Snow and Ice shit show in PDX

Oopsie...!

 

Hey, not all of us are new to forums.

 

My assumption would be that OP made this thread in the 3rd gen section. JBerry's comment was saying "yeah this seems like 3rd gen material" and then it was moved out of the 3rd gen section. So at the time his post was very relevant, but nice try

 

I am an Alaskan, so this stuff doesn't bother me at all. I have a TRD Off Road with Crawl Control, I have never used it, I try to go as far as I can go in 2 wheel and then I move to 4 wheel drive till I can't go any farther, then I go low range and lock up the rear end. It's a challenge to push it with my own skills, then let the tech take over. I wanted the crawl control because of the sand demo I saw on youtube. I have no idea how to get myself out of being buried to the frame in sand! Plus on my first one I wanted the T3 bumper from CBI and couldn't bring myself to settle for anything less. I was waiting to be able to get the T3 before I put a winch on it. Now I am waiting to afford the winch, cold air, exhaust, 20 inch rigid light bar and anything else that comes in to my field of view that I don't know that I want. I am looking to get some bushwackers for it next. Got a set for free on my old truck and it made it look tough and very unique.

 

I am the same way in a way. Try to do the 2wd, then 4wd hi-lo and so on... haven’t really used the crawl control. On the ice, the 4wd hi worked well for me. Did even use the 4-low once. Overall I am very pleased with the Tacoma’s performance.

 

The problem with PDX is that we have A LOT of new folks that move into the area each year, and have never seen snow, ice or cold weather for that matter.
Then when we do get some snow and ice, they thoroughly plug up the roads in their minivans, RWD sports cars, and other vehicles not well designed for these kinds of conditions. Many running with their cruise control on and spin around and start a pileup. The damn highways would be completely fine for normal drivers in vehicles with 4WD, AWD, FWD and/or some form of traction control. But the biggest hurdle is having the smarts to just stay off the highways if you have ZERO experience with driving in these conditions.

I grew up Washougal WA (the gateway to the Columbia River Gorge). For those reading that are not familiar with this area, the Columbia River Gorge has it's own weather pattern most of the winter. Many years we would not get much in the way of snow, but shit loads of ice instead. Like 1-6 inches of straight ice during what was called a "Silver Thaw". During those times, you DO NOT go anywhere let alone outside. Trees are loaded down with heavy ice and huge limbs will break if you fart near the tree. Power lines had curved ice cycles that would impale your head if the wind shifted and shook any lose and hit you. The east wind would literally paint your car solid with ice on the east side of it and completely glue it to the ground. Driving was not a reasonable idea at all. Nothing short of link chains on all 4 tires would even make a commute possible. I-84 east of Portland would (and still does) get closed for days due to this high wind and heavy ice episodes.

Now, when we would get snow, driving around was just fine, and everyone got around as needed.

Skip ahead to nowadays with the influx of newbies driving the wrong vehicles, PDX and the surrounding areas just get screwed with them just completely plugging up the roads all spun out, and even taking good drivers out in the process. So many cars left as is and the driver just abandons their spun out or stuck vehicle, possibly to return for it later, or get it from the impound lot the following week.

So, in short it's less of an issue for me to drive on PDX area roads due to snow and ice, as it is being able to move at all once the roads are corked up with idiots.

 

I had to drive from Tigard to Gresham on Sunday in the ice and back home later that day, I am very good in the snow and ice. I was watching all those around me with the stink eye. My new Taco is not replacable with all the equipment that was installed on it for the price I paid for it. I would have gotten out and pounded the shit out of anybody driving like shit and coming into contact with me. I was happy that no one had any issues while I was driving aroung in the last few days. I love to drive in and kind of crappy weather or muddy slippery roads.

 

I pulled out of the Safeway parking lot on Division and Hogan in Gresham today and did a nice 360, there was no traffic or cops around so I thought I would take advantage of the opportunity for a little fun!

 

I absolutely love driving in the snow as well, and can handle hard packed snow/ice with chains as needed. Just don't like the idiots out there that have no clue what they are doing, and seem to always up the risk of hitting me.

This rig below is my winter camping/ATVing setup.
This picture was taken at Diamond Lake on Superbowl weekend 2009 at the boat ramp parking lot = free camping!
The previous year (2008 Superbowl weekend) we got hit by a blizzard and had to leave before all the roads out were closed on us due to the amount of snow, and trees tipping over onto the highway. I had chains on the rear of the truck, and chains on the front axle of the trailer. Drove through 3 feet of snow to get out of this same parking lot up to the main road, and then 55 miles of snow coming down faster than the road crew could plow Hwy 138. We were driving on at least a foot of packed snow, and through 8-10 inches of fresh fallen snow until we got close to Glide and the lower elevations outside of Roseburg. Absolutely a blast with no other rigs on the road except plow trucks for 2 hours straight.

 

I did that last year in my 1997 Tacoma coming out of the Forest Grove Safeway. It was late, and nobody around to hit, so I followed it through to make it a complete 360.

 

Wow, that looks like a blast. Not sure my wife and I are that brave to camp in t grrr e snow like that. Of course you have a nice set up.
Cheers my friend!

 

Thanks man.

Nice and cozy with heated mattress pad for those really cold evenings. Get the bed up to about 90 F degrees, turn off the generator and climb in bed for the night with a movie on the LCD TV. Perfect rig for winter "glamping" off the grid.

 

Pretty much sums up life anywhere in the populated parts anywhere in the northwest. 35 years ago an older friend said he wished there was a bridge that could be burned somewhere to the south to keep morons out. At the time I didn't understand. Now, I wish he had found that bridge and dynamited it. Then burned the ruins.

 

I saw a brown Tacoma being hauled in a trailer today. Front looked wreck, not sure if it was from this snow/ice. My truck slid a little, but the drive this morning was ok