Chance of seeing snow on SWC & CS in November

[June the Coach Rider]

I am leaving WOR on November 6th and taking the SWC and CS up to Portland. I was wondering what the chances are of seeing snow along the trip, I will arrive in Portland on the 10th.

Edited to add: Is it better to take the SWC westbound and the TE eastbound or visa versa?

 

[OlympianHiawatha]

100% Of course there is always snow on the high mountains along the coast and there is a betting man's chance snow will have already fallen along the higher points on the SWC route by then. Nasty stuff snow!

 

[June the Coach Rider]

Oh no, seeing snow from the train, beautiful.

 

[CHamilton]

There is an good chance that you will see snow in northern California, at least in the distance around Mt. Shasta, between Redding and Klamath Falls. If the train is on time northbound, however, this area may be traversed before dawn. Then between Klamath and Eugene, you will actually be climbing through the mountains, and you're very likely to see snow on either side of the tracks.

I see that Amtrak has updated its Route Guides to make them easier to print out, or to save on your mobile device. An easy way to do that is to use the free storage service Dropbox. (If you aren't a Dropbox user, PM me and I'll send you an invitation. We both get more free storage that way.) Once you've copied the document into Dropbox, make it a favorite on your tablet or mobile. That will save a copy locally so that it's available even without an internet connection.

• Southwest Chief Route Guide
• Coast Starlight Route Guide

 

[berkyo]

CHamilton, will that work on a Nook Color too. I can download things from the internet. I have printed out a copy of the SWC

route description.We are traveling to and from Santa Fe end of Oct, early Nov. Had not really planned on snow. This will be interesting.

 

[CHamilton]

CHamilton, will that work on a Nook Color too. I can download things from the internet.

It should, as I believe the Nook Color uses Android. Here's a discussion.

 

[AmtrakBlue]

Someone from MA needs to go to the west coast to see snow??? j/k.

 

[oregon pioneer]

June, as Charlie said, chances are good you'll see snow from the train between Klamath Falls and Eugene, as you travel over Willamette Pass and through the Cascade Mountains. So I am going to tell you what I do, when I'm going to be traveling (or just curious) and I want to see what's going on with the weather in another part of Oregon: I check out the ODOT roadcams! If you look near the center vertical axis of the state, you'll see a north/south roadway (97) with LOTS of road cams! Near the east/west center axis, you'll see a diagonal roadway(58) leading from 97 towards Eugene. Those roads are within a mile or two of the route the train follows, and you can check those cams any time and see what's happening. Have fun watching and planning, the Cascades in snow are completely different from Massachusetts, and very lovely!

 

[June the Coach Rider]

Someone from MA needs to go to the west coast to see snow??? j/k.

LOL I know huh, why not just drive north. I will have enough here at home soon, I want to take one more trip this year to Portland and then down to Oceanside to visit with friends before I have my own winter wonderland right here at home.

 

[EMDF9A]

I actually prefer the CS between November & March because you get to see so much snow. My last trip on 14 (not counting all the SEA/PDX Trails & Rails trips) was 01/31/13 it was stunningly beautiful as you saw the snow on Klamath Lake and and up & over the summit. If I remember correctly there was over 6 feet on the ground at Chemult and it was clinging beautifully from the trees along the ROW.

ENJOY your trip!

David

Seattle

 

[June the Coach Rider]

I actually prefer the CS between November & March because you get to see so much snow. My last trip on 14 (not counting all the SEA/PDX Trails & Rails trips) was 01/31/13 it was stunningly beautiful as you saw the snow on Klamath Lake and and up & over the summit. If I remember correctly there was over 6 feet on the ground at Chemult and it was clinging beautifully from the trees along the ROW. ENJOY your trip!

David

Seattle

I did the CS in February on my trip from Eugene OR to San Diego, it was so white, us in the lower level had to close our blinds for a little while because we were getting snow headaches. But it was beautiful. It was snowing too which made it even better.

 

[JayPea]

I tend to travel during the summer months, but a few years ago I took a trip on the CZ in March and it had snowed in the Sierras the day before. The sun was out on the day I traveled and it was gorgeous. As long as I can look at snow from the window of a train it's fine. Otherwise if it never snowed again in my lifetime it would be too much snow.

 

[Trainmans daughter]

Here is a picture I took on late December from the PPC as we went through the Cascades. (I hope this picture posts OK, as I've never tried to attach a pic before. If I've messed up, mod please fix or delete, Thanks)!

 

[SarahZ]

Oooohhh... pretty...

I've seen snow through Colorado and northern New Mexico on the SWC during November, but we travel the weekend before Thanksgiving.

 

[SP&S]

Oh does that beautiful photo conjure up memories. There is nothing like being in a nice warm train in the snow!