winter road trip advice for desert dweller

Hey guys,

My girlfriend has decided we are driving from Phoenix to Omaha in late December to visit her family for Christmas. I am born and raised in Phoenix with limited snow driving experience. My vehicle is a 2003 tacoma 4x4 extended cab with camper shell. The camper shell was just purchased used and put on last week, as we are planning to bring our 70lb dog. Is a camper shell okay for a dog in that kind of weather? I will be getting some new BFG all terrains before the trip, but I was wondering if you guys had any other advice for me regarding a trip like this.. Are snow chains worth having? Should I bring a 5 gallon gas can in case we have to stay the night on the side of the road? I have never traveled cross country in the winter.. so any foresight could be a lifesaver... literally.

my route options are as follows:

1.)Head in a relatively straight line.. crossing new mexico, colorado, kansas and then Omaha...

Or,

2.)East to Albuquerque... North to Denver, then straight across the great state of Nebraska..

I was kind of leaning towards option 2, but I still need to do some research, and obviously the weather on the day we leave could drastically change our route choices.

Thank you to all of the friendly midwest folks!

Dave

 

I like your prepare for the worst idea however keep it mind it may not even be snowing,
However if it is, Keep extra blankets, a little extra food and water. Snow chains probably won't be needed IMO. And depends on what kind of dog you have. I wouldn't make my dog ride for almost a full day, he hates the car...

And if it is snowing just remember you can't run 80, go ahead and put it in 4hi and keep it around 30-45.

Honestly I wouldn't think twice about driving that far in possible snow however that means it could take you a whole lot longer to get there, Imo I would just fly, probably not cost that much more by the time you add up wear and tear on your vehicle.

 

Josh, thanks for the input... Unfortunately, flying is not an option as we have booked a house in pagosa springs colorado during our return trip after christmas.. we plan to snowboard at wolf creek for a couple days, then head home to phoenix.. the home rental is non refundable, which adds to the stress haha

 

Just finished reading a report on El Nino and it looks like this winter the Southwest and Midwest will have above normal precipitation and the Midwest and Southeast lower than normal temps. Being prepared is a good thing and @Josh828 has it right. Consider what you might need if you have to stop for several hours due to a road closure or an accident. Put some blankets in the back for your dog and keep an eye on him to make sure he's not getting too cold. That time of year temperatures are usually mild across NM during the daytime and can be temperate in CO and KS, too, but it all depends on what the weather's doing. Night's get cold at elevation (Albuquerque's at 5,200+ ft).

If you run into bad weather NM, KS, NE and lower elevations of CO can be more ice than snow, so keep that in mind.

Chains shouldn't be necessary unless it's snowing hard and there's someplace you *have* to be. Even if you have chains driving in that kind of weather can be stressful. Just because you're dealing well with a chained up 4x4 doesn't mean the guy next/behind/in front of you will be.

 

Bring blankets, water, food, shovel, flashlight. I have most of that in my car/truck in the winter months no matter where I'm going. A little extra gas wouldn't be a bad idea, especially for peace of mind, but not completely necessary. If you're not used to driving on snow and ice, and assuming you run into some, just take it slow and drive for the conditions. If you get a tire with the "mountain and snowflake", which you can get in an all terrain tire, your handling and stopping will be and feel much more secure.

 

In the winter I don't like my tank below 1/2 and set 1/4 as rock bottom.
Anytime you think traction changes or has been reduced, gradually lean on the brakes until ABS kicks in or you feel any loss of control. Brake checks are your friend.
I lived in Florida most of my life and found out the hard way when I moved to Michigan that you don't leave pop cans or bottles in the vehicle on freezing nights or they will explode and make a mess, silly me.
My last advice / request is that you take lots of pictures document the adventure and return here to let us know how it went

 

In addition to all the above advice, just check google maps for traffic conditions before leaving each day you're out and plan accordingly. If there is snow, definitely plan on traveling at 1/2 speeds, without a doubt lower than posted speed limits. A cross country trip is not the time to learn to drive in snow so don't be afraid to go slow and give anybody who beeps at you the finger. SLOW is better than CRASHED/BROKEN all day, every day.

 

What kind of BFG ATs are you purchasing, and how committed to purchasing them specifically are you?

 

Go rout 2

 

As far as driving, just take it slow and easy. Don't be afraid to be that guy going slow. Don't slam on the brake or mash the accelerator. As long as you are paying attention to the road and the way the truck is handling you should be more than fine.

 

I have had a couple sets of the BFG AT KO's and I have really liked them... I'm not a huge fan of the new KO2 with all that sidewall drama. but who cares I guess.

Thanks for all of the responses guys.. I really appreciate it.

I will be sure to take a lot of photos, as I plan to propose to the ole lady on this trip

 

Hey, congrats man! Best wishes to you both! I waited a helluva long time before I got married and she's the best thing that's happened to me.

 

Have you driven the KO's on plowed snow or ice? My son ran them on his fullsize Chevy 4x4 here into Winter one time. He and I both felt they were not very good as a Winter tire in anything other than deep (5" or more) of snow. They slid around terribly on plowed roads and even worse on ice. They are excellent tires with good road manners and and outstanding Summer (rock/sand/dirt/mud) capabilities. They wiil get you through in true Winter conditions, but you have to be aware of their shortfalls in that catergory. All IMHO FWIW.

If you're willing to look at another tire, I'd give Michelin LTX's some consideration in light of the potential weather conditions you are likely to encounter on your trip.

Congratulations on your planned proposal. Have a great trip.

EDIT: I understand that having BFG AT/KO's siped improves their Winter traction significantly. Just food for thought. Good luck OP, I'm out.