Advice/tips for offroading in snow???

[Evan B]

I'm going camping this weekend and we've recently had more snow than usual. Do you have any driving advice or tips for offroading in snow? My 2006 is completely stock and the path we'll be using will probably not have had any traffic on it. There will probably be about 12"-24" of snow but I'm not sure how many drifts there will be and how deep they are.

I've been through the area in the summer so I know what the terrain looks like when it's not snow covered. Do we need to consider the depth of snow the same way we would the depth of water? ie. rear diff breather issues

I'll have two passengers, shovels for everyone, a pair of Tow-Truck-in-a-Box, a tow strap in case we get stuck and can find someone to pull us out and if worst comes to worst we will have our camping gear to stay warm.

 

[aha2988]

maintaining momentum helps you don't want to stop if you can help it unless its a relatively easy spot to get going again. you'll def want a shovel to dig out of spots if you do get stuck. and yes you want to be aware of the depth similar to crossing through water there are some bottomless holes from time to time an it's best to avoid those. If your familiar with the terrain you should be fine. plus ur not wheelin hard enough if you don't get stuck from time to time! however you don't really need to worry about the diff breathers your axles will most likely be cold the hole time and won't really need to expand gasses through the breather. plus your not gonna suck ice in through your seals if it were a fully submerged axle in water after driving highway speeds that would be your situation for needing an extended breather.

a tip I've found that works well, if you get into a slippery spot where say you've packed down the snow and can't get traction just laying a blanket or several towels down that the tire can catch and slide under itself will get you going again.

 

[TechWrench]

In addition to the above suggestions, I would try to determine which of the three vehicles has the best tires and most ground clearance and let it go first to break a path for the other vehicles. If it gets stuck, then most likely the other two would have already gotten stuck.

 

[Evan B]

In addition to the above suggestions, I would try to determine which of the three vehicles has the best tires and most ground clearance and let it go first to break a path for the other vehicles. If it gets stuck, then most likely the other two would have already gotten stuck.

Sorry, I wasn't clear. The other two guys are just passengers so they'll be available for pushing and shovelling but that's it. I'll edit the original post.

 

[ironhippy]

I think you'll be fine, but if you are going alone (alone is defined by a single vehicle), make sure you are going to be ok with walking out if it really hits the fan. (plan for the worst, hope for the best).

Your towtruck in a box will likely be useless because when you're stuck, you'll most likely be high centered and getting more traction probably won't help (once you are stuck). If you get stuck on some ice, the towtruck in a box can be of some help, but branches, floor mats, towels will all work as good or better.

Either way, if you have lots of shovels and people willing to help, you should be able to dig yourself out of any situation you get yourself into. Getting stuck in snow is usually easy to get out of.

Be very cautious of any area where you may be travelling over frozen water. If you break through ice that has somewhat deep water you will be in trouble. Try to avoid that.

 

[TechWrench]

Sorry, I wasn't clear. The other two guys are just passengers so they'll be available for pushing and shovelling but that's it. I'll edit the original post.

My fault, I didn't read your original post carefully enough. If you are going to be the only vehicle, then in addition to the equipment you already mentioned, you might consider a heavy duty come-along with enough rope/cable/chain to reach any nearby trees to help pulling out the vehicle, if you become stuck. A good winch would be real nice, but it is an expensive mod if this is not going to be a regular thing.

 

[Gerdo]

if you run lower pressure in your tires, it'll help.
Know when to turn around when wheeling a single vehicle.
When you get stuck because you didn't turn around in time, start digging. Enough digging and you should be able to get out of most situations.
When I wheeled alone, I carried straps and a Come-a-Long. They are slow going but better than nothing.

 

[JB.]

Even with the snow at 12 inches you'd likely get get stuck repeatedly if you're putting in any distance. On a flat road with no drifts you can plow that much but there's very little headroom for uneven terrain or snow drifts. Having multiple shovels and shovelers is huge and should bail you out of just about anything if you don't go too nuts. If the depth is closer to 24 than 12, I don't think you'll be going very far.

Be mindful of any declines. Even on a mild one, if you get stuck there, backing out can be extremely difficult. A little more angle, and that's where you could find yourself stranded. Having chains or cables along as backup in a spot like that is nice. On rolling terrain, I'd walk the decline and subsequent incline to assess conditions and see over the crest.

 

[Evan B]

A front receiver and a winch in a cradle are on the wish list but that probably won't be a reality for another six months. When you guys say come-a-long do you mean the manual type that you might see on a boat trailer? If that's the case can you recommend a brand/model that could handle the weight?

I considered airing down a little but it's a 1 hour highway drive from home and I don't have a compressor. I usually run my tires at 38 psi so I could probably go down to 30'ish and still be good for the drive home.

 

[techno]

Yes, drop the pressure to 30. With 12" of snow, you want the tires to float, not dig down.
Believe it or not, overheating in the snow is very possible. Watch out for snow build up that blocks air flow to the radiator.
Gerdo, said it. Do not be afraid to turn around if it's just too tough. Yes, your buddies will think you're cool as you plow on, but as soon as you're stuck you become a fool.
Tell someone responsible of your plans including a return time.
Have fun, take photos.

