Snow depth on roads requiring CHAINS

[TboneMan]

I am curious. I usually read the "chain" threads started by you members out west.



How much snow is on these "highways" that you are driving?



I live in the snow belt of upstate NY. We typically receive 140" of snow a year. The record is about 200". There are areas just east of Lake Ontario that AVERAGE over 300" per year. City slicker weekend warrior snowmobilers drive up with their SUV and PU's towing their sleds. I have never seen these guys use chains.



I've driven on plenty of snow covered roads (2" of hard pack to 2' of fluff) and have never needed chains. In fact, I don't know if they are even legal in NYS.



I have no doubt that Rocky and Sierra Mountain driving is tough. I am just curious.

 

[klenger]

I think the requirements for chains has less to do with the depth of snow than the topography of the area. In the rockies, the passes can be steep with winding turns and shear clifts that drop for 1000's of feet of the edge.



http://www.klenger.net/photo_album/grand-canyon/slide15.html

 

[CFAR]

I have never been able to figure this out either, I've lived from AK to VA, MA and CA.

AK studded tires

CA chains

VA didn't know what chains or studded tires are.

MA studded tires, occasionally.



I think alot of it has to do with the type of snow.

AK (interior) during the winter usually does not have alot of snow on the road, or at least not for long just blows away.



CA has too many people from other states who's motto is "I grew up in XXXXXX and we know how to drive in the snow"



So to slow people down they make them use chains. he he



Every state has people that drive too fast period.



Most states don't like chains because of the damage they do to roads. Drive up I80 over the summit and you can feel the damage done by chains. But in CA for the most part the damage is limited to the high country. In states like MA and NY they get snow everywhere, if they used chains the roads would be even worse than they are.



Plus it would put the salt people out of business.

 

[fkovalski]

The mountain passes here seem to call it depending on the conditions- They can change in a heartbeat. What seems like good road here will not be the same in 5 miles. It mostly applies to the big rigs. BTW- Colo road conditions (CDOT): 303. 639. 1111

 

[BV]

Like the other said - Oregon's DOT requires chains in the mountain passes and other roads based on the condition not depth. It could be a 1/4" of very wet packed snow or 1' of fluffy stuff.



In the 23 years of driving I have only put chains on once and that was to get my 68 Mustang up to Timberline Lodge in the dead of Winter.



We can get some pretty nasty freezing rain here in the Portland area and up the Columbia Gorge that you wouldn't want to drive on without chains or studs.

 

[roadranger]

Originally posted by TboneMan

I live in the snow belt of upstate NY. We typically receive 140" of snow a year. The record is about 200". There are areas just east of Lake Ontario that AVERAGE over 300" per year. City slicker weekend warrior snowmobilers drive up with their SUV and PU's towing their sleds. I have never seen these guys use chains.

I moved out here to Colorado from New England. From what I see, almost always the snow on the highway gets beat into ice. It's not necessarily how deep it is on the road, it's just that damn sheet of ice always on the road that requires chains.



Another thing that suprised me was the use of gates across entrance ramps, and across the road at turn around points to CLOSE THE INTERSTATE! The state DOT will leave the mostly unplowed back roads open, and close down the Interstate to travel.

NEVER seen that happen back East, including the Blizzard of '78!

 

[fkovalski]

Another thing that suprised me was the use of gates across entrance ramps, and across the road at turn around points to CLOSE THE INTERSTATE!

It's more for safety of what might not be imediatly seen. The closure of I-70 at Dillon for 4 days two weeks ago was due to the Avalanche clearing in Silver Plume some 30 miles away. Any traffic on the high way would have just compacted the vehicles at the actual covered site instead of diverting travelers to where acommodations were located.

 

[JoeyD]

roadranger, They shut down 128 in '78 because of the blizzard. A guy I worked with had to leave his van on the highway with everyone else. The National Guard dropped him and hundreds of others at the Dedham cinima. I think he was there for 3-4 days while the highway was cleared. He had an interesting time to say the least.

 

[Sticks]

Re: Re: Snow depth on roads requiring CHAINS

Originally posted by roadranger

Another thing that suprised me was the use of gates across entrance ramps, and across the road at turn around points to CLOSE THE INTERSTATE! The state DOT will leave the mostly unplowed back roads open, and close down the Interstate to travel.

NEVER seen that happen back East, including the Blizzard of '78! [/B]

I-70 east of Denver, and I-25 North used to get closed frequently during non-drought winters. The concern is the distance between towns, and the wind blowing the snow. I lived out east of Denver for several years. It could only snow an inch, but in some areas the highway would disappear for miles, due to the drifting snow. You would come over a rise, and all you would see is a big flat white blanket. I learned from experience, a 2" drift will suck you into the ditch really quick. It only takes 5 minutes for the wind to cover the road after a plow has gone by during a mild blizzard.



Hwy 36, the side or back road that will take you east from Byers, will also get closed when I-70 does, to all but local traffic. Proof of address required, and you better know the officer on duty at the gate.

 

[dan_gilson]

Here is CA it is not the depth but the conditions. The snow here is a little different too. Because we are generally on the leading edge we tend to get a lot more water content in the snow. Because of that we get a lot of icing problems on the roads. CA DOT also tends to error on the side of safety and require chains sooner than other places. Some of that is from the laywers and other from the Bay Area Drivers (BAD) heading into the mountains and not realizing that when chain restrictions go up it means that the speed limit is now 25MPH or lower. Another surprise is that even though you have a 4WD you AND M/S rated tires you are still required to carry chains in CA. Normally they close the road before you are asked to install them. If you are told to put on chains and you do not have them it will set you back an couple of hundred $$ in cites and/or towing.

 

[nanook]

I've lived in Alaska for 32 years and have never owned a set of chains. Some of my friends do use them during severe icing conditions such as ice storms, freezing rain or spring breakup where its freeze/thaw. I will admit I do enjoy driving on an icy road behind a vehicle that has chains on because they scrap up the ice giving everyone more traction... .

 

[greendragon]

chains?

Calif snow is a bit different then eastern snow. At the 2000 to 5000 foot marks the snow can very wet and slippery. a lot of traffic in the area and cars left in the roadway because they can't go any more. Like was stated " I know how to drive in the snow, but don't understand what happen when slid into the ditch. " Carry chains when in the Sierra's during the winter. Sometime Road conditions can change very fast