Advice / Tips for Driving in "Real Snow" for a First Timer?

Hey guys,

Sorry if this is a little silly, but I respect that I have basically no experience driving a vehicle in snow or on ice, especially in areas outside of the South East. My 4Runner is also my first truck and my first 4x4. We've been playing in the woods and mud a few times so I am starting to learn, but I am still a noob for sure. That said, I do have experience in competitive drifting with sports cars, and what I feel are solid car control skills.

My fiancé and I are seriously considering moving to the state of Colorado and thus we are taking a road trip there in the coming weeks. We will be driving around Denver, Boulder, and Fort Collins, with a short trip into the Roosevelt National Forest. I've been watching the weather and it will definitely be cold, and maybe snowy.

Is it all common sense? Is there anything in particular I should watch out for?

I tend to send it, so my first encounter with "real mud" got a little.. dicey.. to say the least lol. Trying to avoid that mistake going forward!

Thanks!

 

Just common sense really. Lengthier distances between vehicles, slower speeds and sunglasses to avoid snow blindness. That’s how I roll.

 

Tires are the #1 thing to invest in when driving on anything but dry pavement. I nice set of tires will make driving in the snow so much better.

Take it slow, don't go faster than what you think you can stop in triple the distance if it was dry when driving in the snow.

Take your vehicle to an empty parking lot and see what it feels like to slide, engage the ABS, ect.

 

Easy on the gas and let up well in advance of any intended stop or turn(light braking). Head on a swivel! For the other guy.

 

From my experience (as an amateur) there is nothing you could do other than using 4H and keeping lot of distance. Especially on highways like i70. That is one insane highway I see in CO would have problems in all 4 seasons. From ice, mud slides, falling rocks, crazy stop and go traffic on long holidays. It's ideal if you have tires with 3 peak mountain snow flake rating.

On snowy trails I try to use 4H since it has help from traction control system. If I'm on 4L i prefer to activate multi terrain system to get help from the traction control system and not to spin wheels. For those who don't have MTS using A-trac would be a wise decision.

Trails like Switzerland trail is comparatively safer trail in snowy conditions but still can get in to trouble. even though in city its warm there will be snow. I always see people on that trail to be friendly and willing to help always. I mean the friendliest as far as I've seen. When we were there last Feb and people were helping others who got stuck.

This is a pic from last Feb at Switzerland trail.



Worst case you can get help from "Colorado 4x4 Rescue and Recovery" (720-722-1204)

 

Invest in some good tires. Look for the Three-Peak symbol. Drive slow. Leave plenty of distance between yourself and the car in front of you. Use engine braking whenever possible. Avoid braking too suddenly. Use 4WD judiciously. And most of all, practice common sense!

 

Good tires/tread are an advantage here. Some of the mountain passes have tread depth/chain requirements, else you risk meeting Officer Friendly. As others said, leave plenty of room between vehicles, and keep your eyes outside the truck as much as is safe. Drive like every other driver is stoned, and you won't be far off. We have lots of other out-of-staters here now, and a lot of them don't know how to drive in snow either. Good on you for asking! At least you're not in a Civic with a bumblebee fart exhaust. Four wheel drive /= four wheel stop. Don't go on trails alone. Tell someone where you're going and when you'll be back as you may not have cell service if something goes sideways. Keep a survival kit in the truck while off road: fire starter, blanket(s), tow strap, food/water, a hi lift or winch would be nice, flashlights, etc. A 44 revolver isn't bad either. A lot of the forest trails may be closed due to snow. Paved roads shouldn't be too bad, but it's easy to get stuck in snow off road, either high centered or from sliding off trail. March is traditionally one of the snowier months, so be prepared for everything from 70 degree days, 25 degree nights, snow/ice/mud.

Altitude sickness is real, and it sucks. Drink a lot of water/gatorade, take aspirin regularly, and go easy on the booze. If you're a smoker, it's a little more difficult. A lot of the stores here sell cans of oxygen (like the Perriaire cans from Spaceballs). I haven't used them since I've been here for so long, but it may be worth carrying just in case. Even if you feel OK in Denver and it's high desert, it's easy to go to 10000' in the mountains and it may be much different for you.



Make sure to post up dates for when you'll be out here! Feel free to PM me with questions, etc.

 

Who would know better than a native. Nice presentation.

 

Coming from a tropical island it was funny how that altitude sickness mess with my body. I was rushing up Pikes peak after like 10 minutes at the top I had no clue why I have a weird thirst and hunger. I was eating and drinking water as if I haven't ate for days. After coming down to that place where they check your brakes all that was gone. Really weird feeling.
Lesson learned do not rush up really high mountains. Take breaks in between and have enough water. Not sure if its because I'm a little guy and probably little lungs as well..

 

Very good info here from someone that lives it, i lived in Colo. for eleven years, we had a log house up in Coal Creek Canyon and we came from San Diego Ca. It was a change for sure, i just wanted to say i take my hat off to you for not being that guy that says, please don’t come here because all you out of staters are ruining our state. Thank you.

