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Posted: 1/19/2015 12:39:21 AM EDT
[#1]
Rent a 4wd and still be careful
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Posted: 1/19/2015 12:40:44 AM EDT
[#2]
Just drive like your brain is actually working. Have decent tires. 4x4 is ok, but most 4x4 drivers think they have 4x4 brakes.
I live in that crap 9 months out of the year and most of the idiots around here forget how to drive in it from storm to storm. |
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Posted: 1/19/2015 12:43:12 AM EDT
[#3]
front wheel drive TRUCK?
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Posted: 1/19/2015 12:44:09 AM EDT
[#4]
Yeah, take the truck. Enjoy $1.59 gas, and add weight over the axles as needed. Enjoy the trip. cheers, |
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Posted: 1/19/2015 12:46:19 AM EDT
[#5]
Never heard of a front wheel drive truck. Make/model?
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Posted: 1/19/2015 12:46:20 AM EDT
[#6]
Get tire chains.
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Posted: 1/19/2015 12:46:26 AM EDT
[#7]
some areas in the rockies require chains durring weather events
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Posted: 1/19/2015 12:46:33 AM EDT
[#8]
A front-wheel drive car is more stable for a novice than a four-wheel drive pickup in slick conditions.
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Posted: 1/19/2015 12:47:39 AM EDT
[#9]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Never heard of a front wheel drive truck. Make/model?  |
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Posted: 1/19/2015 12:49:28 AM EDT
[#10]
If you have frontWD or rearWD you better have tire chains and know how to use them. 4x4 is no guarantee of anything. If you absolutely positively have to make movement then 4x4 with a set of chains.
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Posted: 1/19/2015 12:49:58 AM EDT
[#11]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Never heard of a front wheel drive truck. Make/model? Sorry, rear wheel drive. My car is FWD. |
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Posted: 1/19/2015 12:50:17 AM EDT
[#12]
I'd take the truck. The advantage of renting one in the area might be that it would have tires better suited for snow, all terrain, studded, etc.
Four wheel drive can do you wonders in snow, but on ice you'll find four wheels will skid as well as two wheel drives. I enjoy driving in snow, I rarely ever put my F series in 4 wheel drive, as a matter of habit every time I go around a corner if the road in front of me is clear I step on the accelerator, goose the rear wheels and put it in a skid, straightening it out is fun and puts a smile on my face.  Living in AK for a couple of decades, if nothing else, one does learn to drive on snow and ice. |
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Posted: 1/19/2015 12:50:31 AM EDT
[#13]
Let's see a picture of your tires first. Sidewall and tread, please.
Posted Via AR15.Com Mobile |
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Posted: 1/19/2015 12:52:11 AM EDT
[#14]
I have never at any point in my life not owned a 4x4
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Posted: 1/19/2015 12:53:26 AM EDT
[#15]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Let's see a picture of your tires first. Sidewall and tread, please. Posted Via AR15.Com Mobile Ill get some in the morning. Thanks. |
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Posted: 1/19/2015 12:55:32 AM EDT
[#16]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Just drive like your brain is actually working. Have decent tires. 4x4 is ok, but most 4x4 drivers think they have 4x4 brakes. I live in that crap 9 months out of the year and most of the idiots around here forget how to drive in it from storm to storm. This. Don't get a false sense of security by knowing that you can accelerate without any problems. Keep a safe distance behind other vehicles and don't jam on the brakes and you'll be fine. |
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Posted: 1/19/2015 12:55:36 AM EDT
[#17]
Take whatever you feel more comfortable driving. Just slow the hell down and you'll be fine.
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Posted: 1/19/2015 12:56:22 AM EDT
[#18]
Its more about TIRES than it is the car. Snow is about traction. A 4WD on all seasons doesn't impress me.
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Posted: 1/19/2015 12:57:48 AM EDT
[#19]
Unless your cabin is off a plowed road, your car should do the trick. Front drive car does better than most rwd trucks. If you intend to blaze a trail to the cabin bring the truck, chains, shovel, wood, matches, and blankets. Food for at least 3 days wouldn't hurt.
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Posted: 1/19/2015 12:58:04 AM EDT
[#20]
Stay home. I70 is full
I made it to the slopes in a 2wd truck with bald tires this weekend. If you have 4wd and decent rubber you'll be fine. Just brake early and coast to your stops. |
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Posted: 1/19/2015 12:58:43 AM EDT
[#21]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Get tire chains. The ONLY thing that works on ice. |
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Posted: 1/19/2015 1:02:15 AM EDT
[#22]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Just drive like your brain is actually working. Have decent tires. 4x4 is ok, but most 4x4 drivers think they have 4x4 brakes. I live in that crap 9 months out of the year and most of the idiots around here forget how to drive in it from storm to storm. OP - have fun. Just allow for a delay if a bad storm sneaks up, drive calm and let the slick roads teach ya :)
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Posted: 1/19/2015 1:03:08 AM EDT
[#23]
I spent 7 hours driving a vehicle with chains yesterday, get chains.
