Towing the Trailer in Snow

[aeblank]

I used my chains in Bakersfield, CA a little over a year ago. Must have been a foot of snow. Apparently the only snow they'd had in 11 years. I bet I was the only one there with snow tires, chains, and a camper!

[ard58]

I get nervous pulling on a wet highway going around curves. Never, repeat, never know what might happen.

[corn18]

The stupid shall be punished.

[phillyg]

There are few things that come to my mind that would make me continue to drive in snow/ice pulling a RV.

[Kcoulter]

Lucky he hit the ditch and not the semi

[U.S.ArmyVeteran]

It's like everything in life. Stuff happens. But this is obviously avoidable. Nothing could convince me to continue towing in those conditions. If it was a life and death circumstances. I would continue without the trailer.
But you are towing your home away from home. Pull over, off the highway find a nice parking lot and boondock. No one is going to begrudge you a safe place to wait out the storm.

Common Sense should prevail.

[U.S.ArmyVeteran]

We did this a few years ago with an older rig.

Spent the night in a rest stop.
In the morning the sun did come up

[BigH]

Originally Posted by U.S.ArmyVeteran

We did this a few years ago with an older rig.

Spent the night in a rest stop.
In the morning the sun did come up

Smart...and a great photo!

[U.S.ArmyVeteran]

Originally Posted by BigH

Smart...and a great photo!

Thanks.
And now that I think back this was our first trip in our new Trailer.

Ice and freezing rain and snow. Lots of accidents. Cars and trucks in the ditches. The rest area did not permit overnight stays, except in the truck parking area. They made an allowance for us. We really appreciated it.

Unfortunately, not many people took advantage of the opportunity.

[quicky06]

Originally Posted by U.S.ArmyVeteran

Thanks.
And now that I think back this was our first trip in our new Trailer.

Ice and freezing rain and snow. Lots of accidents. Cars and trucks in the ditches. The rest area did not permit overnight stays, except in the truck parking area. They made an allowance for us. We really appreciated it.

Unfortunately, not many people took advantage of the opportunity.

I personally wouldn’t have cared nore asked about an exception. If they want to give me a ticket for waiting out dangerous rod conditions I’ll gladly see them in court.

[AZ Pete]

We have spent many nights in rest areas. I am willing to bet they cannot prove how long you stayed, and "over night" may be open to interpretation. I have never been challenged for spending time "napping" in a rest area. They don't want drowsy drivers on the road. They are for resting, aren't they?

[aeblank]

Lots of this depends where you're from and what you're used to. I'm from MI and spent some years in the UP of MI, including Houghton (over 200" snow per year). If you waited for clear roads, you'd be stuck till April. Then again, you could pick the "out of staters" or "down staters" from a mile away. I run proper equipment and snow tires, which also helps. I've helped people in the ditch with some pretty worn out tires.

I do sometimes wonder when I'm doing 60ish and come up on someone doing 20... One of us has to be wrong about the conditions, if I'm doing 3x the speed (comfortably mind you) they are. Sure, the right answer is probably in the middle somewhere, but jeesh.....

[TitanMike]

Originally Posted by Kcoulter

Lucky he hit the ditch and not the semi

The Semi was going the correct speed and could stop for the fool.

[TowPro]

look like they were going uphill to me.

[youroo]

Originally Posted by ppine

Towing an RV is harder than it sounds. You must have chains on the drive wheels of your TV and one axle of a trailer under chain controls.

I have avoided towing a trailer in snow most of the time because I have learned from late season fishing trips, that even towing a much lighter boat in the snow tends to want to pull your rear wheel of your TV to the outside of every curve.

Towing in the "Snow/Ice" is required in regards to Snowmobiling! We have towed enclosed double deck 24' trailer with a 2 wd Suburban to New York,Penn,Wis,Mich,Mn and even Quebec/Ontario ! Never had issues,for several years now have had 4WD tow vehicles but know they are NO better for travel if you Drive/Act like a Idiot! PS if it ever Snows this year we will be going to the UP! Youroo!!

[Kcoulter]

Originally Posted by TitanMike

The Semi was going the correct speed and could stop for the fool.

I'm guessing hitting a stopped semi head-on isn't too fun either.

[glsimms]

My son-in-law towed his trailer up through the mountains in Yellowstone in a freak snow storm, in the middle of July no less!! Fortunately, the snow was short lived.....

[TitanMike]

Originally Posted by Kcoulter

I'm guessing hitting a stopped semi head-on isn't too fun either.

Not on my bucket list.

[SailorSam20500]

Back when I was in college a buddy and I were going to visit a group of friends at another school. Roads were icy and we were doing about 30 on a straight stretch of I-94. A guy went barrelling by us and promptly put his car in the center ditch. We passed him as he was battling the ditch and slowing down. Once he got it under control, he pulled back onto the road and immediately blew past us again! We slowed down further to let him get way ahead of us...

[corn18]

I definitely think a little poo would come out if we were towing in snow or ice. And pulling over to the side of the road might be worse. I flipped my 2WD truck (it was actually one wheel drive - no diff lock or traction control of any kind) when we hit some black ice on an overpass going 42 mph. We climbed out of the truck and immediately another car went sliding by sideways and hit the guard rail about 100 yds down the road. Yikes! Found out later that day that someone was killed when he wrecked in the same spot and got out of his car and got hit by another out of control car.