SNOW BOUND: Possible 1st time snow driving. Visiting Beech Mountain in early November

Cool. Good to know. Last question, I poromise. How about square links?

Will do. Thanks

Good point about the air. As for the climb. Challenge accepted! Hahahah!

 

No matter what type of chain you decide to go with the increase in traction will be huge. Chains make it so a bald tire could go through snow and ice. Even the cable types would work for the trip you have planned. Just pick what gives you peace of mind and learn how to install them. Practice one day. Then a couple days or week later do it again. Maybe try again after another week if you were a little confused the second time you put them on. If it isn't easy in the driveway it won be easy when you need them. It does get easy though.

ETA: They truly are a pain in the ass the first few times. Get them draped on the tire and roll forward till enough is behind your tire to go 1/3 of the way up the tire. Give the end under your tire a yank to pull some slack out, and then work on getting all the slack out of the end that comes up over the top of the tire. Do this before you connect the two ends. This will help you get them tight enough to only have to do a final adjust after a hundred yards or so. The cams are easier to tighten if the aren't right at the bottom of the wheel too. Either do that cam first or get at the final tightening. I can usually get 3 of the 4 cams when I first hook the chains up grab the fourth after the hundred yards.

 

Hello again,

You guys are so right about the road from Banner Elk to Beech Mountain. I drove it once before in late March 2010 & I found it to be pretty steep & angled.

Folks, I ordered this 2 days ago:


As most of you had already said, PRACTICE.

I intend to. I'll post some pics once I do.

I want to thank ALL OF YOU for your help so far.

 

Just a heads up Banner Elk and Beech both had snow flurries this past Saturday. I know, I know just flurries, but Winter is coming!!!

 

I F*&^$&^ can't wait for winter.

Those chains look good. You can mount those without moving the vehicle I believe. Mine are the same.

Remember chains are extremely valuable to have, especially for a 2wd truck, not only in winter but for driving off road and in muddy situations too. I used chains once in the middle of spring on a dirt road that had turned to thick and greasy that I couldn't even get up a hill in 4wd with all terrain tires. Threw on the chains which I always keep behind my rear seat and had no problem. This was in a 4runner with locking rear diff a few years back. A 2wd truck with chains can do (some) things a 4wd without couldn't dream of.

Do not drive with your chains on unless just for a significant uphill grade that you can't confidently make, a significant downhill grade where you don't trust your braking ability, or if you're stuck. Even then try not to excessively spin your tires when chained.

Just my .02

 

I can admit I did not read the whole thread, but as someone who has lived in that area I laughed about the worry. It would be a miracle to see adverse road conditions that time of year. Your prerunner will do the job.

 

NICE!

Thank you! Someone else also posted that they used chains in the mud. Extra insurance never hurts. I see you live up to your name.

Thanks Dark Knight! I hope you are correct. I DO want to see snow but hopefully nothing crazy.


I have a link on my phone for current weather conditions in Beech Mountain & Mt. Mitchell. 3 nights ago Mt. Mitchell had 19 degrees! I don't think thiose links measure snow, just temp & wind speed I believe. Sometimes one mountain is colder than the other (they are about 70 miles apart & almost 1,000 feet difference in elevation) but for the most part it looks like Mt. Mitchell gets more snow, ice, & cold weather in general.

 

Most likely you won't see anything crazy. 2011 we got about 1/2" (nowhere near enough to cause adverse road conditions) on Oct. 1st. But there are freak storms, like Oct. 5th 1980. Mt. Mitchell had about 4 inches iirc. Better to be safe than sorry and I think you are on the right track OP.

 

Thank you Chris

 

Come to Utah and try out some real snow..

 

No need to panic, I think you will be just fine.
I do love that area you are going, been several years since I have been there.

 

I bet!

Thanks

 

OP EDITED.

Slight change in travel plans

 

I didn't read through the entire thread so sorry if I'm repeating anything already said.

One thing I'd probably add in is a survival kit. It's great to have one that has food, water, etc in it, just in case you do run into some issues. A foldable shovel is good too. I'm not sure how much snow the area you're going to gets, but if you do crash into a drift or something, remember to not leave your vehicle running if the tailpipe is buried. Leave your windows slightly cracked and be sure to clear all the snow from around your exhaust pipe. You don't want CO building up in your cab...which could kill you. And of course keep snow cleared from the doors so you won't get trapped inside.

 

Thanks Ice Horse!
I do plan to take food, water, & I have / First Aid kits. I also have a shovel. Thanks for the CO2 info. There may not be any snow or very little but it could be high in the embankments. When I was in the Smokys in late March 2010, the embankments were almost 3' high.

 

A Banner Elk survival kit is a list of the best restaurants in town and knowing where all the Coeds from the college here hang out. Every time I go to Banner Elk on a holiday weekend, there are multimillion dollar private jets at the airport and tables at the $25/entrée restaurants are hard to get.

 

OP, you'll be fine driving in the winter isn't anything too crazy.

*If you get chains make sure you practice putting them a few times.

 

So, I have a couple of questions:

1. Is the OP a 7 year old girl who cries at anything scary?
2. I guess there is nothing to ask after that.

WTF?-Chains/Extra Weight-Where the hell does the OP think he is going. Get a life! Sometime things are not perfect and you may encounter some adversity

 

Always be prepared, it's not just for 7 year old girls.

Well prepared and paranoid walk a fine line at times. But I commend him for wanting to be prepared.

 

Adding weight will only help in snowy conditions. 4x4 will get get you through some shit, but throwing 200lbs in the back of that truck will get you through even more mess. If all you have is 2x4 weight can get you a long ways. If you add chains, weight and experience you can rival 4x4's in the winter.

ETA: I'd even add that that a 2x4 with bald tires and chains will perform better/equal in deep snow/ice than a 4x4 with straight snow tires.