 

Just remember 4x4 is for going not stopping. Lol.

 

Thx, Slug! I'm "Not a native but I got here as fast as I could"!

I've been here since 1997 after growing up on the East Coast, and have lived here longer than any place else. The state has changed a lot, seriously a lot, and not for the best in some cases, in my opinion. BUT, it would be hypocritical of me to tell someone not to come here when I was not born here. Traffic sucks, and not just on the roads. Fishing/hunting/camping/hiking areas are stupid busy. Real estate prices aren't California bad, but horrible for this state. Legalizing pot has created it's own mini-environment, but has a booming job market. Homelessness, drugs, and gangs are on the rise. I don't go into Denver unless it's for a specific purpose. No more just going downtown to hang out in a park with SWMBO and the puppy. The real estate market is great for people who have been here a while, but can be daunting for people moving here. I love looking at the estimated price for my house on Zillow. There's no valid reason my house should be worth over a half million dollars. It's just paper money till I sell, and that won't happen for a while. But when I do...

BUT, Colorado still rocks. Now I just have to hike a little further to get away from whatever it is I'm escaping. There's still trout in the streams, elk and deer in the woods, and mountains to climb. I remember from my sky diving days when you could see from Wyoming all the way down the Front Range past Pikes Peak while in freefall. Spectacular! I am exploring new places now to get away from everyone, which is cool. Colorado has a great job market, especially in Aerospace (my domain). I'm a crusty bastard at 57, and have to admit that the young 'uns irritate me some times. But then I remember I was one of the young 'uns irritating someone else when I was growing up, and I settle down.

One of my friends had a bumper sticker on her truck that said "Californians go home and take a Texan with you." There's a lot of that feeling here. The other joke is "What do Californians bring with them on their second trip to Colorado? All of their belongings." It's a great place to live, with it's problems like everywhere else. But it's not all Aspen and 300 days of sunshine a year either. Kouki and fiance will figure out if it's their future home, or just a wicked awesome place to visit.

 

Please correct me if I'm wrong, 4x4 will help in braking little bit more compared to a AWD right? With engine power sending to front and rear it won't lock up the wheels easily like a free spinning wheels on AWD / 2wd right? Or is that's wrong?

 

That may be the case, kmeeg, but I don't trust it. I like my brain to be five seconds ahead of my truck when I'm driving, especially on ice/snow.

 

I've never heard this. Maybe it's technically true but essentially insignificant. I wouldn't rely on it.

Just go slow, leave plenty of space, and brake early. Don't be like this van I saw last week hitting a Nissan sedan. I don't know what kind of Nissan it was, but it was certainly a lot smaller by the time the van got done with it.

 

I was rear ended once waiting on a red light at an over pass. People don't realize the time to slow down is not on top of a hill, but use the uphill bits to slow down. ABS or not, panic braking is bad on ice. Best to avoid the stopper pedal if possible.

 

It wasn't snowing or raining when some yahoo tagged my little Datsun - round towner - square in the arse, back in '74. Great little truck. But, no head restraints(rests). He slammed into me a at a stop light, long after I had stopped. The bed crumpled and the back of my head broke the rear glass. Rang my bell. Remember it like it was yesterday.

 

Any vehicle can only do 1 thing at a time in the snow
Accelerate
Turn
Stop
As long as you do not do more than one at the same time you will be ok

 

Accelerate slowly when on snow to prevent wheel spin. Drifting on turns is normal but remember to let off the gas until your under control. Also when sliding around a turn remember where your wheels are turned, its easy to want to turn the wheel hard against the slide but you will over correct. Modulate the brakes if you lack abs, and downshift to slow down when possible. Don't accelerate when making turns, do it before or after, 9/10 the rear end will come loose if you accelerate in a turn on snow. This is from 2wd perspective but most still apply to 4wd.

 

Thanks a bunch, everyone, for the advice!

Happy to report that we already have "3 Peak Mountain Snowflake" rated tires, lol. Now no one can question my decision to upgrade to these tires right off the lot!

We are super excited for our road-trip adventure and to check out Colorado. It's funny because we are so noob to winter weather - Right after I got the vehicle I was planning a big road trip.. we were planning on making a big loop that was to go up to St. Louis, then west through CO, then down to the Grand Canyon, and back over to the South East. Once I started researching, I read online that the CO mountain trails are basically closed from September to June (makes sense, but I didn't even think about it previously!), so we decided to wait on our trip to CO, and instead explored the Appalachians (still froze our butts off lol). Fast forward a few months and plans change... we are looking at a move fairly soon so this trip is far from ideal, but more "shoved in there." It won't be full of off-road exploration, like our other trip would have been, but this one is more focused on exploring the cities. I still think we will enjoy it despite a lot of driving.. and maybe our little foray into the Roosevelt National Forest will be neat if there is indeed some snow. I'll probably be too cautious to do much though, because I really don't want to get stuck, on this particular trip especially ha. We only have three days to explore as much of the front range as possible.

