Interstate 84 follows much of the Oregon Trail. An important trucking route, it connects Portland with the Eastern Oregon cities of Pendleton, La Grande, Baker City and Ontario, continuing into Boise, Idaho, and ending near Salt Lake City.

Eastbound, just past Pendleton, I-84 climbs Cabbage Hill up to Deadman Pass, and heads across the Blue Mountains over one of the most treacherous stretches of highway in the country.

On Feb. 21, 2022, a mass crash involving more than 170 trucks and other vehicles on a straight section of I-84, about 21 miles east of Pendleton, was a reminder of the dangers of this highway in winter.

Snow, freezing fog, black ice and excessive speed are dangers that ODOT works to mitigate, yet sections of I-84 are frequently closed in the winter months due to crashes and unsafe conditions.

Depending on the conditions, ODOT uses snowplows, sand, liquid deicer and salt to make roads safer.