Cross country trip in the winter?

So I'm toying with the idea of driving from NY to Denver and then up to Vancouver, BC. Google claims its a little over 3200 miles. My car just hit 16k mileage and with the snow tyres, skidplate and stock ground clearance I hope to be ok.

 

If i was to take such a trip, would there be anything else besides the obvious (blanket, emergency kit, etc) that you would take with you? I hear horror stories all the time about the snowstorms in the northwest and want to know what i could do to minimize the chances of getting stuck.

 

Link for effect

Given that you're going to be on major roads the whole way you should be fine at least when you're up in my neck of the woods. Just check in advance to ensure the pass on I-90 is open before you cross it though.

Someone to snuggle with when/if you find a snow bank the hard way;)

Full sized spare? oh wait you have a spec b...nevermind I can't hauck my spare 17's. That is unless you would like a spare 17 to go with your 18s.. , but yeah I would get a full size spare just in case. You don't want to be stuck somewhere on a space saver donut and still have 70 miles to go before you can replace your blown tire.

 

Eric

a case of water and just check the weather along the way so you dont have to drive through a blizzard

Not that you need reminding that your cell phone is a must, but a CB radio should be in the car. You may get to a mountainous area with spotty cell coverage, and truckers can be your best friend if you're stuck..... (it saved my @$$ in Kentucky some years back).

 

Also, the kit as mentioned above: road flares, medical kit, blanket(s), water, and some emergency food (ie.. granola bars and other foods that do not require anything other than opening and eating), and a portable compressor/flashlight/radio combo or each of the three. That should cover most situations.....

I would bring along a small shovel, in case you get your car stuck in a snow bank and have to dig your way out. If you stay on major roads this shouldn't happen, but if you you're adventurous you could find yourself in that situation. You'll can spend up to 3 hours digging without one.

 

Right now Denver is pretty dry.

As mentioned, checking the weather is a good idea. If you're blitzing the trip -- long days with as many miles as possible -- you can probably just figure it out before leaving. Otherwise, a wireless-enabled laptop and motels with wireless access will allow you to do daily plan-aheads.

 

Your route avoids the serious mountains (except Snoqualmie Pass), but the real risk is blizzard conditions on the high plains west from, say, Omaha all the way to Seattle. (Hell, even Iowa can be interesting sometimes, in the sense off difficult winter weather.)

 

There should be cell phone coverage on this route, at least. HPH

I concur with the listening to weather reports.

 

You have a relatively new car and winter tires so you should be good for most conditions. As for carrying a full size spare? that might be a little extreme.

 

Just pay attention to the road reports and take them to heart. You don't have to prove to everyone that you are the "Plow King". If you have to overnight in a hotel, make the most of it!

 

Don't rush, keep a safe distance from others and take frequent breaks. You should be good. Also should you come into a situation, don't slam on your brakes, consider threshold braking where you apply just enough force without the ABS taking over. Then start looking for traction. Believe it or not, that pile of snow off of the slick well worn path of others may just provide you with enough resistance and traction to prevent an accident!

 

Other things to consider before leaving on your trek are new wipers and plenty of smurf juice (winter rated windshield wiper fluid). You could consider getting some type of traction aid, there are plenty out there, but I hope you pull over and wait it out before that becomes a necessity.

 

Should you become stranded, make sure you clear the snow from the exhaust (hence the small portable shovel) and crack a window or two. In event you do incur a flat, I would call AMA and let them deal with it. Why risk getting nailed while changing a tire?

 

Hope this helps and I really hope weather conditions are good for your trip. The scenery is so much better when you aren't worrying about sliding off the road!

 

Cheers!

Hey Equinoxx we should meet up when you do go on that trip. You'll be driving on the Ohio Turnpike and you'll go straight through Toledo. If I were you I'd take an extra quart of oil, some antifreeze, and windshield washer fluid on the trip. You never know...lol