Chains for CO Archery?

[jyoung1901]

I am the type that always likes to be prepared, however I live in TN and don't (at least so far) western rifle hunt, so chains aren't something that i feel i would use, hardly ever unless i needed them during Elk Archery in CO/WY/MT yearly. I have a 2011 F150 4x4 with 35" tires and a 12000 lb winch, snatch straps, shackles, etc. I am doubting I would have room for chains on the front and am less worried about getting stuck (winch) as much as sliding in precarious situations if it gets rainy or mucky.

I am going to grand mesa / battlement mesa area the third week of September. How irresponsible would it seem skip buying chains and spend the time fitting them and what not? I want to be prepared, but also don't want to spend money if the consensus from local westerners that i should be fine with what I've got.

 

[Dos Perros]

I think you're fine without. Just be aware of weather (obviously), and don't do anything else stupid once you're there.

To clarify, I've only ever put chains on the rear.

I definitely could have used them in the last five years, but man when it's slushy and muddy it's easier just to cross your fingers and send it. Have been lucky so far but trending towards doing less stupid stuff.

 

[cnelk]

A set of chains are always in my truck.
Havent used them very often, but when I do, I put them on the front so I can stop and steer

 

[zdweller]

I think you would be fine 99/100 times, but you could always get a freak Sept snowstorm up high.

 

[Poser]

Seems unlikely. Your 4WD will satisfy the traction law requirement on I70. Its hard to imagine anything more than a couple of inches that won’t stick around in Sept, but you never know.

 

[5MilesBack]

I've always got chains in my trucks, but have never used nor needed them during archery season. Back when I'd hunt the rifle seasons in the 80's and 90's I'd chain up all 4 every year and needed every bit of them. Back then I'd be pushing snow with the bumper coming out almost every year.

Make sure you head up to the Battlement Mesa reservoirs for some great cutthroat fishing. Some big fish up there.

 

[DenverCountryBoy]

If you have M+S tires, you'll probably be fine.

I have 35" M+S tires. A couple years ago a rain storm turned the dusty forest roads into super slick mud. We got through it just fine, but the trucks with regular street tires were sliding around like it was ice.

 

[Gatorgrizz27]

Coming from the land of mud, it’s odd to me how guys talk about chains being necessary for it. I suppose if you run street tires and then just chain up whenever you go off-road it’s a reasonable substitute, but an aired down mud terrain with a guy who knows how to drive will make it through a lot.

We don’t have the long downhill switchbacks to deal with, but there are plenty of short steep hills, and clay mud as slick as ice.

FWIW a lot of ABS systems don’t work well in it, Land Rover’s does. It’s a weird sensation through when you’re just driving along and feel your brake pedal rattle.

 

[browning2480]

Been going out west from the Midwest a long time and never had chains. We spend more time down here in the mud playing growing up that we are used to driving in it. Now if it was late in the year with heavy snow, that would be a different story. For Archery it would have to be a freak storm on the day you are coming and going. Not very likely.

 

[Jethro]

Skip the chains for the Grand Mesa in Sept. Better chance of going your whole trip and not getting a single drop then there is of getting so much precip you have to chain up.

 

[jyoung1901]

Thanks for all of the input! I have ridge grapplers which have been good for me in the duck season slop, and i have rock crawled / offroaded in jeeps for years so I am not green to driving off road. Just wanted to be "responsible".

I just cant wait to get out there.

 

[Where's Bruce?]

Never needed em but I do keep a couple sets of Outzone Anti Skid Tire Blocks straps in the truck just in case.

 

[treillw]

Have used chains for mud in CO archery season before. Wouldn't have been able to move without them.

 

[Scorpion]

You should be fine without them consider the other items mentioned. Even the times I’ve been involved in late September snowstorms they have been easy to manage with good tires and a little patience for the sun to melt it off.

 

[Phaseolus]

Thanks for all of the input! I have ridge grapplers which have been good for me in the duck season slop, and i have rock crawled / offroaded in jeeps for years so I am not green to driving off road. Just wanted to be "responsible".

I just cant wait to get out there.

There aren’t very many places on The Mesa where you would have a need for chains, that being said, you never need chains until you really need them. You have a winch so you probably could get out of a mudhole. Speaking of being responsible, those of us who live on the Grand Mesa Slopes hope you will be responsible and stay on the trails rather than going around mudholes. There is no such thing as an “off-road” vehicle.

 

[11boo]

I've always got chains in my trucks, but have never used nor needed them during archery season. Back when I'd hunt the rifle seasons in the 80's and 90's I'd chain up all 4 every year and needed every bit of them. Back then I'd be pushing snow with the bumper coming out almost every year.

Make sure you head up to the Battlement Mesa reservoirs for some great cutthroat fishing. Some big fish up there.

That road to the battlements is a truck killer. Don’t be afraid to turn around and bail. Three trips up there, Jeep and 68 bronco. Vehicle damage every time, and not cosmetic damage.

 

[11boo]

There aren’t very many places on The Mesa where you would have a need for chains, that being said, you never need chains until you really need them. You have a winch so you probably could get out of a mudhole. Speaking of being responsible, those of us who live on the Grand Mesa Slopes hope you will be responsible and stay on the trails rather than going around mudholes. There is no such thing as an “off-road” vehicle.

You sure about that Going around the mud hole thing?

 

[Phaseolus]

You sure about that Going around the mud hole thing?

If going around means blazing trail across the meadow then I hope they don’t.

 

[jyoung1901]

If going around means blazing trail across the meadow then I hope they don’t.

No worries on that, I grew up enjoying our very limited off road trails both riding quads and jeeps and understand the importance of treading lightly and the only way to keep our lands and trail systems we have is to follow the rules and not tear up a ton to the point the public wants access closed down. I have a jeep rubicon on 37"s at home, I will not be trying to get my fun offroad fix in with an f150 and a trailer that i need to drive back to TN. With that being said, if there is a huge mud hole i will more than likely try to skirt around the edge of it if possible.

 

[jyoung1901]

That road to the battlements is a truck killer. Don’t be afraid to turn around and bail. Three trips up there, Jeep and 68 bronco. Vehicle damage every time, and not cosmetic damage.

Thanks for the heads up, I assumer youre talking about the "battlement Jeep" trail that accesses the mesa from the north and dumps out at reservoirs 3, 4, and 5? I was already wary of that because it had "jeep" after it.

what did yall break? axles or oil pans or what? just curios. I'm looking at more accessing the area from the south, either buzzard creek road, or 586 and driving till vehicle access ends, then taking the ATVs up to the 2527 trail and hiking off to the mesa or the woods off of the <50" trails.