Snow Chains and other essentials

[Auski]

This will be the first season that I'll be spending a lot of time on I-70 and I figured that I'd better start thinking about equipping the car for snowy conditions.

It's some years since I bought snow chains, please tell me that they've improved the designs now and that they are a breeze to put on. (please....) Are there any types/brands that stand out as a little more convenient and effective than the others?

What other things do you ladies keep in the trunk, other than the usual snow shovel, kitty litter, the odd body, blanket etc??

Thanks!

 

[Robyn]

Typically passenger cars on I-70 don't use chains. If chain laws go into effect it is for commercial vehicles. If it's bad enough to require chains for passenger vehicles then they just close the road.

I keep with me an emergency kit that has a shovel, flint fire starter, water resistant matches, compass, whistle and solar blanket. During the winter I keep a sleeping bag in there as well along with water and some food (usually granola bars). I aslo have a car charger and keep my phone plugged in at all times so that if I'm stranded I have full power. I won't leave Summit County with less than half a tank of gas either. Oh, and I always have clothes in case I have to stay up in the mountains overnight.

 

[oragejuice]

You shouldn't need chains if you have good tires and front wheel drive or awd/4wd.

Great, now you've got me thinking about all the things I can buy to put in the back of my trunk.

 

[Christy]

Typically passenger cars on I-70 don't use chains. If chain laws go into effect it is for commercial vehicles. If it's bad enough to require chains for passenger vehicles then they just close the road.

Interesting. I have my first CO ski trip planned for next March and was kind of wondering about chains, too (but I won't have any, in a rental car). Here in WA if roads are snowy/icy it's often "chains OR 4WD required", but when things are bad, even 4WD can be required to have chains. They only shut down the highway if there is high avalance danger/impassible/whiteout conditions.

So I guess I'll be fine in a chainless rental.

 

[oragejuice]

Interesting. I have my first CO ski trip planned for next March and was kind of wondering about chains, too (but I won't have any, in a rental car). Here in WA if roads are snowy/icy it's often "chains OR 4WD required", but when things are bad, even 4WD can be required to have chains. They only shut down the highway if there is high avalance danger/impassible/whiteout conditions.

So I guess I'll be fine in a chainless rental.

They might rent you something with awd/4wd.

And I lived/skiied in Seattle for 3 years, never once put on chains. I drove my VW Beetle up to Stevens Pass, in a complete whiteout, traction devices required storm, and didn't have any problems, didn't even need chains. I think they're overrated.

 

[Robyn]

I think that there is so much traffic on I-70 if you had all those vehicles trying to stop and put chains on it would be very dangerous so they just don't do it.

ETA: Yes, you can rent a vehicle with 4wd and would recommend it but just remember that doesn't make you invincible.

 

[geargrrl]

Interesting. I have my first CO ski trip planned for next March and was kind of wondering about chains, too (but I won't have any, in a rental car). Here in WA if roads are snowy/icy it's often "chains OR 4WD required", but when things are bad, even 4WD can be required to have chains. They only shut down the highway if there is high avalance danger/impassible/whiteout conditions.

So I guess I'll be fine in a chainless rental.

you must mean up on Snoqualamie Pass? I am in Eastern WA and we never get announcements like that.

I'm a firm believer in good quality snow tires and KNOWING HOW TO DRIVE IN SNOW. 4WD, AWD, Front wheel drive, snow tires and or chains won't keep you out of the ditch if you don't slow down.

 

[Auski]

OK, well that's good news that I don't need chains. I drive a 4WD so hopefully as long as I'm sensible I'll be fine.

Do many of you use snow tires?

I'm still interested in what you all keep in your trunk. I'm already adding some good ideas from Robyn to my list, thanks!

 

[Robyn]

I don't have snow tires currently but have gotten them on FWD vehicles in the past. I currently drive the state car (aka Subaru ;)) and she's done really well without them. But, if you have the cash and storage space to switch them out I would do it.

 

[oragejuice]

Do many of you use snow tires?

I never have. I got brand new all-season tires in December last year, and they seemed to work fine. I'm not sure how driving conditions will be here (Bend, OR- it apparently snows quite a bit in town) but I know that quite a few people here use snow tires. My dad has a 4wd truck, and uses traction tires, says its the best setup for him. I've got a Subaru, so I'm keeping my all-season ones and getting them siped.

I'm not helping much, am I? Both sides of the spectrum work I guess, it's just a matter of if you want to spend money on them, or feel that you need them with your vehicle/roads.

 

[geargrrl]

OK, well that's good news that I don't need chains. I drive a 4WD so hopefully as long as I'm sensible I'll be fine.

