Travel through the Rockies in December

[Goodspike]

Originally Posted by waterjosh

I lived in colorado for 10 years, in my experience people there take chains required as a warning and don't use them anyhow, so just be extra cautious of idiots

Are you sure CO isn't like WA, where chains required means they have to be available if you have 4WD? In Washington the sign has to say "Chains Required on All Vehicles" to mean they actually have to be installed on a 4WD vehicle.

https://www.wsdot.com/winter/tires-chains.htm

[saddlesore]

Originally Posted by Goodspike

Are you sure CO isn't like WA, where chains required means they have to be available if you have 4WD? In Washington the sign has to say "Chains Required on All Vehicles" to mean they actually have to be installed on a 4WD vehicle.

https://www.wsdot.com/winter/tires-chains.htm

And like other western states there is the "must carry laws". ie: must have on board/in your possession when traveling during the late fall/winter/early spring months.
Our coach due to the outboard air bags in line with the outside tires prevent using chains/cables or even the tire sacks. So yes I have the bag with the tire sacks (only weigh 5lbs) in the coach, but that is only if they see fit to check me, will never use them..We just park in the "cheep seats" of the nearest truckstop and wait the weather out... even if it is a week or more, hell... We are retired and not in a hurry anywho..

[Goodspike]

Originally Posted by saddlesore

And like other western states there is the "must carry laws". ie: must have in your possession when traveling during the fall/winter/early spring months.

Yes, post 5 and 6 above cover some of that. In Washington those seasonal rules only apply to vehicles over 10,000 pounds, which was the topic of my post 6 (I'm 180 pounds under!).

[Jay D.]

here in Oregon must carry, means must carry. chains on all vehicles, means chains on all vehicles. just because you have 4 wheel drive doesn't help that much, when you get on packed snow and ice that's were the chains help.
Jay D.

[Goodspike]

Originally Posted by Jay D.

here in Oregon chains on all vehicles, means chains on all vehicles. just because you have 4 wheel drive doesn't help that much, when you get on packed snow and ice that's were the chains help.
Jay D.

I think the point is Washington changes the signs based on conditions. I suspect other states do the same.

[Jay D.]

your probably right i think that's how Oregon is and it can change daily.
we use to go to the mountains here in central Oregon in January to ride ATV's. i had a 3/4 ton 4x4 truck with the best mud and snow tires money could buy. i would tow a 3000# ATV trailer loaded with ATV's. this was a secondary hiway and about the last 50-60 miles would be packed snow and ice and a steady climb. i can tell you it wasn't a pleasant drive, it was so slick that if you stopped anywhere there was a non level spot you would just slide off the road. we didn't have chains but they sure would have been nice. i could not fathom trying to pull my 6500# T/T up there now let alone try to come down.
Jay D.

[PKI]

You do not want to run with chains - you need to cary them to not be stopped or fined - they must be part of your kit - but most important you need to travel in good weather windows. Yes - South is better - used to travel I80 in a good weather window when going East to Kansas for Christmas and then after the visit we took I40 back to CA. However, the higher elevations of I40 are not without weather issues.

Think the snow socks are the best solution. Light and easy to carry. We have traveled off and on in Winter months. For about 40 years we have carried chains, but never used them. They are part of the kit, not the use profile. Park it and wait. Travel in an open weather window.

[jbudinski]

Thanks, Everyone. We have decided 2020 is bad enough without taking any unnecessary chances so, no trip. Someone mentioned my being from AZ. We used to live in AZ - now we live in NC. Thanks again.

[Xmcdog]

Welcome aboard.
As everyone was busy giving you good advice I thought I would extend greetings
As you have discovered we have a vast storehouse of knowledge and it is available to all.
Wishing you many happy miles.

[Ray,IN]

Reading the specs for your 2012 Fleetwood Jamboree Sport 28y the GVWR is 14,500# on the door sticker, that is the weight police will use not your weigh ticket.

Metal tire chains will beat the wheelwells apart when they break. I suggest cable-type instead, they meet all chain requirements. 30MPH is absolute maximum speed when chains/cables are in use IMO.
If you have never installed tire chains/cables in cold snowy wet weather I strongly suggest you consider the action, it was a miserable experience for me.
I am already in my rolling apartment, when driving conditions are such that chains are recommended/required, I park my apartment and wait until better driving conditions arrive. You only get one shot at life don't rush the experience.

[JoyceJam]

Originally Posted by jbudinski

Thanks, Everyone. We have decided 2020 is bad enough without taking any unnecessary chances so, no trip. Someone mentioned my being from AZ. We used to live in AZ - now we live in NC. Thanks again.

Good decision. I lived in the Colorado mountains off the I-70. There were days I wouldn’t drive my SUV with studded snow tires. It would be even worse in an RV. If you do that, you have to be mentally prepared to hunker down when the roads are bad. And it’s not just about you - it’s about the other drivers, too. Many of then are not all that smart and can possibly do something that would cause an accident.

[OLYLEN]

Carry the chains and never use them. Park and wait the storm out. If chains are required there is a reason and you don't want to be there.

[ArtJoyce]

Passenger Vehicles?
A chain law restriction for vehicles weighing less than 16,001 pounds—including passenger vehicles, crossovers, SUVs and small trucks—can be put into effect in Colorado at any time when weather conditions are severe, primarily on roadways with significant ascending and descending grades.