Taste of Winter

[Deleted member 773]

Really all you need is a good set of snow tires and some common sense, and you'll be fine in the snow with pretty much any vehicle. I lived for many years in the UP of Michigan (where the average is 300+ inches of snow) driving just a front wheel drive Focus, and it did wonderfully with snow tires and someone behind the wheel who knew what they were doing. In my mind chains are really only needed for people who only see snow rarely or people who aren't prepared for it, either with summer/all season tires or who are unaccustomed to driving in it. Or those who need that extra starting torque for heavy loads like plows or tow trucks. We used chains on our plow truck growing up because it had to get going from a stop with the heavy load of pushing all the snow. Once you got going, you didn't really need them.

That’s the problem here, can’t run snow tires realistically, all season tires are as good as we can run.

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[MT19RANGER]

That’s the problem here, can’t run snow tires realistically, all season tires are as good as we can run.

And that's why when I was a fleet manager for light vehicles in the oil field I always run BFG AT T/A KO2's for a great all-season tire and still do w/ the small fleet I'm in charge of.
If the driver is very inexperienced in winter conditions (like a driver from the south coming up north to real winter) I get a set of snow tires for them and then we change them out at the end of each season.
If they still have problems driving with either type then I ask them do you really need to be driving. Use common sense and drive for conditions, sometimes the answer is not to drive or the best speed to drive is 0 / parked.

 

[Rob Binsky]

12-18” forecast today in southern Montana. At 9 am, I think we’re already on track to break that prediction.

 

[MT19RANGER]

12-18” forecast today in southern Montana. At 9 am, I think we’re already on track to break that prediction.

I'm ok w/ the 4-6" we have coming up here in the NE part of Montana.

 

[Rob Binsky]

I'm ok w/ the 4-6" we have coming up here in the NE part of Montana.

Between Bozeman and Billings. Be safe up there!

 

[FULLSCALE]

Bought a balaclava that fits under my fat bike helmet today... bring on the snow!!

 

[Deleted member 1634]

Bought a balaclava that fits under my fat bike helmet today... bring on the snow!!

That's one of my problems I still need to sort out. My proper attire for fatbiking. I've tried a bunch of different things, but finding something that keeps me warm when I'm just cruising but not too warm when I'm going uphill or something has been hard. Plus, something easy and not bulky enough to pedal in but keeps me warm when it's below 0.

 

[Kataphrakt]

It's usually the soccer mom in her SUV who "thinks" just because she has 4 wheel drive she can still drive like an maniac.

Most of the vehicles i see rolled-over during the winter here are either old beater cars like the one in my previous picture where it doesnt have TCS nor ABS or pickup trucks. For the former it usually is some dumb teenager has decided to change lanes and gunnit around someone. For the latter it's a mix of 2wd pickups who think their "Truckiness" will make their vehicle drive in snow better and complete morons with 4wd vehicles not realizing 4wd doesnt help you stop.

do they use their 4 way flashers in the rain?

Not usually, i'll occasionally see someone driving with their flashers on during snow storms, but that's usually a smart person who is using them to indicate traffic slower than the rest currently, or to indicate that visibility is very poor. For the most part people dont know they have flashers. IMO it's a good thing since many US cars are moving to having their stop lights also be their turn signals and flashers! Sure the CHSL is supposed to help with the ambiguity of the stop lights and indicator lights, but if i had $1 for each time i saw a CHSL burnt out on a 2012+ vehicle, i'd have a few more mods on my Ranger.

the ass-clowns who have no business driving in snow are trying to run the indy 500 to get to work on time.
no matter what you do, know, or can react to, including awesome safety features, some dick-weed is going to try and ruin your day and theres nothing you can do about it.

This is why, despite some of the worst snow we ever had, i still drove to work most of the days during the polar vortex (That is any day my land-lord cleared our parking lot, and always leaving late because unplowed the snow was impossible to get my fusion through!). There were few other people on the road for my then, 30-mile commute and as long as i drove about 60 and took curves a bit slower it was a nice relaxing winter wonderland.

Bonus driving tip for anyone reading this: If you find yourself on the freeway in a really bad snowstorm, find a semi-truck and drive behind it at a distance far enough back that the snow it kicks up doesnt blind you. Preferably find a semi with the double-wheels. They'll clear a nice track for you to drive in, and odds are you'll be able to stop before they will!

 

[FULLSCALE]

That's one of my problems I still need to sort out. My proper attire for fatbiking. I've tried a bunch of different things, but finding something that keeps me warm when I'm just cruising but not too warm when I'm going uphill or something has been hard. Plus, something easy and not bulky enough to pedal in but keeps me warm when it's below 0.

I have no idea if what I have will be sufficient but I’m going to give it a try! This will be my first winter out there with it.

 

[Ann M Scheib]

Wish it would snow here in southeatern lower Mi. Has been very warm here this winter.

 

[IdahoRanger]

Time for the 55th McCall Winter Carnival. Theme this year was "It's a kids world"

!st place in ice sculpture goes to Brundage Ski Patrol...sure was foggy on top of the mountain

2nd place goes to Ruby's

 

[Deleted member 1634]

Time for the 55th McCall Winter Carnival. Them this year was "It's a kids world"

!st place in ice sculpture goes to Brundage Ski Patrol...sure was foggy on top of the mountain

2nd place goes to Ruby's

Who makes the sculptures? Groups and businesses around town? How long do they have to make them?

 

[IdahoRanger]

Who makes the sculptures? Groups and businesses around town? How long do they have to make them?

The Chamber of Commerce and many businesses sponsor the ten day event. There were 31 entries this year in the sculpture contest. The sculptures are done both by the businesses themselves or they have them done but all are built on site. Was up last weekend and some had started but most hadn't. The winning sculpture at the top of Brundage Ski area was built by the ski patrol and any money they make selling chairlift ride tickets or winnings they use to buy equipment. Last year they bought defibrillators for around the mountain.

Tons of activities this year: https://visitmccall.org/events/winter-carnival/

 

[Deleted member 1634]

The Chamber of Commerce and many businesses sponsor the ten day event. There were 31 entries this year in the sculpture contest. The sculptures are done both by the businesses themselves or they have them done but all are built on site. Was up last weekend and some had started but most hadn't. The winning sculpture at the top of Brundage Ski area was built by the ski patrol and any money they make selling chairlift ride tickets or winnings they use to buy equipment. Last year they bought defibrillators for around the mountain.

Tons of activities this year: https://visitmccall.org/events/winter-carnival/

Interesting. Very cool stuff! I do enjoy hearing about other places Winter Carnival activities and how involved people are. The university I went to (Michigan Tech in the UP of Michigan) does a Winter Carnival every February. It involves mostly the students, student groups, Frats/Sororities, and some community groups. Lasts for a month, bunch of games, snow statues, etc. So it's always fun to hear how other places do Winter Carnival.

 

[RedlandRanger]

That looks a lot like the annual "sandcastle" contest we have out here - except those sculptures fall victim to the tides very quickly. I've never been to one but have seen lots of photos. I keep thinking I'd love to see on in person some day - I've never seen a snow sculpture competition. Very cool - thanks for sharing.

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