Snowed In! Road Conditions?

[Rounder44]

Howdy,

Woke up to a couple inches of snow in the So Cal mountains and still falling. I had planned to head out tomorrow and forecast has been inaccurate at best.

Obviously snowy road conditions up a steep mountain means stay put for now.

But I can not find accurate road condition reports. I'm up 7000' along Hwy 243 in Pine Cove, CA.

So far CalTrans and similar not reporting anything.

I've never driven the AS in snowy conditions and not sure I want to learn on a 6% grade going down hill!

So some winter travel advice please...

Thanks!

Rounder44

[rmkrum]

Sit tight and wait for it to melt. Last nights storm was somewhat unexpected. Since it’s just now Monday morning the Caltrans reports may be late.

We got a fair amount of rain down here in Corona, CA last night. Under 2,000 elevation. About 0.07 inch which was a bit of a surprise.

[OTRA15]

^^^^^ x2

Wait for the sun to come up and melt the snow on the roads, along with the normal traffic doing so. Is that pickup 4WD? You should be fine, just go slow and easy. As you drop in elevation, conditions will get better.

Are you going north on 243 to Banning?

https://www.google.com/maps/search/p...7826845,11.01z
Satellite: https://www.google.com/maps/search/p.../data=!3m1!1e3

If you do end up leaving, and hit a snowy/icy patch on a downhill stretch, do not engage the trailer brakes first [which might be the thing to do on dry pavement], as the trailer could easily sway out of control IMO. Downshift manually, go slow, and let the engine do the braking.

"Slow" being the word to emphasize here.

Peter

[Caffeinated]

Originally Posted by rmkrum

We got a fair amount of rain down here in Corona, CA last night. Under 2,000 elevation. About 0.07 inch which was a bit of a surprise.

It's always funny to see what Californians think is a "fair amount of rain". Here in Portland, 0.07 of a inch would not activate the windshield wipers.

Mike

[Mollysdad]

First, disconnect your city water so your hose doesn't burst.
Then sit tight for a day or two.

[Lily&Me]

Stay put until temps have risen and the roads are safe.

Maggie

[Rounder44]

Originally Posted by OTRA15

^^^^^ x2

Wait for the sun to come up and melt the snow on the roads, along with the normal traffic doing so. Is that pickup 4WD? You should be fine, just go slow and easy. As you drop in elevation, conditions will get better.

Are you going north on 243 to Banning?

https://www.google.com/maps/search/p...7826845,11.01z
Satellite: https://www.google.com/maps/search/p.../data=!3m1!1e3

If you do end up leaving, and hit a snowy/icy patch on a downhill stretch, do not engage the trailer brakes first [which might be the thing to do on dry pavement], as the trailer could easily sway out of control IMO. Downshift manually, go slow, and let the engine do the braking.

"Slow" being the word to emphasize here.

Peter

Thanks!

243 to Banning is still closed as is the road to Hemet. I think open for a couple hours of escorted traffic. Most direct way down it to Palm Desert where it's a nice 75°

Roads in and out of campground super steep too!

Glad I didn't drop off my Vornado space heater when it was 90° in Tucson a couple weeks ago! Saving propane!

R44

[Rounder44]

Originally Posted by Mollysdad

First, disconnect your city water so your hose doesn't burst.
Then sit tight for a day or two.

Yep!

The forecast was for ~35° and no freeze warning or even snow! It was ok at 8pm then took the dog out at 10:30 and an inch of snow!

Unhooked water and brought filter in but too lazy to wrestle with that incredible stiff hose. Coupled ends together and left outside.... I did drain it though..

Can't see it now..... covered in snow... but have a spare.

I don't think it actually got much if any under 32°.

Thanks!

R44

[rmkrum]

Originally Posted by Caffeinated

It's always funny to see what Californians think is a "fair amount of rain". Here in Portland, 0.07 of a inch would not activate the windshield wipers.



Mike

Around here, the average yearly rainfall is only 4”-8”. Lately we have been way over “average”. Of course temperatures under 68 Fahrenheit here in SoCal are also considered to be “bone chilling cold”. The local weather reports are fun to watch.

I grew up in Chicago. Rain, snow and the like were not unusual. DW, however, grew up in Hong Kong, and does not like temperatures below 75 degrees at any time. She was super comfortable in Hawaii on all our trips there.

Yup. Different places, different attitudes toward weather.

[nryn]

Snow isn’t necessarily a bad thing but it may mask dangerous icy road conditions underneath.