Do many of you use snow tires?

I'm still interested in what you all keep in your trunk. I'm already adding some good ideas from Robyn to my list, thanks!

We keep a separate set of snows, on separate rims for our cars. Studs are legal where we live, so one set ( for the 4x4) is studded, and then just regular traction tires for my mazda, with siping. So we just switch tires come snow season.

I did run an all season Michelin on the Subaru I used to have, you can probably get away with that on a Subaru.

 

[tradygirl]

We put some all-season mud and snow tires on our Element last fall and that thing kills it in the snow now! I would go that route if you've got 4WD/AWD.

 

[SkiNurse]

Tires can make a HUGE difference in how your car/SUV handles the snow. Not all tires (even all terrain tires) are equal.

I'm a BIG believer in the BF Goodrich AT tires. I used them on my old 1987 Jeep Cherokee and use them on my Explorer. The traction is amazing compared to the AT tires that came with my Explorer. Made me a big believer.

There are times, though, on I70, where I thought chains would've helped out. Luckily for us, our snow is "dry" instead of "wet" but every so once in while....slide, slide, slide on I 70. CDOT usually closes I70 d/t too many accidents or poor visibility or avalanche control...not the conditions of the roads.

I carry in my vehicle: extra clothes, 3:1 Power Station, flares, extra anti freeze, windshield fluid, sleeping bag, blanket, water, power bars, toothbrush, toothpaste, multi tool, cards, cat litter (non clumping formula), extra rubber car mat, shovel and.........vodka (little air plane bottles)!

You read that correctly. I figure that if I'm stuck in my car for so long that I have to start drinking my back up water & eating stale power bars, then eventually I will need a cocktail to kill the boredom!

I have one friend that has taken my suggestion one step further. she keeps a bottle of cabernet and a couple of xanax in her car for emergencies!

 

[Christy]

you must mean up on Snoqualmie Pass? I am in Eastern WA and we never get announcements like that.

I mean on the Cascade mountain passes in general. It doesn't happen often where both are required but is a possibility, which sounds a lot different than CO (the very busy interstate here has wide "chain up" areas).

I'm a firm believer in good quality snow tires and KNOWING HOW TO DRIVE IN SNOW. 4WD, AWD, Front wheel drive, snow tires and or chains won't keep you out of the ditch if you don't slow down.

I think that's great advice in general but my understanding is that chains really do give you traction where the other devices do not--they will actually help you while on ice or while braking, whereas AWD/4WD is useless in those situations.

And I lived/skiied in Seattle for 3 years, never once put on chains. I drove my VW Beetle up to Stevens Pass, in a complete whiteout, traction devices required storm, and didn't have any problems, didn't even need chains.

Ahhh...yes it can be done but that's pushing your luck! Most of the time the roads are clear enough and indeed you don't need chains or 4WD, but listen to pass traffic reports--there is no shortage of accidents/spin outs/etc due to drivers that ignored condition warnings.

Yes, you can rent a vehicle with 4wd and would recommend it but just remember that doesn't make you invincible.

Plus they cost fully twice as much!

 

[oragejuice]

Ahhh...yes it can be done but that's pushing your luck! Most of the time the roads are clear enough and indeed you don't need chains or 4WD, but listen to pass traffic reports--there is no shortage of accidents/spin outs/etc due to drivers that ignored condition warnings.

That's where knowing how to drive in the snow comes in! =) I've seen my fair share of spinouts, but never had a problem. Might have something to do with a couple years of going to school early in the winter to do donuts on the ice in the parking lot. I learned a lot from purposefully getting out of control on ice, and dealing with it.

I used to call my VW the 'little purple tank'. That thing was a trooper when it came to driving up sketchy logging roads to rivers and up to the resort. But I just moved to a ski town and traded it for a Super Subie.

 

[abc]

The opinions goes all over the place because we live all over the country!

In terms of traction, chains are way way better than snow tires. But you can't drive over 30mph with it on. That's not to mention the hassle of putting them on and taking them off frequently. So unless it's required by law like in California, most people don't bother with it. Though on a coastal state like California, it makes perfect sense to have chains for that occasional use when it's actually snowing just at the moment you're crossing a summit of the pass...

In Michigan, where it actually snow a lot and are icy ofte, many people never heard of chains! Why? The only "hills" are highway overpasses! So there's no danger of an out of control car taking out a mile long highway full of cars.

