Moving from South Lake Tahoe to Los Angeles

Unlike the other routes in this set, this one never goes through Sacramento. The truck heads east out of the basin, then runs south along the Eastern Sierra on US 395 before turning into the Mojave and the Los Angeles basin. The scenery and the weather are different from the valley routes.

The drive: Kingsbury Grade, US 395 and CA 14

The route leaves the lake over Kingsbury Grade summit on NV-207, passes through Nevada's Carson Valley and joins US 395, which runs along the eastern face of the Sierra. Conway Summit on US 395 is the second pass the builder prints. After 271 miles of US 395, the road becomes CA 14, 118 miles through Antelope Valley toward Los Angeles.

Because the route briefly crosses into Nevada, check both NDOT and Caltrans QuickMap in winter. The Eastern Sierra receives snow, high wind and cold, and the high-desert section can have summer heat. Crews load early and watch the forecast.

How the two ends compare

South Lake Tahoe city has a median household income of $82,002, a median gross rent of $1,606 and a median home value of $682,400, with 48.7 percent of households renting. Los Angeles city has a median household income of $81,939, a median gross rent of $1,933 and a median home value of $921,200, with 64 percent renting.

The median ages are 41.1 and 37.2. Incomes match nearly to the dollar, so what changes is housing: a lake household moving to Los Angeles typically spends more on rent and shares a building with many more neighbors.

Booking and authority

The move begins and ends in California, so O'Brien's carries it out under the California authority shown in the 'Permitted in California' band. The route's brief stop in Nevada is part of the drive, not a change in the type of move. You book with O'Brien's and the written estimate sets the plan.

Consumer guidance for California household goods moves comes from the Bureau of Household Goods and Services.

What to do before the estimator comes

Decide which outdoor gear is going. Boats, bikes and winter equipment take room that a Los Angeles apartment may not have. Anything you cannot place immediately can stay in vault storage from $40 per month at our Sparks warehouse.

Read our 8-week moving checklist and the guide to packing for a move. Fragile dishes, art and electronics travel better with professional packing, and your in-home estimate includes 10 free heavy-duty boxes.