OT Driving I-5 in Feb, Driving I -5 Feb Conditions Options

[0396]

OK,

I need some advice from my fellow Teeners that live / have local knowledge
in driving from Stockton Calif to Seattle Wa- during the month of February.

My inquiry deals with 'snow / road ' conditions during that month.
* do I NEED snow chains - even if car is an full time Audi.
* If stopped for chain check- do these CHP understand that the Audi has full time 4 wheel.
* what are your local suggestions? I plan on making the mt trip from Redding to Medford in the day time..to me this much safer as there 'should ' be more traffic
utilizing the road..thus clearing up any snow / etc.

ANY suggestions is welcome..

ps I JUST bought a new set of Nokian WS all season snows for this trip..do I NEED to worry??

Thank YOU! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

[Gint]

I don't live in California, but I've done the CHP chain check chaos. Want to read the story? I haven't posted it anywhere in years...

[Gint]

A link to the full version of the story can be found in my resto thread, post #266. This was in late January of 2004. I think the 31st or Feb 01 to be really close.

Here's a couple of paragraphs from the trip story that I wrote up afterward:

OK, after leaving the Tied House dinner at 7:30 PST, I drove through the rain
to Pleasant Hill and picked up Brant's new 914 roller (75 2.0, sans motor).
Nice car, well worth the $1500 clams. I left Pleasant Hill at 9:30 Monday
night, and headed out into the rain for the east side of Sacramento to spend
the night and get a fresh start on Tuesday morning and avoid rush hour traffic.
I stayed at a nice hotel in Orangevale (I think) after a nice Jack in the Box
dinner. In the morning, more rain on the way up into the hills towards Truckee.
They forced me to buy chains for the van and the trailer just past the Baxter
exit. I turned around and visited with the "Chain Monkeys" trying to buy used
chains with all of $81 cash in my wallet. The 3 or 4 chain monkeys on the
Westbound side of 80 only had a set of your standard chains for the van for
$60. I drove down to the Baxter exit and stopped at the chain store where I met
a VERY strange California mountain dweller. Colorful character to say the
least, he cussed and swore more than I do. Whack job (yes, he could be a teener
owner) takes me back across the highway and down a side road to sell me a used
set of radial chains for the trailer at $20. Not bad. These are the only
chains I've ever used before, so I was familiar with them and their use.

Heading east again now, I'm waved through with a smile at the chain inspection
booth. After 5 miles or so, I'm wondering why I need chains at all. I've
lived in Colorado most of my life, am an avid skier, and generally no stranger
to mountain passes, snowstorms and icy roads. I travel worse than this to get
out of my neighborhood during some local storms. It's also at this point that
I notice the trailer lights not working again. The Ford seven lug to standard
flat 4 trailer connector has come lose on a couple of occasions on this trip.
The chains aren't helping the situation at all. So about 7 miles (give or
take) after acquiring chains, I stop at the Immigrant Gap exit to check it out
and hit the can. A roll of duct tape fixes the connector problem (never
travel without duct tape). While in the store, the guy tells me they just
lifted the chain restriction (duh!). I decided to leave them on until I reach
the summit, just to be safe.

This post has been edited by Gint: Jan 20 2010, 07:47 AM

[VaccaRabite]

My inquiry deals with 'snow / road ' conditions during that month.
* do I NEED snow chains - even if car is an full time Audi.
* If stopped for chain check- do these CHP understand that the Audi has full time 4 wheel.
* what are your local suggestions? I plan on making the mt trip from Redding to Medford in the day time..to me this much safer as there 'should ' be more traffic
utilizing the road..thus clearing up any snow / etc.

ps I JUST bought a new set of Nokian WS all season snows for this trip..do I NEED to worry??

Some things to consider.

• AWD helps you GO in the snow, but does not help you STOP in the snow.
• "all season" tires are not "snows."

All AWD does in the snow is keep you moving. Your tires are what will keep you pointed in the right direction or let you stop on a slippery road surface. Just because you have a car with AWD does not mean that you should skimp on the tires.

Snow tires are snow tires.
All season tires are NOT snow tires. The worst real snow tires will nearly always grip better then the best all season tires if you have to deal with the white stuff. What your all season tires gets you is grip on colder road surfaces.

As to CHP chain checks - if they require chains, I'd expect you to have to have them. But I don't live in Cali, so I won't pretend to know thier laws.

Zach

[Gint]

If CA chain check decides you have to have chains, you have to have chains.

[0396]

Thanks for the advice guys... I guess the best thing is to buy a set ...but I've asked the Audi dealer and they say NO chains ( in fact there is NO room for them on the front ( 235x40x18s) Only place is they rear- even then it's very close.
As for the Nokian WS they are snow tires that could be used all season. This is what I see folks use in Whistler Ca.. I'm headed up to volunteer in the Olympic Village during the games.

Thanks again.. I would appreciate some local knowledge info regarding any sections of I-5 if possible- Any one live between Redding and Medford?

[JRust]

Yes if they require traction devices that means you have to have chains in your car. 4wd or AWD does not fill the bill for them. Most likely you would not need to put them on. I have yet to ever put chains on going through any of the passes no matter the snow. Still if they require it you better have it. Otherwise you may get stuck if pulled over. They will not let you proceed without them. Definately worth the $70-100 at Les Schwab to have them in your trunk (IMG:style_emoticons/default/blink.gif)

[ConeDodger]

Two problems with Gints California Chain Check story...

There are no "nice" hotels in Orangevale. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

Jack in the Box doesn't serve ANYTHING "nice" (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

Seriously, Orangevale is on the Hwy. 50 side of town and by the rest of your story, it sounds like you went up 80?

