Going Skiing Friday! Wish I had snow tires..

"Wrong Wheel Drive (41%)" (rduncan5678)
03/21/2018 at 11:01 • Filed to: None

There is a nice winter storm DUMPING snow right now at Mammoth. I have committed myself to leaving home at 4am on Friday to get up there, ski for the day, and go home. Yeah that is going to suck driving 10+ hours in one day just for a day of skiing. But with this storm rolling through the conditions are just going to be perfect. I dont have the time to spend the weekend there so I am just making a day trip work. All for the fresh pow!

Miata snowmobile will never go near wet stuff. Not even rain. Tempting though to do it again some day...

Anyways, my vehicle priorities have left me with no way to drive either car there. Like sure, I have a AWD Subaru and my Miata has done well for me in the snow in the past. But both cars currently sit on summer tires and would not even get me over the first set of mountains right now without murdering me lol. So I am planning to pick up a rental from LAX on my way home Thursday and just make my way up there since at least I will have a vehicle with all seasons.

The closest I have gotten the car to snow. But it was 50 degrees so my summer tires didnt kill me.

I probably should have just gotten all seasons for my Subaru to begin with, I have the Miata for EXTREME PERFORMANCE MAXIMUM GRIP fun so it really is silly to have both cars on tires that I cant take anywhere cold. Since I already committed to that idea though, I suppose just a second set with snow tires is my best bet. But buying snow tires in Socal means I have to order them shipped and that means planning ahead. I have declared “I will wait until next season, its not snowing anyways this year” but damn is it snowing now!!!

Maybe I should pick up some cheapo tire chains on Amazon but I have no idea what size to get for a rental. I am sure the cost in the middle of nowhere near a chain checkpoint would be absurd. Perhaps there are adjustable ones? Maybe I can find a rental that has the same size tire as my Subaru? Either way I need to figure that out ASAP to get something in time.

DISCUSSION (21)

For Sweden > Wrong Wheel Drive (41%)
03/21/2018 at 11:21

You’ll be fine; the Sierra Cement is plenty grippy

Highlander-Datsuns are Forever > Wrong Wheel Drive (41%)
03/21/2018 at 11:32

In sacramento Les Schwab sells good tire chains at their stores so you can just stop in and buy chains for your car for your trip. When you do not use them, just return them for a full refund. Also get an AWD or 4wd rental so you are compliant with R2 conditions. You will never see R3 and don’t want to drive in R3 anyway. You will breeze through chain control with an AWD/4wd.

E39, K5. Whatever it takes. > Wrong Wheel Drive (41%)
03/21/2018 at 11:35

I’m about two hours north of Mammoth and having driven there from both directions on 395, there is not too much to worry about in terms of chain control checkpoints. Pretty much a valley drive until Bishop. Once there, if road conditions require, there are options for a cheap chains purchase.

I’ll be boarding Mammoth the following weekend. This weekend is the twenty minute drive to Heavenly Valley.

SPAMBot - Horse Doctor > Wrong Wheel Drive (41%)
03/21/2018 at 12:02

I love absurd day trips like this! My friends think I’m crazy when I come up with a half baked plan like this, but that is what makes it fun! Enjoy the powder! I’ll be in Sonoma/Napa drinking wine in the rain haha

Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) > E39, K5. Whatever it takes.
03/21/2018 at 12:37

Where would be my best option for purchasing chains if needed? I don’t know anything about chains and really want to avoid paying $200+ for a set that I can’t use on any other car lol

Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) > Highlander-Datsuns are Forever
03/21/2018 at 12:41

Well that was my plan for my own car. Since its awd and I’ll eventually have snow tires, I can just ignore chains altogether for R1/R2. I planned on just having a cheapo rental do this trip since most of the “awd” options are fwd based which suck and aren’t worth the upcharge. And if I can just get chains to have just in case when I get up there for those last few miles, that would be ideal.

Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) > SPAMBot - Horse Doctor
03/21/2018 at 12:42

I wish I had planned ahead and could just take my Subaru. Would make my trip a ton less complicated lol. Or if I was home so that I could source some all seasons quickly on the used market.

