. MT is a big state but I'm guessing the western part as Miles City is another 4 or 500miles.

[gcal]

first tome doing the route was great. uneventful other then I almost ran out of fuel LOL I missed my stop in Spokane and found out our company card is only good at a hand full of locations and there are none inbetween spokane and troutedale OR LOL Opps! I made it on E for the last 150 miles!
Some snow. Nothing major but don't go into parking lots unless you have to. Main roads were cleaned and sanded so nothing what I expected. It was gravy.

[jonp]

Good Deal! I hope it continues on in this vein for you. Sounds like you have a sweet deal.

[gcal]

I sure hope so my self. I am tired of the trucking business and this has giving me new hope.

[Roadhog]

I've always enjoyed Montana, one of my most favorite places is Glacier Park.
I have more personal trips from the 70's and 80's running Hwy 2 between the west coast and Michigan,
(once on a Hog in 1974 with a brown fringe jacket ) but over the last 10 years it's been Hwy 90 for my commercial runs.

The mountains can be white knuckle/toenails through the bottom of your boot challenging
... well and there was this raven haired beauty from Missoula..... even more challenging and dangerous.

Best of luck gcal.

[gcal]

I've always enjoyed Montana, one of my most favorite places is Glacier Park.
I have more personal trips from the 70's and 80's running Hwy 2 between the west coast and Michigan,
(once on a Hog in 1974 with a brown fringe jacket ) but over the last 10 years it's been Hwy 90 for my commercial runs.

The mountains can be white knuckle/toenails through the bottom of your boot challenging
... well and there was this raven haired beauty from Missoula..... even more challenging and dangerous.

Best of luck gcal.

Thanks. I have noticed those passes can be tricky for sure. They made the hair on the back of my neck stand up a few times. I was thinking to my self "boy if it snows hard this is going to be interesting climbing up and even more fun going down". Chains, chains, chains LOL

I'm praying to the trucker gods that I don' catch anything big this year. I hope it will be mild....But you never know.
This is what I ran into. The locals said that aint snow and laughed. LOL Good news is that every major parking lot I saw had a pickup with a snow plow working and all the major streets had city trucks sanding and plowing. I was very impressed with how they handled it. More then I can say for the city of Portland. they sht them self here when it rains more less in the snow.