Snow Driving Tips and Techniques

^3rd^ Especially the part about not pumping the brakes. Do not pump ABS brakes. That will make things worse. And recovering from a slide, look where you want to go. If you fixate on where you don’t want to be, that’s exactly where you’ll end up.

 

I've driven in deep snow all up the east coast, under snow emergencies in NY to New England, never noticed a difference. So you're right, I never would've believed you had I not seen @hiPSI comment. So now I do believe you, that's a straight up guy!

 

Practice for a 1/2 hour in a parking lot. Steer into the slide.

 

Drive loose. Dont hold the wheel lock solid, sometimes it needs to float around a bit.

All the time I spent drifting and just having fun on parking lots actually paid off. When my truck gets sideways, I don't panic, dont even think, just react.

 

What are the odds that most of these have summer tires on? Even though there were a lot of trucks and suvs in that video. Or some shitty all seasons. When it gets cold the plastic is hard and slick. There’s no grip at all. Winter tires are key when you live in a condition where there’s snow and ice.

 

Today's weather here in Central IA after a 10" snowfall. Temperature 24F, Wind Chill mid teens, streets were a mix of Ice, Snow pack and water. Saturday we expect freezing rain followed by 3-5" snow with falling temperatures. Should be a challenging mix.

Learned to drive on this crap in 2wd sedans and coupes with bias ply tires. Its 2nd nature and normal. Modern vehicles are much easier to handle on this slippery crap with radials, ABS, traction control, FWD, AWD, 4WD. Personally, I drive on ice and snow pack in 2WD. I haven't figured out how to control the 4WD on ice and snow pack.

Yes, snow has many different characteristics. Best to learn how to handle your truck instead of understanding the many faces of snow. Listen to the sound of the tires. Don't panic if a wheel slips just ease up on the throttle or brake. Learn how to handle your truck and recover from a slide.

Black Ice is a whole different problem. The biggest issue is detection. Typically, it begins wet around temperature 26-34F. This can be a treacherous temp zone. Watch for mist off other car tires, listen to your tires. The sound will change when the wet becomes ice, no mist will be coming from other cars. Warning. Stay off the brakes, stay off the throttle, DONT change any controls, let the truck gradually slow. A gust of wind can send you off the road before your butt has a chance to harvest seat foam.

 

Upstate New York perspective:
- Don't spend 50k on a truck, only get stuck behind some jerk running slicks. Adapt your route to stay away from them, if have one in front of you. They'll crash in front of you, they'll hit an oncoming car and bounce it into you, they'll spin out in front of you and you'll T-Bone them, whatever. Just... don't be there.
- All the stopping in the world has no value if you get slammed by some jerk behind you who's running summer tires. Leave enough gap between you and any stopped car in front of you, such that you can GTFOTW. And keep one eye glued to the rear view mirror. Lawn, sidewalk, whatever.
- Turning on your horn actually does improve the traction of all of the cars around you. I'm hoping Meso might even have an OEM push-on/push-off we can use, any time you wish to throw an AoE traction buff on your fellow motorists.
- Downhill ice chutes are to be avoided. If you've no choice, tractor your way down on the shoulder or sidewalk or lawn, whatever. If it actually requires a lot of throttle to NOT get stuck, you're doing it right. Watch behind you for large metal bob sleds.
- Slush - lane changes usually involve it, but snow plows can leave a bead that's just as bad. It will yaw you as EACH front tire passes through it. If you are off the throttle with the center of gravity shifted forward, you're in for a ride. Be in 4WD, and use the throttle to keep the truck's weight OFF of the front tires as you feel it drag. That doesn't mean floor it. It means you find the balance between throttle and yaw. Expect to gain 4 to 7 mph if it's really bad. Slow down between tires hitting it, if needed. You might want to manually downshift into a gear with some power, beforehand.

Taco specifics -
I've noticed that not all stopping is equal.
We got our first half foot of snow the other night, and the roads were perfect to learn how my stock 20 AT taco contrasts with my poor old 06 MT taco.
The snow was dense and not real wet, and packed loosely when stepped on. Path was down a paved road with a lung busting 12% grade. Get up to 6 or 7 mph then stab the brake and let the computer figure it out.
As others have said, all of this will change with a different moisture content, temp, siping on tires, etc.

2W stopping, in D, was fun. Highly recommend it. Stopping in N was better by a few yards, and the front of the truck didn't slide down the crown completely onto my friend's lawn, this time.

4WH stopping in D was significantly better than 2W, cutting a third of the distance off. Stopping in N was likewise better by a smidge. Truck didn't follow the crown of the road enough for me to care in either case.

4WL stopping in D and N was slightly better than 4WH. A little, but not by much.

