When do you need to take winter conditions seriously on mountain roads?

[tekhintsi]

Thinking of cancelling a planned trip, but not sure if I'm just being a wuss...

Plan is to drive up some rough ( I believe dirt) roads to around 6500 feet in California for a deer / bear backpack hunt. The forecast for a town 2k feet lower calls for some rain over two days and nighttime lows in the mid-20s, so I assume there could be snow, ice, or mud.

While that's no problem for some, I have little experience driving on ice or snow (or much mud in the mountains), I only have an AWD SUV, and I have no winter vehicle gear like tire chains. Tires are just basic all terrain Michelins. My vehicle has performed perfectly over five years in the mountains, but I've only been in dry conditions.

Should I just go and drive slowly, go but buy tire chains, or pull the plug on this trip completely?

 

[Bubblehide]

If there actually are winter conditions while you are there, chains of some type are REQUIRED. Typically in Ca, declaring winter conditions for an area is a very low standard. I would be looking at the storm as a whole, how long is it expected to last, how much precipitation is expected to fall, and expected temps for the travel route and planed stay location.

In snow, icy roads are the concern. All wheel drive out perforns 4 wheel drive due to differentation. If you only have one set of chains, you want them on the front tires. If your only looking at rain, significant rain, you're looking at flooding, mud, washouts. And landslides.

If it isnt significant rain or snow, I'd go (prepared), as there should be opportunity to hunt, unless fogged in.

 

[NRA4LIFE]

Chains, front and back.

 

[Jason Snyder]

Before you buy chains, do you even have clearance for them?

 

[roadrunner]

Your 3rd paragraph tells me you have the chance of becoming a statistic...

But maybe I'm reading too much into it.

 

[Haro450]

Go. You can buy some chains and return them at several different places.

 

[Jimmy]

This is your chance to GET experience. Bring chains, food and water, shovel, a way to stay warm. This storm is a short one and it's early in the year. Unless you drive off the side of a mountain you'll be just fine.