Posted on 01/08/2005 6:27:11 PM PST by DeaconBenjamin
I think they understand it.. just somehow got caught unawares. This series of storms has been unpredictable, as far as altitude goes. Any good driver heading up to the ski areas had supplies and water for the trip. Hopefully, most of them were just that: good.
It's a real mess in the mountains and down in the basin. And the worst of the rain is yet to come.
As far as I know chains are legal in Alaska, it's just that no one uses them or even owns them. If I were driving a long distance in the winter I'd bring certain items with me, but chains wouldn't be in the mix. I can't imagine what I'd do with them even if I had them.
Do you have 4 wheel drive? Or studded tires? The latter, IIRC, are not legal in CA.
Yeah, chains could be a California thing. At any rate, even with my FWD '80 Honda, I was glad I had 'em.
You put them on your tires when the road is slippery for personal/family safety and to gain traction and control. Be sure to put them on the tires that have power going to them...They've been around for decades...
Sometimes things are new to you...It doesn't mean they aren't useful to others...live with it.
You have to know these people are southern CA residents and are only used to snow if they drive to it. The North CA residents are used to it and if it falls down to 900 ft. we are ready for it. 9 ft. is nothing to Northe cal. Yes, we will probably get a little more than normal this year but 10 to 12 feet for the year in the upper elevations in the Sierras is normal. First time visitors to Northern CA in the winter when taken up hwy 88 will be stunned( as a rule) to see the amount of snow in CA.
Oh, I know it. Lived there for nearly 30 years.
Yes, we will probably get a little more than normal this year but 10 to 12 feet for the year in the upper elevations in the Sierras is normal.
Be ready for the huge influx of So. Californians heading up Hwy 395 to Mammoth...I hope they "get it" before they hit Mojave :)
I resent your insensitive and ignorant remarks about people who live n CA. There are plenty of us who live in Northern CA that know how to drive in snow as we see it each year. South CA doesn't usually get this kind of snow but us in the North do!!Every year and we know how to handle it. I really get tired of seeing everyone bitching about how stupid CA is. We are mostly Red counties here in CA and can't help it if the population centers out vote us! Get over it and start to think of us as people. We are not all queers and liberals, and by the way I think you should be awarded the title of A**H**le of the year.
If you lived in a state where the roads with snow on them almost always go straight up, you would understand the reason for chains. I gaurantee you that if you lived here and had to drive in the mountains in the winter yyou wold have a 4 wheel drive or carry chains. It is a state law for one thing, and where the snow is very wet they are necessary. Try to curb your ignorance until you can ask someone who knows this area about driving conditions before you run your fat mouth.
Not true. Not like the rest of the country. For instance in So. Cal when we generally get an inch or two of rain out of a storm, we consider it a pretty big storm, most of the rest of the country laughs. No, we here don't get anything like most of the rest of the country gets, as far as weather goes. We are truly spoiled here as far as the weather goes.
Driving in the mountains in January,you should be ready for snow
That I will agree with as you are talking about elevations between 5,000 and 10,000 feet near the peaks. I've been up in those mountains thousands of times since was a kid, lived there and owned property there and have family there. I've seen wild fires up there close up, where we didn't think we'd make it out, and winter snow almost 6 feet deep, and deeper near the peaks, where nothing moved, I mean *nothing*.
I have great respect for those mountains in even perfect weather.
What many don't understand about California, is you can be in a big city, at an Angel game, or whatever, and within an hour or so you can be in true wilderness, at 8000 foot elevations where things happen *real* fast. Many that come up for an outing, just don't understand, it's a different world.
Lived in Idaho and New Mexico,tell me somthing about weather I dont know!Live on the east coast now.
Apparently, you don't know the way southern Californians deal with weather. :-)
sorry, you asked
I go over hiway 17 mainly, I use Hiway 9 just if 17 or other roads are blocked. But the area is beautiful as ever but getting alot of folks moving in there, the traffic on hiway 9 in the mornings and evenings are amazing, like a big slow snake of traffic :)
OH yes and i forgot the disclaimers: Know how to control your fires, knives or any other things you can hurt yourself or nature with when trying to survive out in the mountains!
Global warming at it again!
Great public service announcement for Southern Californians. And perhaps, it would apply to some of the recent transplants that come here to AZ as well :)
I have 4WD but I find studded tires to be a waste of money.
Sometimes things are new to you...It doesn't mean they aren't useful to others...live with it.
I'd rather live without them. Sounds like too much trouble. I believe there is a speed limit with chains, like around 35 mph. Not to mention since I got the optional larger tires, my owner's manual says they can't be used. Besides, I don't want everyone laughing at me.
My my my! What a hissy fit! First of all, in Alaska we have lots of snow and lots of mountains. It goes without saying that most of us have a 4WD. CA seems to have a law for everything. I spent a few years down in CA and I've been to the affected area a number of times. I wouldn't have any qualms about driving my truck on those roads without chains or studded tires all winter long. But I would have had the sense to terminate my journey before I got snowed in. But in CA, taking personal responsibility isn't required. Maybe it's against the law.
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