When I picked up my trailer a few months ago on my first drive—taking it home—I noticed way up ahead a bunch of trucks and cars in the ditch and many many hazard lights. That stretch of road—maybe 6-7 miles on the Lake Michigan coast—had just had a freak ice storm then a light dusting of snow.

I started slowing down immediately. When I got down to 7mph I started sliding!

I found some gravel and the rumble strip near the shoulder and regained traction. Went 2-3mph tops until the next exit then waited it out in a school parking lot. Many trucks—some damaged— did the same and knocked on my door not only to ask me questions about the Airstream but also to tell me that they had jackknifed or that they had to be towed up a small incline because they couldn’t get traction once they started.

Wait it out.

I lived in the Bay Area for 10 years and went to the Sierras pretty regularly. Check this page http://www.dot.ca.gov/hq/roadinfo/mtnhwys.htm and see if it helps. Twitter, believe it or not, is also a really good gauge for real-time road conditions.

But a bumper pull trailer on inclines with snow—nope. Not for me anyway.

[Rounder44]

Danged if there aint some folks trying it!

Steepest section is right past me.. A like 1985 Winnebago just tooled up it!

Now a Tundra with a trailer bigger than mine stopped in the middle of the incline!

Glad a large tree between me and the up hill slope!

Fine line between foolish and wise..... I guess.....

R44

[Rounder44]

Originally Posted by OTRA15

If you do end up leaving, and hit a snowy/icy patch on a downhill stretch, do not engage the trailer brakes first [which might be the thing to do on dry pavement], as the trailer could easily sway out of control IMO. Downshift manually, go slow, and let the engine do the braking.

"Slow" being the word to emphasize here.

Peter

How does one NOT apply trailer brakes first? Turning them off????

I have a 2019 Tundra with integrated trailer brake control... I suppose I could dial gain down to zero but not an on/off switch I'm aware of.

I'll dig up the manual...

Thanks,

R44

[OTRA15]

Yes, lower the gain, and do not apply the brakes manually, that's all.

[Caffeinated]

Originally Posted by rmkrum

Around here, the average yearly rainfall is only 4”-8”. Lately we have been way over “average”. Of course temperatures under 68 Fahrenheit here in SoCal are also considered to be “bone chilling cold”. The local weather reports are fun to watch.

I grew up in Chicago. Rain, snow and the like were not unusual. DW, however, grew up in Hong Kong, and does not like temperatures below 75 degrees at any time. She was super comfortable in Hawaii on all our trips there.

Yup. Different places, different attitudes toward weather.

Yup. We have a condo in Palm Desert, and we were down there in Jan-Feb when the deluge happened and the road to the Tram was cut, not to mention the mess around Hemet.

For what it's worth, I think you are doing the right thing staying put until the conditions improve. It's not worth the risk to either your safety or the AS.

Mike

[turk123]

Yesterday we went from Palisade CO to Denver. Winter storm warning to begin at 12:00 pm in Vail and beyond. We left early to climb up to 11,000 feet and got there by 11:00 am. Bizzard in Vail then up to the Eisenhower tunnel. Coming out of the tunnel you could clearly see Ice on the road. I had cars behind me and I touched the brakes lightly and felt the trailer sliding. Let off quickly and got into a lower gear. Coming out of the tunnel you are already at least in a 4-5% grade situation. Adding the ice and the further drop, it had my attention.

It was far worse than the weatherman had projected. We took a chance because we did not want to wait three days for the storm to end. Most of the trip was uneventful.

Later that day we found out that a 20 car pileup happened just outside the tunnel and soon after we passed.

[Glohn]

Call (800) 427-7623 CHIN (California Highway Information Network) follow instructions.

[PKI]

If you want to leave, put on your snow chains. You do have them, right? However, that looks like a beautiful site. Maybe kick back and see what Thursday brings. . Pat

[rmkrum]

Weather reports for LA area generally predicting rain at low altitudes through Thursday morning. Could be a difficult travel period at higher altitudes

[OTRA15]

Originally Posted by Rounder44

. . .
Roads in and out of campground super steep too!
. . .

Just wondering if you hooked up and left?

Thanks,

Peter

[Russ Abbey]

Originally Posted by Caffeinated

Yup. We have a condo in Palm Desert, and we were down there in Jan-Feb when the deluge happened and the road to the Tram was cut, not to mention the mess around Hemet.

For what it's worth, I think you are doing the right thing staying put until the conditions improve. It's not worth the risk to either your safety or the AS.

Mike

Especially the Airstream! I would not want to lose my AS for any reason.