First Weekend in November... Best Route North

I%26#39;m ';partly'; a Portland State alum. I have my ticket for their game at Montana November 3.

I work in Mountain Home. I plan to work half a day, then drive out. Knowing how weather can affect the trip, I have a strategy set up as follows:

1st preference- I-84 east to Bliss, US 26 to Arco, US 93 to Salmon for the night, then the rest of the way north to Missoula early the next morning. (My observation is that Lost Trail Pass tends to have snow all winter... true?)

2nd preference, if too much weather for the first preference- Head back through Boise (where I live), up 55 to New Meadows, probably stay in Grangeville for the night, meaning I have to wake up earlier to get to Missoula. (Seems Lolo Pass is hit or miss to me... true?)

3rd preference- freeway through Pocatello all the way to Butte, then Missoula the next morning. Not usually trouble this time of year, but...

Conceivably, I could reach Missoula Friday night, IF the weather was good, most likely with the first preference. I%26#39;m guilty of trying to save leave hours for other trips.

Am I missing any possibilities? I%26#39;m already reserved in Missoula Saturday night, but suggestions for motels and food are in order.

First Weekend in November... Best Route North

The other possibility is US95 north to Coeur d%26#39; Alene (7 - 7 1/2 hours from Boise) then get on Interstate 90 to Missoula (2 1/2 - 3 hours from Coeur d%26#39; Alene). If its scenery you are after I would do route 2, if its time you are after I would do route 1. The passes should be ok on either 1 or 2 in early November, there has been snow on Lookout Pass (Interstate 90) up here this year but it didn%26#39;t stick to the road.

First Weekend in November... Best Route North

Hmmm... funny you bring me through Coeur d%26#39;Alene, since it appears I might be cajoled into Option 4, going through Pendleton and picking up a friend, then heading up 395 and I-90 through Spokane and Coeur d%26#39;Alene.

Know any good yet quick breakfasts in CdA?

The Interstate 84 - US395 route is probably the fastest way from Boise to Coeur d%26#39; Alene, only major mountains to deal with are the Blue Mountains between La Grande and Pendleton. Don%26#39;t know if its the quickest but one of the best breakfasts in Coeur d%26#39; Alene is at a restaurant called Michael D%26#39;s located just off the freeway. To find it you would take the Sherman Avenue exit (exit 15) off of Interstate 90 on the east side of Coeur d%26#39; Alene, (the last exit for Coeur d%26#39; Alene before you head east along the lake). Michael D%26#39;s is located at the corner of Sherman Avenue and Lake Coeur d%26#39; Alene Drive (across Coeur d%26#39; Alene Lake drive from the Tesoro gas station), I think it opens at 6:00am.