score:3
Have you driven in snow country before?
No matter which route you take, blowing and drifting snow will be more of a concern than falling snow. Falling snow you can find out where it is on the weather report, blowing and drifting snow changes with the wind. Keep the eyes open and try to drive around the small drifts rather than over them. And there is lots of open space along your route which means lots of potential for blowing and drifting snow.
If the weather calls for snow storms, then sticking with major highways like I-25 is better, as they tend to be better taken care of to keep transport operating.
You mention having an 4WD SUV, a rental one might guess? Assuming that you don't have a lot of snow country driving experience, my advice is don't let the SUV lull you into a sense of safety. SUVs are NOT safer nor better for winter driving. They actually have a higher center of gravity than a sedan so are more apt to spin and slide. And while 4WD is better to get out of being stuck in the snow, it provides no added value when traveling at highway speeds.