Do you have tire chains? Know how to use them? Only about 25mph maximum using chains. But then, being from PA you know all of this? Like--- Remove them when encountering dry pavement. Stop after putting them on and driving a small distance, to tighten, or re-tighten them, particularly until you get good at putting them on. And off. then back on. then off again. oh, happy trails! Up and down mountains in the West can be so much fun in the Winter, but there can be breaks in the weather when even if the road isn't exactly completely clear, then at least they can be traveled without having to chain up. But you will HAVE TO have them in the vehicle in Colorado.
Depending upon the weather, if you need to get to Phoenix from Denver, perhaps forget about the mountains of Southern Colorado(?) and just go South on I-25 to I-40 then West, or go through Albuquerque, all the way to I-10, and then West. The pass at the Colorado/New Mexico border can be snowed in too, even as it drops some elevation from Denver & Colorado Springs, to Albuquerque. The North wind just lo-ooves Raton Pass in the Winter.
When there is snow and ice at Gallup (not exactly on your route, but West of Albuquerque on I-40) many times it is frozen over, all the way to past (West of) Flagstaff. From Flagstaff to Phoenix on I-17 there are some fairly steep grades both down, then back uphill, before dropping down once again.
Keep an eye on the weather. If you don't know or enjoy snow driving, maybe don't. Even if you do know snow (you're from PA?) remember to budget your minimum needed driving time to DOUBLE normal, at least, while always thinking...could I live through the night spun out into the ditch on the side of the road right here?Prepare accordingly.
Use chains to get OUT of snow, instead of INTO snow, even though one can often enough do about 40 mph on level packed snow without chains. With chains, 25mph. 15-20mph many times better. No chains, on hard ice (not packed snow) 15mph MAX. period! 5-10mph is more like it!
In the Western States, rock is used more than salt. Beware rocks flying from trucks (tires). Truckers get cracked and pinged windshields from other trucks! How well are you going to make out???
Truckers usually figure 50mph when planning trips in the summertime, even when they can legally go much faster. A guy needs to stop and take a leak every once in a while. It takes some minutes, just to do that.
Do you use mile markers? It can be a quick cheat for old-fashioned paper map navigation. Mile numbers on the Interstates usually (almost always but with a few exceptions system wide) start in the West, and South, getting bigger going FROM those origins, smaller going those directions. For example, going across Kansas, from East to West on 1-70, the mile marker numbers will get smaller.
Stop at a truck stop (most any PILOT would do) and buy yourself a Motor Carrier's Atlas. $14.95-$15.95 at most any of them. For another $4.95 one can get a truck stop Pocket Guide which will give all truck stops open 24/7 for all Interstates keyed to mile markers on the various Interstates. Stops on state routes will be listed, but not under order of mm's, They will be listed as town or city, and then road number.
I don't necessarily recommend fueling or stopping at truck stops if you don't have to (one gets tired of them when driving truck) but they can be handy --- and if they are listed in the pocket guide, they'll be open 24/7 and will just about always offer gasoline along with diesel fuel. The food in truck stops is usually lousy, to be avoided, but I know how to find the good, or at least better ones. None of them were ever Pilot, if I properly recall...save in the very rare instance when there would be a real mom-and-pop type attached or nearby. Eat elsewhere, if you can.
No, I'm from VA. Two states south.
I've actually dropped Denver due to the excessive mountain driving, but I think I will be okay stopping in Santa Fe or Albuquerque and getting a rental car for a 1-2 day excursion (including travel time) up to Durango.
In the Western States, rock is used more than salt. Beware rocks flying from trucks (tires).
Thanks for the heads up. I just need to keep appropriate distance.
Do you use mile markers?
Extensively.