going south adds new meaning to "great circle route"..
of by south you mean.. South of Grand Canyon, to northern New Mexico before
turning the corner and getting across the great plains..

yes.. terrain is lower.. a factor in winter ice/snow weather conditions..

if you could "perfectly time" your trip.. to cross the Sierra's to Reno
along I-80.. follow I-80 to SaltLake.. cross the Wasatch Range in great
VFR.. and pretty much follow I-80 until it crosses with I-25 to Denver and
Cheyenne.. then make your turn for MSP.

Winter is tough time to do it.. but pacing between weather systems is the
key..

BT
"Matt Ketcham" wrote in message
...
Anyone ever make the trip in a 172? What route did you take? I'm going
south but thought I'd ask for others experiences.
Matt