by Phil » Tue Nov 21, 2017 6:18 pm
Damn....a current post...
Practicing installing your chains/cables ahead of time in more favorable conditions is some of the most solid advice you'll get. The learning curve is much less steep when you're not grovelling on the side of the road in a foot of slush, tarp and trashable clothing or not.
And yes, most of the time roads are going to close altogether before they issue an R3 level restriction, simply because they'll be dealing with more spin outs and wrecks than keeping the road open is worth, and they can't plow fast enough to avoid all the chaos anyhow, so other vehicles just get in their way and slow the operations down even more. Caltrans might do it with their fleets of plows on major interstates, but the NPS doesn't have the same resources. If you can, rent an SUV that's actually 4WD. With an R2 restriction, you'll hit the chain control and they'll ask you or see if the vehicle is a 4x and wave you right through, even with less than some big knobby tires. Above all, go slow. Chains or 4 wheel drive, it's the people that go faster than the conditions call for that whiz past you only to be packed into a snowbank or in the ditch a couple miles down the road.
With a rental, check their chain policy, and if allowed, get the full damage waiver. Even properly installed chains can break and destroy a fender within minutes.