This January, my buddy and I are planning one of my dream trips. We are driving to Denver, picking up spouses and friends, skiing Summit County for a week, dropping them back at the airport, and then storm chasing for a week.

Quesion: What is the easiest and quickest way to drive to Denver?

Jump on 70 West here in SW PA and keep on driving until the Pena Blvd exit in Denver. St. Louis or KC make good halfway points.

How many of you are coming on the trip? If it's just one or two of you and you can make it to KC, you might be able to spend the night at my place (save some money that way). It depends on my work and personal travel schedule though.

One of the best things that can be said about living in KC is that someone is always passing over/by/through.

Anyway if you're interested PM me and we can chat.

For the I70 route make like your going to Seven Springs, but keep on to Pittsburgh and catch I70 from there all the way to Denver. If I remember correctly it's about 25 hours of road time to Denver.
A few years back I went out that way, but for variety came back via I64 from St. Louis, then I79 in WV, I68 and I270. If you go that route near Charleston, WV you can also take I64 to I81&I66. Did that route about 15 years ago. The southern routes may add an hour to the overall trip.

Hi Roy, sounds like a great trip.

I-70 is the best route, but long sections of it are exceedingly boring. One recommendation I would make is to invest in satellite radio! I've taken a few road trips across the country, and I remember the days of desperately clinging to decent radio stations that briefly appeared near big cities and then gradually faded to static and country (and to me, there's not much difference -- no offense to country fans! )

In 2003, I chronicled a road trip I took along I-70, also in January:

http://www.dcski.com/articles/view_article.php?article_id=717

Weather can be tricky in January. Much of the country was snow-covered. There wasn't a lot of traffic on I-70, though, and hotels along I-70 tend to be cheaper in January than in the summer. (I guess there's just not that many folks packing the kids in the car for a January road trip!)

During the storm chasing part of your trip, you might keep going on I-70 until it dead-ends at I-15 and then head north to Salt Lake City. My favorite section of I-70 is in central Utah. But, states are big out there, so that's a good day's drive.

I70 as every one else has said

I think it's safe to say I-70 has won. We are still going to watch the weather and try to avoid it as much as possible. Last thing we'd want is an Ice Storm driving through the midwest.

Watch the forecasts and plan your overnight stays. Keep in mind there is basically nothing between St. Louis and KC and absolutely nothing between KC and Denver but the occasional Stuckey's and a gas station.

Well, that's not exactly true. Columbia is halfway between KC and St. Louis. Heading west from KC, you've got Lawrence (which would be a suburb out east, not a separate town), Topeka, Manhattan, then Salina. After Salina the towns get really, really map-dot-ish (I think Hayes it the last town over 4,000 on your way to Denver). The hotel rates in Salina are pretty good. I'd bet that Hayes and Burlington, CO have good rates too.

But it does get farther and farther between as you head west. Also, another word of warning: if the weather turns crappy, there are gates across I-70 in the western part of KS, and they're not afraid to close 'em. I think this is usually reserved for tornado weather but I'll bet they wouldn't keep the road open in a big snow either. West Kansas is whiteout country.