OFFICIAL TAHOE 18/19 STOKE, CONDITIONS, WEATHER THREAD

[NakedShorts]

OMG!

Rolled up to the Cougar a few minutes shy of 8am. Wouldn't you know it 5th Chair. In the past 3 weeks this would have been unheard of. Smallest Crowd on a Powder Day Imaginable. TONS of rental skis on the other skiers. Probably one of the best days my wife has ever had. No stress, no hustle, & it only seemed like 20 of us even knew where to go. Started on Cali and then initiated Planes, Trains, and Automobiles again to score a couple Gondy laps. DEEP & UNTRACKED and as few tracks I have ever seen out yonder.

Why Does This Even Happen?

You Drive for 10+ Hours And Still Lament
& Then
Skip One of The Best Days of The Year
B/c Your Pass is Blacked Out
Maybe Your Blacked Out
Because That Was A Bad Move
Going to Be Funny Monday B/c the
Drive Home Will Still Be A Gong Show.
But it Will At Least Be Sunny.

[bodywhomper]

No worries. I do agree that a driver makes the most difference. Snow tires are great but they still don’t make a car handle on snow like it does on dry pavement and so many people don’t realize how slippery snow is. I wish every snow driver would find an empty road, hit the brakes and see how long it actually takes to stop in the snow.

Not that that stuff ^^^ aren’t bad ideas, but stats from Canada and Europe suggest that just the use of winter tires will reduce accidents (at least fatal accidents, per studies found online).

[hercule33]

Not that that stuff ^^^ aren’t bad ideas, but stats from Canada and Europe suggest that just the use of winter tires will reduce accidents (at least fatal accidents, per studies found online).

No doubt, however I don't think that winter tires will work in California. It seems like the people in California who have winter tires know how to drive in the snow and do so a lot. I just don't see the problem drivers buying winter tires and going through the hassle of taking them on and off for driving at most a few hundred miles in the snow a season. Many will drive far less miles in the snow. Hence R3 chain control.

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[bodywhomper]

No doubt, however I don't think that winter tires will work in California. It seems like the people in California who have winter tires know how to drive in the snow and do so a lot. I just don't see the problem drivers buying winter tires and going through the hassle of taking them on and off for driving at most a few hundred miles in the snow a season. Many will drive far less miles in the snow. Hence R3 chain control.

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It looks like there are some interesting incentives in Canada to get people to use winter tires, like reduced insurance premiums.

On another note, in my little snowy corner where hwy 20 was closed on and off all day, GPS Nav apps were telling drivers to bypass the cal trans closure by driving up a steep graded dirt road that eventually links to a steeper ungraded/poorly maintained dirt road, which is usually a slippery mud bog in winter. And of course all those roads were snow covered and unplowed today... ha!

[hercule33]

It looks like there are some interesting incentives in Canada to get people to use winter tires, like reduced insurance premiums.

On another note, in my little snowy corner where hwy 20 was closed on and off all day, GPS Nav apps were telling drivers to bypass the cal trans closure by driving up a steep graded dirt road that eventually links to a steeper ungraded/poorly maintained dirt road, which is usually a slippery mud bog in winter. And of course all those roads were snow covered and unplowed today... ha!

I could see insurance incentives working for people who live in Tahoe. I doubt insurance companies would give incentives to those living in the bay and rarely drive in the snow, i.e. the problem drivers. Now if the Bay Area got as much snow as Canada that would be a different story.

Gotta love crazy GPS routing craziness that is a complete fail in a big snowstorm. I can’t believe Silicon Valley still hasn’t fixed their algorithms to take chain control into account and not re-route.

[powdork]

Honestly, it is rarely the 2WD drive cars, but the clueless AWD drivers that are the problem. Once you put chains on a car, you don't slip on the ice like AWD with m+s tires.



Shit. RWD. Dammit.

except for on our back roads like mandan and north upper truckee. both start as mild looking residential roads but mandan especially has some steep spots and there will be 2wd drives littering both sides either stuck waiting for help or trying to put chains on wherever they are. total cluster

[Muggydude]

Drive up Monday morning should be fine... will the conditions (Kirkwood or Heavenly) be worth the drive back? Curious if any terrain will remain closed through tomorrow

[neufox47]

I could see insurance incentives working for people who live in Tahoe. I doubt insurance companies would give incentives to those living in the bay and rarely drive in the snow, i.e. the problem drivers. Now if the Bay Area got as much snow as Canada that would be a different story.