I've not been to WA or OR in winter so don't know what the road would be like. But in California, chains are absolutely a neccessity (unless you have a 4WD), without which you aren't even allowed to get through the chain control point, however good you claim your driving skill may be. Though chain requirements are usually only apply to 2-wheel drives. I've not heard of any time they declare a R4. The DOT simply closed the road instead of requiring 4WD to put on chains. As a result, most SUV drivers don't have chains in their trunk.

While I'm surprised CO doesn't usually require chains, I can see chains being very impratical given the whole state is in the snowbelt (and it can snow even in the middle of summer!) You can't drive faster than 30mph with chains on. So you really can't go very far in a state that's very spread out... Snowtires and SUV are much more appropriate.

Snow tires are most widely used in the east and midwest, where there're few big mountain passes but lots of un-plowed rural roads and side streets. It's basically a poorman's SUV (ok, more environmentally friendly car). For the small annual hassle of changing the tires twice a year, you get the traction of SUV but not have to pay the penalty at the gas pump. This also explains why Subaru (and a few other 4WD non-SUV cars) are so popular. You achieve the same result without even having to change tires twice a year!

 

[Jilly]

For the past 10 years I've been driving 4WD. Last time I couldn't get the same truck as they discontinued it. I'm not as sure footed in the AWD. Doesn't feel the same. I'm getting snow tires this winter. 1. if we get the snow we had last year, there were days I almost didn't get to work, 2. it'll save the all seasons, since I plan to keep this baby a little longer than usual. As for stuff I carry in the "trunk"
1. shovel
2. extra food and water, coffee cup
3. lighter, candles
4. car charger and cell phone
5. maps (I have a GPS but haven't figured it out yet!)
6. flashlight
7. warm clothes, usually my ski stuff, and warm mitts.
8. battery cables
9. snow brush and scraper
I don't keep all of this stuff all year in the car. Most goes in come winter.

 

[geargrrl]

I think that's great advice in general but my understanding is that chains really do give you traction where the other devices do not--they will actually help you while on ice or while braking, whereas AWD/4WD is useless in those situations.

I am going to disagree, having lived in Wyoming, Colorado and Washington for the last 25 years. We have yet to chain up, and we lived at 8000 feet one winter. My various cars over the years have been 4x4 trucks, SUVs, Vw Jetta, Toyotas and Subarus.

If your AWD/4x4 isn't working on ice, - you're right, that's treacherous. That is when you slow waaaay down, and hope that the $800 you spent in snow/traction tires pays off.In true glaze ice ( ala skating rink) even studs might not work. We do get these ice conditions around here that are like a skating rink, about once ever five years. The highway patrol will close all the roads, and that is when you'd put chains on, drive 5 mph with studs, or stay home.


You use chains when the snow is really deep and not plowed, or if your traction tires are failing you in extreme ice situation. I don't know ANYONE that uses chains regularly. It's like the last thing to do before you leave your car parked and start hoofing it. Or, like this winter when the city never got around to plowing the side streets. 12" of heavy wet snow means chains to get onto the arterial if you don't have the right kind of car or tires. The people that were chaining up were the ones that thought they could get by with "all season " tires, or had low clearance vehicles. Or, another good example is the guy who thinks he can make it up to the ski hill on slick roads with his all season tires, and then the rest of us have to wait while he blocks the road and puts on his chains at his most farthest up point.

Anyplace they mandate chains on the roads they do it to protect people from themselves.

You can't go more than 25 MPH with chains. In California chains are mandatory on passes fore two reasons. 1. Most people don't have snow tires and 2. they don't know how to drive in the snow. Same thing for the Cascades: Seattle gets 2" of snow and it paralyzes the area.

Sure you should carry them, but they are just insurance and a band aid.

Funny story, we were coming into California from Wyoming, had Wyoming plates on the 4x4 truck. Highway patrol was waving everyone over to chain up. One look at our truck, tires and our plates and he just let us pass.

gg

 

[abc]

Highway patrol was waving everyone over to chain up. One look at our truck, tires and our plates and he just let us pass.

It's not your plate. It's the tires on your truck.

4X4 trucks usually has tires with very deep threads. If you check the CA DOT website, they detail EXACTLY what thread depth is acceptable as substitute of chains.

 

[Jilly]

Studs and chains are pretty well illegal in Canada. Not sure about BC. But definately not the eastern end of country. Quebec doesn't use salt on their roads, but lots of sand with good size gravel in it. Windshields take abuse in the winter. Ontario uses lots of salt, so your car/truck, needs a wash frequently in the winter. Don't know which is better. Learning to drive in snow and crap is the best thing. I use that idea of skidding around the school parking lot on a weekend every time I get a new truck. That way I know just how the truck is going to act in a given situation.