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

[Choupique]

not sure if I'm just being a wuss...

Wait till you're having to back down a switchback that's snowed over with ice everywhere and a thousand foot drop on the downhill side to decide if you're a wuss or not.

I had to learn the hard way, but we've been fairly smart about it. Our rule is that the chains are for getting out, not getting in. If we have to put the chains on, we take the next opportunity to turn around and the truck isn't going any farther than that. We see people ripping up the moutain in busted ass Nissan trucks dragging a trailer full of shit with no chains, but those locals are nuts and obviously much more practiced than I am.

Have chains, know how to put them on, and once you need them, you've gone as far as you should go.

 

[cjdewese]

Thanks for checking in and all the advice from everyone. I got one set of chains (only one set was recommended for my vehicle by the manual) at Les Schwab but they weren't needed as the road was still dry. Happy to have the chains in case anything comes up in the future. Wilderness area I was accessing was a bust because I think the deer had migrated downslope. Lower down there were tons of road hunters (including the biggest asshole I've ever encountered while hunting, that might be another thread), the deer seemed completely nocturnal, and now I'm eating tag soup. Only my second year going after big game so I feel like I learned a lot and will be in a better position next year.

Sounds like you learned a lot. I am on year 5 of big game hunting in California and feel like I learn a little each year.

Keep at it, its not easy here, keep learning and try to get out after season I see quite a few more bucks during the rut than I do during our season and have found a few places they hold up in just haven't figured out how to get a vantage into those areas yet.