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Posted: 1/19/2015 1:03:51 AM EDT
[#24]
We are used to seeing Texans in the ditch here. You will fit right in.
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Posted: 1/19/2015 1:05:28 AM EDT
[#25]
you can still see the snow and mountains in the summer, but the roads are clear
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Posted: 1/19/2015 1:05:49 AM EDT
[#26]
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Posted: 1/19/2015 1:06:49 AM EDT
[#27]
Quoted:
In short, the family wants to get a cabin in Colorado to see snow and mountains (we have been wanting to do this for a while). We are thinking about driving there from TX. In short, my main concern is driving in snow/ice. Our vehicle options now are a quad cab truck or full sized car, both FWD. Our options as I see them are as follows: Take one of our vehicles (probably truck) and be careful. Take a vehicle to a city closer and rent a 4x4 vehicle. Don't go. It is myself, mine, and 2 kids. Looking at the southwestern end of CO (telluride area). Any advice is appreciated. Thanks. What the hell kind of quad cab truck is wrong wheel drive? A Honda ridgeline? That's not a truck, it's a glorified minivan. But I digress. Rent something with 4 or all wheel drive and make sure it doesn't have summer tires. |
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Posted: 1/19/2015 1:06:56 AM EDT
[#28]
Get new tires.
Apply the Rain X that you have to buff on. Get AAA. Keep a full tank of gas. Take your time, and don't make sharp inputs on acceleration, deceleration, or steering. |
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Posted: 1/19/2015 1:07:06 AM EDT
[#29]
If it was me, I'd just take the car.
Go slow. A lot of my commutes to work are a 30mph out on the open road with no traffic. Ive never been in a ditch. Allow 3x more braking distance. Go slow. Use your brakes to test road conditions periodically. Go slow. And most importantly allow extra time to reach your destination because you're..........going slowly. |
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Posted: 1/19/2015 1:08:28 AM EDT
[#30]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
All vehicles that you would drive on the road have 4x4 brakes OP - have fun. Just allow for a delay if a bad storm sneaks up, drive calm and let the slick roads teach ya :) Quote HistoryQuoted:
Quoted:
Just drive like your brain is actually working. Have decent tires. 4x4 is ok, but most 4x4 drivers think they have 4x4 brakes. I live in that crap 9 months out of the year and most of the idiots around here forget how to drive in it from storm to storm. OP - have fun. Just allow for a delay if a bad storm sneaks up, drive calm and let the slick roads teach ya :) The point is that 4wd is great for go. Doesn't really help with stop, and absolutely fuck all on ice, just like everyone else. |
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Posted: 1/19/2015 1:09:05 AM EDT
[#31]
Mts can be bad, but another real problem is the long stretches of more remote hi-way leading to the mtns were there may be ice, and the road is not sanded, and where you will want to go fast.
The best way is a front drive car with newer studded snow tires all around. If I were you however, I probably go with your front drive car (you do have one?) as long as the tires are good all season radials, and ,be ready to slide, i.e. go carefully and slowly where called for. 4X4s are overrated, and driving something you are not used to is not good. If the conditions are really bad, get a hotel and wait for the plows and sand trucks to go through. Avoid crashing. One mess-up can be very costly, so avoid it. |
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Posted: 1/19/2015 1:09:14 AM EDT
[#32]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Get new tires. Apply the Rain X that you have to buff on. Get AAA. Keep a full tank of gas. Take your time, and don't make sharp inputs on acceleration, deceleration, or steering. Especially this. |
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Posted: 1/19/2015 1:10:45 AM EDT
[#33]
We had a cold snap and some snow a couple weeks back but things are fine right now. I could have been riding my fucking motorcycle today.
I would take the FWD car unless accessing the cabin involves off-road travel more serious than some tame gravel/dirt. ETA: I'm at about 8,000 feet. It gets progressively more serious as you go higher generally. |
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Posted: 1/19/2015 1:11:08 AM EDT
[#34]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
We are used to seeing Texans in the ditch here. You will fit right in. I appreciate the positive outlook and attitude.
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Posted: 1/19/2015 1:15:07 AM EDT
[#35]
4x4 works wonders in the snow, i say rent the truck, slow the hell down and leave lots of space.
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Posted: 1/19/2015 1:25:11 AM EDT
[#36]
I have been driving in the northern mountains for more that 25 years and can say you never know what nature will throw at you when you venture out in the winter.
Traveling with a schedule just might mean you are traveling with a storm; Today i drove 80 miles north out of spokane wa and had one of my scariest drives in many years. I was unbelievably happy for just being able to make it home and get out of the car safe. Thought I was in the ditch at best more than once. Again, best of luck, go slow and expect the worst. |
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Posted: 1/19/2015 1:26:43 AM EDT
[#37]
Stay home and show them pictures of the snow and the mountains on the internet and tell them it is for the safety of the children..
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Posted: 1/19/2015 1:29:16 AM EDT
[#38]
4x4 and get chains. Your chances of getting out of a mess is better with that combination. Better yet, don't get into a mess. If you have to chain up, keep it below 35 mph.