4WL stopping with MTS set to (minimum slip)... would have planted my face onto the windshield if not for the seatbelt. Did it again, and it did it again. The difference was significant. Not sure why.

Turned off MTS, and stopping returned to the same as before.

YMMV.

 

This is the snow we get two or three times a year. This ferocious snow storm passed through during the short time I was at a doctor appointment. Even though I'm a snow noob, I was able to drive home safely.

 

100 percent ! Black ice is a whole different ballgame. Maybe you can survive it with studs and possibly chains but that stuff scares the bejesus out of me.

 

All great insights. Nothing like Lake Placid snow ! One thing to call out for the OP ... you can get pretty good driving on snow. I used to have a front wheel drive Saab 900 and that thing was a freaking tank in the snow. But not matter how good you get you cannot account for the slip and sliders around you ! That is the greatest risk

I am with you 100 percent on the shoulder ... I've done that on more occasions than I care to remember ... as long as there is not a ditch to the side that is a great strategy in a pinch for sure.

 

Sorry, but I don't see any snow in that picture.

I kid. I kid.

Question for you, is that the typical stuff you are worried about driving in? The reason that I ask is this ... is that blacktop icy? Meaning could you walk on it or was it an ice rink? If so, studded tires might not be a bad idea. I know they are not popular but they are a lifesaver. Just throwing out ideas for you to consider.

 

Some of those trucks in the video were sliding even with chains.

 

On curves with a drop off on the side you’ll obviously want to drive slowly but you should go even slower than that.

I was going slow on a snowy road last week and i lost traction completely and started skidding toward the cliff edge. Sliding slowly toward death with no sign of the truck stopping. The truck started to rotate a bit so i turned my tires in the direction it was turning (common advice) and the truck turned even more in that direction away from the cliff, it continued to spin a full 180 so now i was sliding backwards (at least it was away from the cliff at this point) in the opposite lane. I ended up off the road on a patch of grass. With my truck now pointed in the direction from which i came, i decided itd be a good time to head home.

It was freshly fallen snow but i think a layer underneath had melted and became slick as ice. Im running duratracs, a renowned snow tire, and 4wd was already engaged. Im not exaggerating when i say i almost flew off a 400 foot cliff (Gila NF). The road was asphalt too by the way.

Today i was driving through the Forest on a dirt, Forest Road, it was snowy, melty, slushy, and muddy. I was breaking traction. After last week’s experience i was driving even slower than i normally do on curves.

So yeah a bit longwinded but here is my advice on snow driving techniques: drive slower than you think you should, especially on curves

 

No, I was just joking about our lack of snow. The blacktop was wet, but it was from the snow melting as soon as it hit the ground. We get so little snow here that when we do, like in that photo, people go outside to look at it and take photos.

I don't know if worried is the right word. New is a better description. I'm just looking for a few tips since it's not something I'm used to. I figured there are people here that live in real snow and could bring up things I might not have considered.

The snow I'm expecting to be driving in through near the end of February is at Crater Lake National Park in Oregon. Last time I was at Crater Lake, many years ago, it was June and the snow was still higher than I could see over in some places. The roads were plowed and wet, but not icy, from people driving on them. I was on a motorcycle at the time and was scared of hitting ice.

The last time I lived in real snow, where I had to dig out the car and/or use snow chains was in 1978. My daughter, who is going to Crater Lake with me has never driven in snow.

I'm sure we'll survive, but I'd like to do so without damaging my truck or worse, getting hurt. The (now adult) kids and I have always liked to explore new places and we might end up going on less-traveled roads. We all have experience camping, backpacking, rock climbing, etc. in the snow so we know how to survive if need be. It's just that none of us have any recent experience driving in the snow.

 

All snow has the exact same water content. It’s pure frozen water.

 

Ok OP. Some things about your trip to crater...

When do you plan on going?

They tend to keep the roads pretty decent up there for the most part. Packed snow. Also if you make it to union you should stop in at this place called beckys for some pie. Probably the best pie I have ever had and they are decent sized slices

 

Thanks for the background ... Good for you taking such a nice trip. I know what you mean about being out of practice. Since they closed the border I have not been back to Quebec and so I am sure I am out of practice.

Prudent seems the better word and that is half the battle. Great insights here and lots of good advice and techniques but going slow and being smart is probably your best weapon.

I forgot to add the obvious ... toss a snow shovel in the back of the truck, too ! You never know when you will need it !

Hope to see pics of the trip here ... good luck and have fun !

 

We're going at the end of February.

 

ok. I would keep this link handy. It’s trip check from ODOT. https://tripcheck.com/

about the pie I meant to say union creek.

 

I have a shovel that I carry for off-roading. Will that work or should I look for an actual snow shovel?

I'll be sure to!