[99LeCouch]

In December I'm making a trip from Columbia to Buffalo, NY. Looking on Google Maps, there are a few ways to go. One is 50 miles shorter but goes along the Allegheny Mountains, while another route is longer but crosses those mountains and gets into less hilly terrain. I can get some nice FE with NICE-On coasting, but driving with load back up kills it. Also, there's the potential for lake-effect snows along Lake Erie. The longer route would leave me more exposed to lake-effect snow, which can be nasty to drive through. Lived in Buffalo for 3 years, so I know all about lake effect.

Which route would you pick?