Pete and others, I won't be able to make this one, the wife will have the car in KA at that time and the ole truck just uses too much gas to make a 1300 mile round trip. As you stated check the weather, it can be really nasty at that time of year. Here is a great link for weather conditions in the western US
http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/wrhq/javaLinks/index.shtml
just click your cursor on the area of interest, have fun guys.