Ski Southeast Messageboard

Never again will I screw around with snowpacked roads without snowchains. I have driven around the NC and TN mountains in many a snow storm with 4 wheel drive and adequate tires. To summarize some of the conditions I've encountered: 1. mid 2000s Hawksnest morning after a 6-8in storm. 2. Hawksnest during a foot deep storm. 3. Dec 2009 drove from Johnson City to Asheville to Kings Mountain NC during foot+ storm. 4. Dec 2009 drove up to Carver's Gap (Roan Mtn) 2 days after 2foot+.



All of these were driven in a factory outfitted (no lifts or oversized tires, etc) 4wd (either a Ford Ranger, 2004 Tacoma, or 2005 4Runner) running on all season tires (M/S "rated", which means nothing so I've come to learn).



Today I was able to negotiate one of the steepest snowpacked covered hills I've ever encountered trying to access a cabin in the Gatlinburg area without chains. However, I missed the drive way I was supposed to turn into (at the bottom of said hill :-/ ).



On the way down, I had to make evasive maneuvers. I ended up "stuck" perpindicular to the road. Literally unable to get enough traction to move any direction without worsening my predicament. I busted up the ice enough to get traction into the nearest driveway.



In that time, another vehicle without chains attempted to come down...their situation ended worse than mine. The tow truck for that came for that vehicle didn't chain up...they didn't even make it up the hill before ending up in the ditch that I avoided. The tow truck did, however, proceed to drive up onto the ditch bank and use the saplings for traction to back down the hill.



The next suitor going up...a Jeep Wrangler rented by some Floridiots endup stuck in the driveway of "our" cabin inches from the mailbox.



Now I'm "stuck" at the cabin, until either the roads thaw a bit tomorrow/later this week or I can get some chains tomorrow. I will carry chains in my vehicle from now on as crazy as it seems.

Nothing crazy about it. Buy them online to save cash, and keep them in the trunk. I have a set for my honda and I'm pretty confident in snow of up to 8" on the road. At that point the bumper becomes a snowplow. The problem with them is it would be better if they didnt plow the roads because then you could just leave them on and not screw them up. But I don't use them much because of the greater boone plow squad. They do a pretty good job.

@jamsandwich 231675 wrote: But I don't use them much because of the greater boone plow squad. They do a pretty good job.



Yeah...that's putting them onto a 2wd though? I'm talking about chaining up a 4wd. It looks like this area got at least a foot, probably more because of estimating after the snow has settled.



If you're in a area that may have plowed and unplowed roads, how long can you leave the chains on when you hit the asphalt? Like if there's an area that's plowed, but then you're going to be back in an area that's unplowed...The roads up in the neighborhood may have some weird maintenance issues? Apparently, there's a backway down that's maintained but only to a certain point. And there a parking lot a mile or so away over maintained roads that my parents are going to park at and then we'll shuttle up and down from there with the 4wd+chains.

That's the issue. You can drive with chains on roads plowed to the pavement, but it's not good for the chains and you can't exceed 30mph. Since I don't want my chains to break, I don't use them on asphalt. My neighborhood is on a secondary road that has been plowed, but snow is still on the road. In 2wd, you go slow and use the brake and gas at the same time to maintain direction and momentum when you need to.



That said, there's not a foot of snow on that road...but if I had to, I would chain up and that would get that done, even in 2wd. Also you don't have to put chains on all 4 wheel. you could do just the front

@jamsandwich 231683 wrote:...you can't exceed 30mph. Since I don't want my chains to break, I don't use them on asphalt.



Good to know.



@jamsandwich 231683 wrote:Also you don't have to put chains on all 4 wheel. you could do just the front



Yeah...I've read about some various ways to chain 4wd if only using 1 pair. I'm going to get 2 pairs to be able to chain all four for maximum traction and just be done with it.

@MBlacky1051 231695 wrote:Sucks man. You need the following: hot-tub, fireplace, and lots of alcohol in that cabin.



Check, check, and no-check but not a big deal. It was still a nice night up here with my wife and baby. We had a beautiful view of the sunrise with Abigail, who woke us up (who is sleeping through the night albeit a bit of an early riser) to enjoy.

Sunrise

Hey, wait a minute. Did I miss the baby announcement?

@Joshua8200 231693 wrote:Yeah...I've read about some various ways to chain 4wd if only using 1 pair. I'm going to get 2 pairs to be able to chain all four for maximum traction and just be done with it.



+1. I'd chain all 4 or chain the rear 2 & leave in 2wd. I read somewhere that chaining 2 & leaving in 4wd may mess with the tranny/front diff...