How much is too much snow?

[Yarak]

We dont see snow too often in the Deep South and when we do it doesnt last long
What usually happens is it rains and then freezes so the roads have a good ice sheet on them then it snows on top of that
People find out real quick that 4wheel drive doesnt mean 4wheel stop

 

[MuleDeerMike]

We dont see snow too often in the Deep South and when we do it doesnt last long
What usually happens is it rains and then freezes so the roads have a good ice sheet on them then it snows on top of that
People find out real quick that 4wheel drive doesnt mean 4wheel stop

4WD in that scenario generally leads to more problems due to overconfidence and complacency thinking you're good to go since you're not 2WD. Especially on the highway/freeway. Ice is it's own beast.

 

[Fatcamp]

4WD in that scenario generally leads to more problems due to overconfidence and complacency thinking you're good to go since you're not 2WD. Especially on the highway/freeway. Ice is it's own beast.

A front wheel drive car with real snow tires is almost unbelievable in its ability to navigate smooth icy roads. I miss our Camry with Bridgestone Blizzaks.

 

[TaperPin]

Chains are a must - bigger the better and enough for all four - if I was riding with you I’d drive my own truck when you said one pair of chains.

Wet snow that’s followed by cold temps will ruin your trip with only two skinny chains. Mud chains are even better.

How can anyone judge how many inches of snow are coming? I’ve seen 6”, 12”, 24” on the ground with the exact same forecast. Colorado is semi famous for deep snows stranding hunters.

 

[Mykolaivka887]

20,000 lb winch, four snow/mud chains, two dozen bungee cords, two 2,000 lb come alongs, 50 ft of HEAVY chain, four shackles, two heavy duty looped tow straps, two shovels (one long and one short), a pick-adz, double bitted axe, and some common sense goes a long ways. Those are the things my outfitter carries in Arizona, on winter hunts.

 

[Wrench]

Idaho almost got me a couple years ago. It snowed about 6" but drifted bad. I had all 4 chained up to go down hill and there was some serious pucker in a few spots.

Last year we had 3 feet dump during elk season. I parked low and took my atv on tracks up. I had 7 miles on snow shoes before I pulled the trigger.

 

[Poser]

20,000 lb winch, four snow/mud chains, two dozen bungee cords, two 2,000 lb come alongs, 50 ft of HEAVY chain, four shackles, two heavy duty looped tow straps, two shovels (one long and one short), a pick-adz, double bitted axe, and some common sense goes a long ways. Those are the things my outfitter carries in Arizona, on winter hunts.

20,000 lbs winch? What is he driving? A tow truck?

Also, what are the heavy chains for? I don’t believe I’ve ever seen anyone recommend using chains for recovery purposes. If they fail under tension, your looking at catastrophic damage.

 

[Mykolaivka887]

20,000 lbs winch? What is he driving?

Highly modified 2004 Dodge 2500.

 

[S.Clancy]

A. I would never have chains for only 2 tires. If I bring chains, it is 4 chains.

B. It depends on what the road is like. Clay-base, have to pull a big hill or a series of hills to get out, I would prob leave once it got to 6". Mostly downhill, dirt with not tons of clay, I'd stay till at least a foot. After a foot of snow the deer are prob heading lower anyway

 

[Wrench]

20,000 lbs winch? What is he driving? A tow truck?

Also, what are the heavy chains for? I don’t believe I’ve ever seen anyone recommend using chains for recovery purposes. If they fail under tension, your looking at catastrophic damage.

They are nice for dead ending back to the truck and setting blocks....no stretch. Pulling with a chain is great for the mechanics shop.

I have a re12 winch that stalls at 24k lbs. It's not fast....but it will pull the axle out from under a truck before it stalls.

 

[ripcurlksm]

bump for a great thread!

 

[ReaptheHeat]

4 Chains? Not many modern vehicles can take chains in front unless modified. AFAIK, mostly limited to Wranglers and HD trucks.

Those early season melts scare me more than snow. Nothing worse than some rutted out, mud road going downhill in the backcountry. Rear chains don't do shi** in that scenario.

 

[NRA4LIFE]

A foot and still snowing like all crazy hell chased me out a couple years ago.

 

[2-Stix]

I been double chained and pushing snow in a F-150 with AT 35". Thats about as much as I want as it gets really limiting to get around. It was wet and heavy snow. We high centered plenty. And were snowed on 2-4" a day for a week hunting cow elk. We about had the unit to ourselves and I filled my tag.

We dont really bail out. We have killed elk sick as a dog. Filling our meat tags are very necessary.

 

[ORJoe]

It turns out my answer is 1.5 to 2 feet





Season is Wednesday to Sunday.
Snowed a few inches on Tuesday, and it never went away.
Snowed a lot on Friday, Mom was in a panic about escaping the mountain. Talking to Dad about how to pack up my tent so we can leave the second I get back.
"No way. There's only 52 total hours of legal elk hunting every three years for me, I'm not throwing half of them away. Besides, the elk ain't run away yet."
Go out Saturday, there's a foot of snow everywhere. I think the elk might have actually run away.
"Ok Mom, here's my offer: If we wake up tomorrow and there's another foot of snow and it looks like it's not stopping, then ok we pack up and skip the last day."
That happened. Foot of new snow, still snowing.
Packed up Sunday morning.
Dad's truck has a heavy camper so we used the Cruiser to shuttle out his trailer a couple miles and then I went back and got mine.
I was under the impression that all of NE Oregon was getting hammered by this snow storm and that there were probably ten thousand hunters in the exact same boat as us, maybe getting stuck in the mountains.
NOPE! We drove 3 miles and dropped 1,000 feet and it was nothing but rain and mud down there! Everybody else was probably sick of the rain and wondering when it would snow.

We had folded up my ez-up and laid it down near the firewood pile so it wouldn't get wrecked by a couple inches of snow. It got buried in the two feet and we forgot it. Went back in June and it was still there.

 

[WiscoHoundsman]

Last year we came off the mountain with 8-12 inches being predicted. We didn’t want to find out that more would fall. I think we could have stayed as the weather was going to warm up afterwards and we could have left early morning when the ground was frosted up.

I do have a set of studded chains and a set of v bar for my ram 3500 as well as a good air compressor to air down/up as needed.

I do wish we would have stayed just to see how much snow ended up falling on that mountain last fall.