4 Wheel drive does not require chains (unless they tell you they do) Totally random (IMG:style_emoticons/default/blink.gif)

[underthetire]

I know the answer!

No,well yes...
Chains required-4 or AWD ok, no chains but M&S tires required
Chains mandatory-well, you need them, and its bad enough to not try.

[Andyrew]

Coming from a fellow Audi owner, I'll tell you what we all say to these threads.

Buy snow tires.

Since you have some time, check craigslist, there are lots of Audi drivers that ditch their snow wheels/tire sets, See if you can pick up a set.

I went up to the snow in all seasons that were 10 years old and had 1/2 the tread left. I did just fine. However I did drive very carefully and tested my traction abilities often (hit the brakes till the abs kicked in).

Pick up a set of snow tires, drive carefully and know your limits. A Quattro Audi with snow tires is one of if not the best vehicles for the snow.

Good luck

[Shade Tree]

Isn't California just like Oregon where if you have tires with the snowflake symbol on the sidewall, you don't have to put the chains on? Even then, you still have to have chains with you. I always decrease tire pressure instead of using chains. Run your audi at about 12-15 psi if it's really slick.

[jcd914]

Currently on I-80 (from http://www.dot.ca.gov/cgi-bin/roads.cgi):
[IN NORTHERN CALIFORNIA & THE SIERRA NEVADA]
CHAINS ARE REQUIRED ON ALL VEHICLES EXCEPT 4-WHEEL-DRIVE VEHICLES WITH SNOW
TIRES ON ALL 4 WHEELS FROM 1 MI EAST OF BAXTER (PLACER CO) 7 MI EAST OF TRUCKEE (NEVADA CO)

This is typical in CA when they first require chains installed. The exception for vehicles with 4WD and Snow Tires will apply to your Audi quattro. And yes the CHP does know that an Audi quattro is AWD. I don't go up into the snow too often but when I do I take my A6 or S4. What model Audi are you driving?

When they start requiring Chains on 4WD you don't really want to be driving up there anyway. Even if you are skilled at driving in the snow there are 25 other yahoo's up there that believe because they have a 4wd SUV they can go anywhere at any speed. It is MY Experience that the 4WD SUV's and trucks are the one that get stuck, slide out of control, wreck etc ... most since they feel invincible with their 4WD.

Jim
Audi owner in Sacramento

[underthetire]

Isn't California just like Oregon where if you have tires with the snowflake symbol on the sidewall, you don't have to put the chains on? Even then, you still have to have chains with you. I always decrease tire pressure instead of using chains. Run your audi at about 12-15 psi if it's really slick.

No, just need to have the M&S rating, but i've never had them check that. Chains mandatory requires chains or studded tires on everything, but I wouldn't drive in that unless i really had to. I've never carried chains in my Jeep, and they have never asked.

[underthetire]

Call this number before you go
You can also call 1-800.427.7623 for current highway conditions

Ca Caltrans

[Demick]

When they start requiring Chains on 4WD you don't really want to be driving up there anyway. Even if you are skilled at driving in the snow there are 25 other yahoo's up there that believe because they have a 4wd SUV they can go anywhere at any speed. It is MY Experience that the 4WD SUV's and trucks are the one that get stuck, slide out of control, wreck etc ... most since they feel invincible with their 4WD.

This is TRUE TRUE TRUE! And since nearly every Californian has an SUV (ya know, so that they can get to the mall in style), and nearly no Californian knows how to drive in the snow, it can get downright scary up there when there is snow on the roads. That's why the CHP treats drivers like idiots - because so many of them are when it comes to snow.

[grantsfo]

I know reading the actual law is no fun but here it is for Oregon.

http://www.tripcheck.com/Pages/RCMap.asp?m...icNav=ChainLaws


And Jan through April get very dicey on those passes. I drive them with some regularity. I cancel or delay trips when big stroms are passing through those Southern Oregon passes.

[Andyrew]

Jim
Audi owner in Sacramento

Jim, Are you on Audizine?

[Gint]

Two problems with Gints California Chain Check story...

There are no "nice" hotels in Orangevale. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

Jack in the Box doesn't serve ANYTHING "nice" (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

Seriously, Orangevale is on the Hwy. 50 side of town and by the rest of your story, it sounds like you went up 80?

4 Wheel drive does not require chains (unless they tell you they do) Totally random (IMG:style_emoticons/default/blink.gif)

It wasn't meant to be taken quite so literally. Exactly where I was and exactly where I was heading wasn't really the point, although I was in California. It was part of a story I wrote up of my little adventure, which I hoped would illustrate the primary point. That point is when you're driving on a California highway and heading up into the hills, the chain check folks will dictate whether or not you're able to proceed. Period. If you're not prepared for whatever their decision may be, you probably won't proceed much further until you can comply with said decision.

[jcd914]

Jim
Audi owner in Sacramento

Jim, Are you on Audizine?

Since I don't know what "Audizine" is I have to say No (IMG:style_emoticons/default/confused24.gif)

I am just a long time Audi Fan and Owner.
I have owned 10 Audi's, 4 of which were quattros.

Jim

[underthetire]

Jim
Audi owner in Sacramento

Jim, Are you on Audizine?

Since I don't know what "Audizine" is I have to say No (IMG:style_emoticons/default/confused24.gif)

I am just a long time Audi Fan and Owner.
I have owned 10 Audi's, 4 of which were quattros.

Jim

Audizine.. either anti-depressant or boner pills ... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/lol-2.gif)