 

[Hyde802]

NO! This is a come along

And most of them are only rated for 3-5K. You can also "winch" with a highlift which is rated for closer to 8k. Both are pretty slow.

If you feel the tires start to dig STOP! back up, get a little momentum and try again.

Bring LOTS of water and food. Getting a stuck truck out of the snow is VERY tiring..

 

[Evan B]

Do you guys use tire chains? I could pick these up in town. 2 pc Peerless™ Auto-Trac® Truck/SUV Tire Chains | Princess Auto

 

[Gerdo]

Chains will get you in further..and deeper stuck further back.
Know when to turn around.

A winch would be awesome but they too do fail so don't bet your life on them.

 

[techno]

Do you guys use tire chains? I could pick these up in town.

Actually, yes, carrying chains is a very good idea. They can be tricky to put on for the first time, so do a few practice runs first. Try not to think of them as a recovery tool, instead, use them pro-actively so you don't get stuck.

 

[aha2988]

Actually, yes, carrying chains is a very good idea. They can be tricky to put on for the first time, so do a few practice runs first. Try not to think of them as a recovery tool, instead, use them pro-actively so you don't get stuck.

I want to go down that road!

 

[Gerdo]

As with all trips but very important on snow trips, always tell someone exactly where you will be and when to send out the search party. Be specific to one responsible person. Also, don't deviate from your plan. If you get stuck in an area that is different than what you told your person, it's like not telling anyone.

We had a friend that just had this happen. He wanted to get away and has many times alone before. While wheeling an easy trail, he hit a rock with his radiator, done. He was 20 miles up a trail. He told a bunch of people that he was heading out (Facebook and a forum) but did not assign ONE person to be the responsible one. Over a day later we hear that he had trouble and spent the night on the mountain. He walked out quite a bit till some people on ATVs came by. He was very experienced but it was an ordeal.

 

[Hound]

Telling people where you are going and carrying food and water are life savers:iagree:. I could not agree more. The come-along is good but make sure you have planned out the recovery points on your truck that you could use if you need them. BEFORE you go out. Depending on where you go, you may not have anything to hook to though. You can try the bury the tire trick but if there is snow this might be more of a trick due to hard ground. I would highly recommend chains but would use them as recovery gear. If your truck is stock (I assume that also means tires) and if you get to a point where you misjudged the terrain, I like to be able to ramp up my ability to get out. If you start out with chains you can get into deeper trouble than if you have the chains in reserve. I would also recommend getting one of your buddies to drive. Snow increases the difficulty of any trail. Even in the summer it is better to go with friends but in the winter things get real serious real quick when the sun goes down. The story above from Gerdo could have been much different if it had been in the winter. 20 miles in with temps dropping turns into one of "those" stories:violin:. The fact that you are planning on camping means you should be more prepared than a one day scouting trip but still, having a buddy in another truck could make the difference between a trip with a bump in the road or an ordeal. One last tip: take a CB.

 

[CAN-03runner]

I have found my "Tow Truck in a Box" to be difficult to climb onto if low to no traction. The old school big steel red ones, with ice teeth underneath are better.

Bring a car jack and some planks of wood to place under the jack so it doesn't sinck too much. Even the standard one in the trunk. You can jack up the truck and then slide the tow truck in a box under the tires.

Bring some lengths of carpet. It's a good insulator. If you get high centered and want to reach down under your truck to shovel out snow, you can kneel or lie down on it instead of getting right on the snow and cold and wet. I've used it for that, and winter trail repairs. Worked out better than a simple plastic tarp.

Tire chains are excellent. Make sure you practice putting them on. Stop an inspect them periodically as they loosen and need retightening. Listen for noises or noise changes. They can cause major damage if they start flinging around.

Come-along is better than nothing.

Even a small ATV winch can come in handy. If you think you can push the truck out of stuck....then 3000lbs or 6000lbs doubled is good enough and better than bicep power. Sometimes you just lose traction, but aren't really burried in snow/mud, and you just need a tug while you drive.

Get a compressor to inflate tires. Even a cheap one cigarette lighter one for 10$. You don't need a 300$ arb compressor. So it takes 5minutes. Cause I think with tire chains you should be well inflated to keep the chains on there nice and snug.

Don't underestimate winter and snow on a simple trail. If you bring more food, water and extra clothes than you end up using, you will regret it if you actually need it.

Maybe extra fuel.

Some of those hot shot pouches you can stick in your boots and gloves.

 

[techno]

... I would highly recommend chains but would use them as recovery gear. If your truck is stock (I assume that also means tires) and if you get to a point where you misjudged the terrain, I like to be able to ramp up my ability to get out. If you start out with chains you can get into deeper trouble than if you have the chains in reserve....

Absolutely not. Put the chains on BEFORE to avoid trouble.
Chains will be no help after you have slid off the side of road and onto your side.
If you get bogged down and can't move backwards or forwards enough to actually put the chains on, then what are you going to do?
If you loose traction and run into tree, you'll be real happy that you had those chains sitting in the cargo area doing nothing.

 

[TechWrench]

Chains will get you in further..and deeper stuck further back.
Know when to turn around.

A winch would be awesome but they too do fail so don't bet your life on them.

That is the 'hard to learn' trick, knowing when you are going to get stuck, and stopping just before then.............