Snow Days

Use common sense, have the proper gear, and plan ahead when winter wheeling.

by

Words by Steve Fennell

During this time of year, you may receive a call or text from a buddy on a Saturday morning saying, “let’s go wheeling, the trails can’t be that bad and everyone else is coming…” You look out the window and see about six inches of snow on the ground and after some humming and hawing, you give in.

Before leaving, you make sure you have all of the necessary recovery gear as well as extra food/water, warm clothing, blankets, a first-aid kit, shovel, Maxtrax’s - your may list go on. You then grab the keys and pull out of the driveway to meet your friends - all good.

We have reported time and time again that proper preparation for a winter wheeling trip is essential for your safety. We also like to stress how important it is to try and avoid an emergency on the trail altogether. Here are a few winter wheeling tips and some common sense to practice the next time you get that Saturday morning call from your buddy to hit the snow-filled trails.

Have a Properly Equipped 4x4

It’s a no-brainer that trail running in the snow is much different than in the summer. But you first must determine if your rig is properly prepared to take on the covered rocks, deceiving terrain, unexpected weather, not to mention ice and deeper than expected conditions.

If you have planned to go winter wheeling at the end of the last season by increasing the lift of your 4x4 to gain some added clearance (if it wasn’t adequate enough), mounting the proper winter off-road rubber, and/or having selectable locking differentials for optimal snow prowess, then you’re pretty much good to go.

In the event you haven’t, consider doing some upgrades to ensure the best possible winter trail experiences. The last thing you want to do is spend more time shovelling snow from your tires (or from your buddy’s) than being behind the wheel driving amongst beautiful scenery.

Know Where you are Going

You may be familiar with your local OHV trails, but if you want to visit more remote trail systems in the dead of winter you never visited before, learn about the type of conditions to expect. You can do this by speaking with local wheelers or visiting online forums. Also, properly map the area on your GPS. Remember daylight fades quickly later in the day in wintery northern regions and it’s easy to get lost in a thick forest by taking a wrong turn or when everything looks the same in the last few hours of daylight - think Blair Witch Project.

It’s a smart move to inform family or friends of where you are going and what time you are expecting to return home. Cell service is not as reliable in remote regions and short of having alternate off-road comms, calling for help after an accident may not be an option. If you don’t return, at least family or friends will get concerned and take appropriate action on your whereabouts.

Read the Terrain Correctly

Even though wheeling in the snow sometimes allows the chance to access areas you can’t in the summer, there are some measures to take to accomplish this.

Reading terrain in summer conditions is quite often in plain sight, but off-road guru Tom Severin of Bad Lands Off-Road Adventures 4x4 Training explains it’s important to take some time to ‘survey the surrounding terrain’ in winter conditions. Snow can cover rocks (sharp or otherwise), ditches, ruts, even water crossings, causing unexpected encounters with Mother Nature.

He explains that if you have ‘driven a trail before, try to recall where the rough spots are and avoid them. Don’t try to drive over them as you’ll risk getting stuck or damaging your vehicle.’ Severin also explains some added pointers and tips when winter wheeling including:

  • Use chains on your tires. Chains are ideal for wheeling in the snow as they provide better traction, braking and steering. Nevertheless, place them on the rear tires. Chains are very able to tackle the snow but if you link them on the front tires it can cause fishtailing should you need to brake hard going downhill.
  • Airing down. This may be common-trail-sense but it’s worth mentioning.  Air down your tires to normal off-road levels. For example, a 31” tire will be in the range of 15 to 18 psi.
  • Always alternate lead vehicles. The lead vehicle in winter conditions helps clear the trail and create tracks, making for easier maneuverability. As there’s more of a chance for the lead vehicle to build up snow in its underbody and get stuck, be ready to pull him/her out. It’s also a good idea to alternate leaders throughout the day.
  • Using the right ‘finesse’ to get unstuck. Should you or a member of your group get stuck - and someone probably will - rocking the vehicle will often break it out of a rut. If you or someone really gets in a jam, resort to recovery gear. Whatever you do, don’t gun the gas and spin the wheels. It just ‘melts the snow underneath, then quickly freezes and you’ll be in worse shape than when you started.’ Having a good shovel, MaxTrax’s or even placing branches under the tires are other methods of recovery, depending on the situation.

These are just a few of the best practices to know about before and when winter wheeling.  Although it’s a great time to enjoy the outdoors and resort to all of your necessary equipment, using common sense and being prepared are some of the greatest tools of all and will ensure safe travels on the wintery trails.

For more information and tips on wheeling in the snow be sure to visit https://www.4x4training.com.