Gotta love crazy GPS routing craziness that is a complete fail in a big snowstorm. I can’t believe Silicon Valley still hasn’t fixed their algorithms to take chain control into account and not re-route.

Probably the only way to do it would be a variable deductible, 2x standard if you wreck without snow tires.

How about actually checking for snow tires? Or requiring real snow tires, not some bullshit with a few sipes that are actually all seasons. I know people who go up in almost bald all seasons on their Suby who swear they never have a problem. I’ve never seen them look at tread either. There’s a huge difference between studded Hakka 8s and some shitty tire that ticks the mud and snow box.

[Best Mexican Skier from Da South]

Not that that stuff ^^^ aren’t bad ideas, but stats from Canada and Europe suggest that just the use of winter tires will reduce accidents (at least fatal accidents, per studies found online).

Stats on Canada and Europe also show lower amounts of screen time.

Any old timers out there remember if people were lesser degrees of dumbass when driving in snow back before cell phones? I’ve got a hunch that people are fiddling with their phones, don’t realize increases in speed or pitch, and by the time they do, they’re fucked.

I guess my question is: Do we really think that people change their texting/phone screen addiction when driving in snow? Not likely.

Now that my BM is coming to a conclusion, I bid y’all a farewell. Time to get ready and get to KW. It gone be SWEEET today!

[janky]

Alpine Meadows was deeeep yesterday. And parking lot not even close to full. Roundhouse to Summit traverse provided nonstop knee deep goodness.

Gonna hit Squaw to see what opens today. 2nd pow day today. Hopefully another tomorrow with Silvie.

[TahoeJ]

Tend to agree with BGillis. I see nobody has brought up the *touchy* subject of 'locals' who work in the bay area and have a vacation home up here... sure that's gonna be a hit with this crowd

Umm, as one of those who lives in the bay and has a house in Truckee, I’m not aware of any of us claiming to be local, at least not in this thread (I know those shithead types exist).

Perfectly fine with closures only allowing local traffic. If I wanted to be up there this weekend (which I didn’t) I would have gone up Thursday. Ironically I left on Thursday along with a lot of locals to GTHO and avoid the chaos.

Ott: I think highway 17 is hands down the most sketchy drive in CA. I’m an aggressive driver but people on that road are nuts. It’s white knuckle even on a sunny afternoon.

[El Chupacabra]

Umm, as one of those who lives in the bay and has a house in Truckee, I’m not aware of any of us claiming to be local, at least not in this thread.

User name checks out.

[janky]

“It’s gonna be a good day”




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[neufox47]

Snowing at the house at 1,300’.

[old goat]

I'm in the hospital. Found the only ice on the mountain yesterday on chute 75. If anyone is at squaw today could you let parking know some one is coming for the blue forester parked overnight near far east, probably in a day or two when the snow stops and the traffic improves. Thanks. Lol

[4matic]

I'm in the hospital. Found the only ice on the mountain yesterday on chute 75. If anyone is at squaw today could you let parking know some one is coming for the blue forester parked overnight near far east, probably in a day or two when the snow stops and the traffic improves. Thanks. Lol

What’s the damage?


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[LightRanger]

On another note, in my little snowy corner where hwy 20 was closed on and off all day, GPS Nav apps were telling drivers to bypass the cal trans closure by driving up a steep graded dirt road that eventually links to a steeper ungraded/poorly maintained dirt road, which is usually a slippery mud bog in winter. And of course all those roads were snow covered and unplowed today... ha!

Took a couple of screenshots last night because they were mildly amusing if you know where the roads are.

Sounds like the BMW is gone this morning, but there's a red CR-V stuck in the middle of the roadway in the same spot.


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[neufox47]

I'm in the hospital. Found the only ice on the mountain yesterday on chute 75. If anyone is at squaw today could you let parking know some one is coming for the blue forester parked overnight near far east, probably in a day or two when the snow stops and the traffic improves. Thanks. Lol

Vibes. Hope you heal up quick.