I went to CO when I was 21 for a ski trip. I don't remember much other than how incredibly beautiful it was, and how much I enjoyed it all. That said, I wasn't paying attention to much except for girls and fun given my age.. so I honestly don't remember much at all other than the Denver airport and then the city we stayed in while we skied (Breckenridge). I bring this up though because I'm curious how the altitude will affect us. Honestly, I didn't notice it one bit when I was 21... but that was quite some time ago.. and I also occasionally smoke now.. so we shall see. I really hope it isn't too bad!

Regarding the 4x4 engine braking thing.. I don't think that could help. At the end of the day, for the purposes of losing traction, I don't see how engine braking would be functionally any different than normal braking, as long as gentle pressure is used, etc. Losing control is all about that initial "jolt" that pushes your tires beyond their ability to retain traction. I can't think of any physical reason that gentle braking would result in traction loss more than the engine providing similar resistance to rolling.

@catus, Thank you for your warm sentiment. My fiance and I have grown up in Alabama our entire lives. I went to college here, and then due to the job market in ~2013, begrudgingly had to move back home after college, and have started my adult life here. But I've always wanted to explore the world, be it to learn about these humans and different cultures and ways of viewing, and living, life, or more recently, to see Earth's natural beauty. We started seriously "planning our escape" about three years ago, knowing that it was more of a medium-term goal than immediate. After going back and forth, between buying our first home here and setting up roots with the plan to move out of state in ~5 years, versus moving first, we basically snapped recently and decided.. YOLO.. wtf is keeping us here anyway besides comfort? Nothing good comes without hard work, so here we go! Over the years we narrowed our choices to North Carolina (Raleigh area), Western Washington, and Eastern Colorado. There are some other cool states such as Oregon and Idaho (and surely many others), but that's where we are at. We decided that the Carolina's aren't far enough away to satisfy our adventurous side, and due to COVID, realistically vetting Washington isn't really an option for us (refuse to fly). That's OK though, because I think we will really love CO! I was also a little worried about the climate in Western Washington as I'm a sucker for the sunshine! Alabama certainly has some great things going for it, believe it or not. Some areas are "up and coming" such as Huntsville, we do have at least some hills, which I love, as well as proximity to some of the best beaches in the world (which I'll really miss). But it also has a lot of bad things, as well as things that we just don't agree with personally. I am hoping that I will find a slightly different attitude in other places.. but maybe everywhere is very similar. There's only one way to find out! Regardless, I am sure that the mountains and, well, newness (to us) of CO and "The West" will provide us plenty of great things to focus on for years to come.

By the way, trip is going down next week! 18 hr. drive from AL to CO in one day boys.. wish me luck!

 

I did what you are planning when i wore a younger mans clothes, the locals said i would be heading back to calif. after the first winter. I was there for 11 yrs. and 2 kids.

 

If you encounter any pavement that looks "shiny", don't panic, just let off the gas slowly to maintain control, steer in little bitty increments.

 

Only thing I have to Add is if and when you hit the Ice and Snow covered Road don't drive like the idiots here do, Just slow down take it easy and think about "I would rather be late then not make it at all" Keep a lot of room between you and the car in front of you remember with 4 Wheel drive you may be able to accelerate faster go a little fast BUT you can not stop any faster Don't do the dumbest thing you can do on Snow or Ice and that is Panic stop hit the brakes like press the pedal to the metal because then the wheels stop turning and more out of control you become if the speed limit is 65 and it is snowing hard the roads are 3 or 4 inch deep with snow go slow and the hell with the guys who want to go fast and faster because you will past them in the ditch soon.

 

I take my hand off the wheel and let er glide don't touch them brakes whatever you do

 

Watch those 4-way stops, be sure to take a good look before you pull out, there is always someone sliding through with no control.

 

lol it's starting to sound like this may be an adventure in an entirely different way!

 

Make sure you drive through the Eisenhower tunnel during a snow storm.... adventure is the word!

 

I'll just add that it's good to have extra warm clothing and proper footwear and gloves even if you're just on pavement because otherwise if you get stuck or have a flat or run out of gas you can get seriously miserable in a hurry. Jumper cables are always nice to have and so is a tow strap...maybe to help someone else or to help yourself. I carry all these items year round and it's uprising how often I've been able to help someone else out of sand or gravel or just muddy wet grass with the tow strap.

 

Hey Kouiki, I just yesterday got a foot of snow at the house! The roads in my little slice of heaven were basically wet but clear w/in a couple hours of the last flake falling. The mountain roads may take a little longer to clean up.

 

As mentioned shinny roads are covered in ice, the snow is a lot easier to navigate and maintain control in than ice.
Black ice in shaded areas by large trees shadow are killers.

If you are all the sudden facing where you just were or spinning in the road hang on, not much you can do until you stop at that point. if you spin out and hit the wall, ditch or something stops you, get out quick that location, there is usually more cars coming to that same spot backwards or spinning.