I am trying to gather some information from those of you who live in or drive in the mountain west frequently. This isn't specifically RAM HD only question, but seems like great info for everyone. What does your state/province require for snow tires/traction tires and chains? I try to get out west to ski deep storm cycles 1-2 times per year and have had varying experiences with states/provinces and their winter tire requirements. Getting turned around at one of these passes can be a trip ruiner, especially if the road is on the verge of closing, so I would like to gather more info about what to expect in various places. Here's what i have personally seen:
Washington: signs saying must use 4wd/winter tires/chains, no checkpoints
Utah: signs saying must use 4wd/winter tires/chains. Roads were closed at times during avalanche mitigation, but no checkpoints where they look at your equipment.
British Columbia: Many times have run into roads closed due to avalanche. One time there was an RCMP checkpoint on the coquihalla pass, they were looking for you to have snow tires or chains. I had a rental Ram 2500 with transforce tires (M+S) on it and no chains. The officer let me go thru and told me to be careful. Middle of the night so there was no one else on the road besides semis, who were required to chain up, so i couldn't see what they were making other people in cars/pickups do. Been many other times and not seen a checkpoint.
Alberta: signs saying must use 4wd/winter tires/chains, no checkpoints
Wyoming: saw that there were signs, but we flew into Jackson hole airport and never really left the town Jackson, so no experience of what is required on the highways.
California: Signs saying 4WD/traction tires/chains required. Many checkpoints on mountain roads. They were letting me thru in a rental tundra on highway M+S tires, but everyone in 2WD cars needed to chain up. The people at the rental car place had told me that the highway patrol would check for tire chains and not let you up without them, so i went to an auto parts store and bought some. No one ever asked and I was stuck with pretty pricey tire chains that i couldn't return to the store. Many roads were closing due to crashes, all the roads i drove didn't seem too bad by our standards in Maine - seemed like alot of people on the road who had never driven in snow before.
Many states missing from my list above. What does your state/province require? What do they actually enforce? Do you actually carry chains? Do you use chains unless they literally force you to chain up? 20+ trips, usually during massive storm cycles, and i have never been forced to chain up, nor ever felt like i wished i had chains on my truck (or rental truck) once i got up into the pass. I do drive in the snow back home a lot, doing the same thing - chasing powder skiing, so i have decent amount of experience driving in the snow. It seems like in many places there are laws on the books about having snow tires/chains but they may not be actively enforced.
Washington: signs saying must use 4wd/winter tires/chains, no checkpoints
Utah: signs saying must use 4wd/winter tires/chains. Roads were closed at times during avalanche mitigation, but no checkpoints where they look at your equipment.
British Columbia: Many times have run into roads closed due to avalanche. One time there was an RCMP checkpoint on the coquihalla pass, they were looking for you to have snow tires or chains. I had a rental Ram 2500 with transforce tires (M+S) on it and no chains. The officer let me go thru and told me to be careful. Middle of the night so there was no one else on the road besides semis, who were required to chain up, so i couldn't see what they were making other people in cars/pickups do. Been many other times and not seen a checkpoint.
Alberta: signs saying must use 4wd/winter tires/chains, no checkpoints
Wyoming: saw that there were signs, but we flew into Jackson hole airport and never really left the town Jackson, so no experience of what is required on the highways.
California: Signs saying 4WD/traction tires/chains required. Many checkpoints on mountain roads. They were letting me thru in a rental tundra on highway M+S tires, but everyone in 2WD cars needed to chain up. The people at the rental car place had told me that the highway patrol would check for tire chains and not let you up without them, so i went to an auto parts store and bought some. No one ever asked and I was stuck with pretty pricey tire chains that i couldn't return to the store. Many roads were closing due to crashes, all the roads i drove didn't seem too bad by our standards in Maine - seemed like alot of people on the road who had never driven in snow before.
Many states missing from my list above. What does your state/province require? What do they actually enforce? Do you actually carry chains? Do you use chains unless they literally force you to chain up? 20+ trips, usually during massive storm cycles, and i have never been forced to chain up, nor ever felt like i wished i had chains on my truck (or rental truck) once i got up into the pass. I do drive in the snow back home a lot, doing the same thing - chasing powder skiing, so i have decent amount of experience driving in the snow. It seems like in many places there are laws on the books about having snow tires/chains but they may not be actively enforced.