I'd also leave twice to three times the space as normal when driving on roads covered with snow or ice. You want distance between you and the other guy. No sudden braking. If you know you're coming to a stop, start slowing down early. It could be something as simple as taking your foot off the accelerator (my car will slow down but it's stick). I keep a small tarp in the car in case I have to chain up. Keeps my knees dry when I kneel down. I also have rubberized gloves (not leather). They're colder than leather but unlike leather they stay dry. That's good when you have to chain up. I also have a snow shovel in case I have to dig my way out.
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Posted: 1/19/2015 1:39:56 AM EDT
[#39]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Stay home and show them pictures of the snow and the mountains on the internet and tell them it is for the safety of the children.. Sound advice. No need risking your ass to see a billion tons of white bullshit
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Posted: 1/19/2015 1:40:51 AM EDT
[#40]
four wheel drive is nice... but people have been driving with 2 wheel drive in ice and snow for a long time...
Four wheel drive isn't a guarantee either... And any vehicle is going to need chains or studded snow tires. I wouldn't drive my four wheel drive car in the ice and snow with summer tires. Driving on ice... 101 1. accelerate or brake with the wheels facing forward. Even in a turn you can straiten up the wheels while you brake and then return to the turn. 2. accelerate or brake to transfer weight onto your drive wheels if you feel a slide coming on. 3. in a slide... steer in the direction you want the car to go. 4. Momentum. Don't go too slow or you won't have the momentum to make it up the next hill. I may currently reside in FL but I'm from OR and have taken ice driving classes. |
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Posted: 1/19/2015 1:45:25 AM EDT
[#41]
I grew up in Colorado and have been driving here for 30 years. I live about an hour from Telluride.
If you are cautious and smart you won't have a problem. Most of the time the roads are not a big deal. The only time you really need four-wheel-drive on the highway is if there's a significant storm. At the moment the roads are dry up to at least 9,000 feet. Most of the time I would take a front wheel drive car over A rear wheel drive truck. However, if the truck has much better tires I might go that route. If you do, put some sand bags in the back. You can get them at Home Depot around here. Get some cheap cable chains at Walmart. If a big storm moves in, get a hotel room in cortez and wait for them to clear the roads and cross the pass the next day. The only real pass you need to go over to s lizard head, which is a real pass, but not nearly as bad as some others. On snow and ice, most of the time you want to keep moving and make any Change in speed or direction slowly. Momentum is what usually gets you in trouble on the highway. Off road momentum is usually your friend. Telluride is beautiful, and the view between Dallas divide and ridgeway is the most beautiful in colorado. They could use a bit more snow at the moment if you are planning to ski. It isn't really a beginners resort either. Purgatory would be better for that. If you went to purgatory instead, you don't even really have to cross a pass. Posted Via AR15.Com Mobile |
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Posted: 1/19/2015 1:47:09 AM EDT
[#42]
Snow is really not as big a deal as your making it.
Unless its storming like a bastard they can keep the main roads plowed way ahead of it. It really depends where exactly you’re going .... try to find out in advance if they clear roads to the exact spot you’re going. |
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Posted: 1/19/2015 1:57:28 AM EDT
[#43]
It's just northern snow and ice OP, it's not slippery, don't worry about it.
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Posted: 1/19/2015 1:59:27 AM EDT
[#44]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
It's just northern snow and ice OP, it's not slippery, don't worry about it.
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Posted: 1/19/2015 2:02:08 AM EDT
[#45]
Rent something with real snow tires.
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Posted: 1/19/2015 2:02:27 AM EDT
[#46]
There's really no snow and ice on the major roads here in Colorado except for right after a storm.
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Posted: 1/19/2015 2:04:56 AM EDT
[#47]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
There's really no snow and ice on the major roads here in Colorado except for right after a storm. Take the FWD car. Buy cables if the forecast says snow. Don't worry. |
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Posted: 1/19/2015 2:06:21 AM EDT
[#48]
Quote HistoryQuoted: We are used to seeing Texans in the ditch here. You will fit right in. Yup. FYI they don't put up warning signs lightly. There is a curve between Edwards and Eagle that never sees the sun. That one gets a sign but that doesn't seem to stop the tourists.
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Posted: 1/19/2015 2:07:34 AM EDT
[#49]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Let's see a picture of your tires first. Sidewall and tread, please. Posted Via AR15.Com Mobile Without this info, I played it safe and voted to rent a 4x4. Much more likely to have appropriate tires. Your current vehicles (either one) with all season tires that had decent tread left and reasonable driving would probably be fine. Summer tires are an absolute no go, as are severely worn tires. And 0351-ROCKETS is right, as far as remembering that your brakes don't change when you shift into 4x4. People (including me from time to time) forget this. Allow yourself 2x as much slow-down time when coming to stops. |
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Posted: 1/19/2015 2:07:58 AM EDT
[#50]
Don't go during a storm and you'll be fine in any car or truck. If a storm is a brewing, stay home.
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