Highlander-Datsuns are Forever > Wrong Wheel Drive (41%)
03/21/2018 at 12:49

I would send you my old chains if they would fit, but I think it would cost more to ship than just buying some. Chains are for a 205/55-16 wheel. I’m assuming your sti has 17's.

SPAMBot - Horse Doctor > Wrong Wheel Drive (41%)
03/21/2018 at 13:02

At least you know how to drive in the snow. That helps a lot. Do you rent from National or a place that lets you pick whatever car? If so, I would pick whatever has the most tread and possibly AWD. Or, whatever has the same size tires you will use on the sti haha

Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) > SPAMBot - Horse Doctor
03/21/2018 at 13:21

Well yeah I’m not so worried about safety in the snow. I could probably survive on summer tires in the snow if I had to. Although it would be not very fun and I’d probably get stuck if I ever had to stop on a hill lol. But more importantly it’s just the legal issue of being unable to continue down the road without chains. I’m pretty sure all of the LAX rental companies just give you a car they pick out for you. I’m renting from Payless since I was able to get two days for $45 in total. Two days so that I’m not rushing to lax to return it on time. Since I probably wouldn’t make it back in 24 hours of pickup without leaving the mountain early. I plan on skiing open to close. But yeah if the rental had a 225/45/R17 on it that would be clutch!

CaptDale - is secretly British > Wrong Wheel Drive (41%)
03/21/2018 at 13:22

gET CABLES FOR THE sUBARU AND YOU’LL BE FINE

CaptDale - is secretly British > CaptDale - is secretly British
03/21/2018 at 13:22

Opps sorry for the cap, didn’t notice it was on

Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) > CaptDale - is secretly British
03/21/2018 at 13:23

On summer tires that seems like a poor choice lol.

CaptDale - is secretly British > Wrong Wheel Drive (41%)
03/21/2018 at 13:26

I mean, not really. You’re running on the cable when needed or if needed.

Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) > Highlander-Datsuns are Forever
03/21/2018 at 13:28

Yeah I’m on 17s, from what I’ve researched 16s won’t fit over the brakes on this car. Which is unfortunate because I wanted to run 16s with narrow tires for the winter stuff since it would be cheaper. I’m likely to end up just getting a cheap set in the same size as my BBS stock wheels and run the same size tire.

Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) > CaptDale - is secretly British
03/21/2018 at 13:31

But do cables really work with a summer tire? I feel like it would be fine with an all season but summer rubber will be a brick at 20F and I’d be worried about wet Valley roads in the 40s. I’m driving at 4am so it’ll certainly be the coldest possible everywhere. Midday I’d probably be fine 95% of the way.

E39, K5. Whatever it takes. > Wrong Wheel Drive (41%)
03/21/2018 at 13:41

In Bishop. They have all the national stores (Napa, Autozone, etc.). North of there is where the elevation increases and so does the chance of chain requirements up to the 203 turnoff for Mammoth.

Bishop to Mammoth is about 45 minutes.

CaptDale - is secretly British > Wrong Wheel Drive (41%)
03/21/2018 at 14:11

I don’t see why they wouldn’t work on summer tires

SPAMBot - Horse Doctor > Wrong Wheel Drive (41%)
03/21/2018 at 14:28

National has the aisle at LAX. Don’t blame you on going the cheap route. They definitely won’t let you pick your car though haha. Maybe grab chains from a big box store before you leave. If you don’t use them, just return them when you get back. I bought them one year I went to SLC and remember that they were pretty cheap.

Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) > SPAMBot - Horse Doctor
03/21/2018 at 18:54

Lol I forgot National was a rental company. I thought you were saying “National companies” like Avis, Budget, Enterprise, Hertz (the bigger ones). Looking at the weather I should probably be able to avoid chains unless the storm keeps the roads inundated longer than expected. Its supposed to end Thursday night but since I am leaving at 4am, shit might still be whack by the time I get up there around 8am. So at least having the chains would be a good idea.

SPAMBot - Horse Doctor > Wrong Wheel Drive (41%)
03/21/2018 at 19:09

LOL I forgot I mentioned it in the previous reply. I would grab chains to fit, just in case. Even if the roads are relatively decent, CHP enforces the chain law pretty hard. It helps all the SoCal natives that have never touched snow stay out of the ditch haha