[LightRanger]

Ouch Goat. Hope it's not too bad.

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[~mikey b]

Hoping you’re ok old goat

[hercule33]

I'm in the hospital. Found the only ice on the mountain yesterday on chute 75. If anyone is at squaw today could you let parking know some one is coming for the blue forester parked overnight near far east, probably in a day or two when the snow stops and the traffic improves. Thanks. Lol

+++vibes+++

[PB]

Double Vs, Goat. Hope that's not the drugs talking with your LOL!

[bobz]

Took a couple of screenshots last night because they were mildly amusing if you know where the roads are.

Oy, so Goog's brainiac algorithms are still doing the old "huh, there's this one inexplicable little blockage on the freeway, but I see a combination of side roads, some of them dirt, that may or may not ever be open to public traffic regardless of conditions, that can get you around it. return(1);!! Yes!"

Really sorry to hear about the injuries Goat (and TahoeBC). Ugh.

[mmmm...pow!]

No doubt, however I don't think that winter tires will work in California. It seems like the people in California who have winter tires know how to drive in the snow and do so a lot. I just don't see the problem drivers buying winter tires and going through the hassle of taking them on and off for driving at most a few hundred miles in the snow a season. Many will drive far less miles in the snow. Hence R3 chain control.

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So your solution for "problem drivers" is chains for everyone? That's as Commiefornia as it gets. Will you be waiting in Truckee to hand out participation trophies or "I survived Smowmaggedon XIX" T-shirts? Just keep the problem drivers out, even if that means the whole bay area. As mentioned by someone earlier, the bay area consist of pretty much the worst drivers in the country. And that's on dry roads.
I've never once used chains, or snow tires on a 4WD vehicle, and haven't had a single issue in 25 years living in the mountains, which includes dozens of trips over Donner in the snow (I make that trek a few times a month). Even yesterday, managed 45mph from Truckee to Colfax, pretty easy without California drivers clogging the left lane (btw, the left lane isn't the only lane, fuckers!). I'm all for allowing local traffic only, but good luck even getting anywhere close to the checkpoint during weekend clusterfucks.
There's a couple big issues with chains, too. One is that there's a lot of people, mostly trucks but some cars, too, that chain up in the roadway. In addition to being stupid and dangerous, it reduces the roadway from two lanes to one, greatly contributing to the huge backup - imagine how much more of a shitshow this would be if you triple (guessing that's somewhat accurate?) the amount of vehicles chaining up. I would love to see CHP/CalTrans enforce having people pull entirely into the shoulder (or get off at an exit) to chain up, which would also allow the chain checkpoint to utilize two lanes instead of one. The other issue with chains is the amount of vehicles that leave the chains on after the roads are clear, whether that's out of stupidity or laziness because they don't want to take them off for the main roads and put them back on to drive through the neighborhood roads which often take longer to get plowed. In either case, it's inconsiderate of everyone else on the road and it only takes one of those morons to slow traffic from 60mph to 25, in addition to creating sketchy attempts at passing. So let's have more people chaining up?
I do agree that the guys doing the chain check should be looking at tires, though. I don't think anyone has ever once actually looked at the tires on my vehicle. Snow tires are good, and a lot of M+S tires are fine (some a lot better than others), but neither is good if they are worn. Also, how many people get through chain control with chains on the wrong wheels? I know those CalTrans guys work in challenging conditions, but it shouldn't be that hard to keep all lanes of the roadway clear for through traffic and have two guys, for two lanes, taking a quick look at the tires instead of just asking if you have 4WD. That alone would speed things up for everyone. That and a tunnel from Squaw to Auburn. And a wall.

[bodywhomper]

Heal up, old goat!

Probably the only way to do it would be a variable deductible, 2x standard if you wreck without snow tires.

How about actually checking for snow tires? Or requiring real snow tires, not some bullshit with a few sipes that are actually all seasons. I know people who go up in almost bald all seasons on their Suby who swear they never have a problem. I’ve never seen them look at tread either. There’s a huge difference between studded Hakka 8s and some shitty tire that ticks the mud and snow box.

This^^. The state could change the antiquated vehicle code from requiring m+s tires to requiring 3PMSF tires.