Driving to the Trail in Winter: A Car Kit That Works
By Trailbound Editors · Published · Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Table of Contents
Quick Verdict
Carry a scraper, a blanket, a torch, water, food, and a shovel in winter, and know where your snow chains or socks are before you need them. Drive smoothly and slowly, leave triple the normal gap, and treat the decision to turn back at the pass as a normal part of the day rather than a failure.
Getting to the trailhead is often the most dangerous part of a winter day, and it is the part people prepare for least.
The kit in the boot
- Scraper and de-icer, kept in the car rather than the house.
- A blanket or sleeping bag, plus spare gloves and a hat.
- A torch, water, and food that does not freeze.
- A shovel, small and metal-edged, for digging out of a ploughed-in space.
- Jump leads or a booster pack, because cold kills batteries.
- Traction devices, and the knowledge of how to fit them.
Check the kit at the start of each winter. A torch with flat batteries and a blanket that went missing in summer are the standard failure.
Driving on snow and ice
Smoothness is the whole technique: gentle acceleration, gentle braking, gentle steering, and a following distance of three times what you would use in the dry. Brake earlier and lighter, and use the gears to slow down rather than the brakes where you can.
If the car starts to slide, look where you want to go and steer towards it rather than at the obstacle. Panic braking is what turns a slide into a crash.
The decision that matters
Conditions at a mountain pass can be unlike anything at home, and the forecast can be wrong in either direction. Decide in advance what you will do if the road is worse than expected — and treat turning around as a normal outcome, not a failure. The trail will be there next week.
After the drive
Clear snow off the whole car, not just the windscreen, because snow on the roof slides forward under braking. Wash the car when you get home if the roads have been salted, and check the washer fluid, which is the thing you will next discover you are out of.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are snow chains or socks better?
Chains give the most grip on packed snow and ice; fabric socks are quicker to fit and quieter, and less effective on ice. Either is better than neither, and both need practising at home before you need them.
How do I drive on snow?
Smoothly. Gentle acceleration, gentle braking, gentle steering, and a much larger following distance. Most winter slides come from a sudden input rather than from speed alone.
What should I do if I get stuck?
Stay with the car, keep the exhaust clear of snow, run the engine in short bursts for warmth, and make yourself visible. Walking out in a storm is the decision that turns an inconvenience into an emergency.
