Driving
Winter driving tips for the Sierra Nevada
Live chain control
Updated · Caltrans / NDOT data via Snowy Roads, refreshed every 3 minutes. Tap a chip for checkpoints, cameras and signs.
Slow down, leave more room, brake gently and carry chains. Sierra winter driving is mostly about traction and patience: snow-tread tires or chains when a chain control is posted, a clear windshield, and a trunk packed for a delay. Today's chain control on the main passes is shown above.
On the road
Slow down
Reduce your speed in winter conditions. Slower speeds give you more traction and more time to respond to whatever is around the next curve, and they keep you from riding the brakes on the descents. Under chain control the speed limit is 25 or 30 mph, as posted for that highway.
Increase your following distance
Leave far more room than you would on dry pavement. Stopping distances on snow and ice are several times longer, and the extra space is what lets you slow gradually instead of skidding.
Brake carefully
Brake gently and early to avoid skidding. With anti-lock brakes, apply steady pressure and let the system pulse. Without them, pump the brakes gently so the wheels never lock. Downhill, shift to a lower gear and let the engine hold your speed.
Watch for black ice
Bridges, overpasses and shaded stretches freeze first and thaw last, and the ice on them is often invisible. Assume anything that looks wet in the shade is ice, and do not brake or steer sharply on it.
Clear snow and ice before you go
Clear every window, the mirrors, the headlights and the roof. A roof full of snow slides onto your windshield at the first hard stop and blows onto the cars behind you.
Know your vehicle
Understand how your car handles in winter. If you have never felt it slide, an empty, snowy parking lot is the place to learn what a skid feels like and how the car recovers, not the Echo Summit grade.
Tires and chains
Winter tires
Consider dedicated winter tires: their compound stays soft in the cold and their tread bites into snow far better than an all-season. For chain control, what matters is the marking on the sidewall. Snow-tread tires have a deep, aggressive tread pattern and carry the three-peak mountain snowflake symbol, or the letters MS, M+S or M/S. Most all-seasons carry M+S; summer tires carry nothing.
Use chains when required, and always carry them
When a chain control is posted, follow it. Chains transform your traction in heavy snow, and the checkpoint will turn you around without them. You are required to carry chains in R-1 and R-2 areas even if your 4WD or AWD vehicle with snow tires is exempt from putting them on, because the level can rise to R-3 while you are on the hill. How to put on chains covers the installation, and chains for AWD, 4WD and snow tires covers the exemptions.
Stay informed
Check the weather and the road before you leave. The live strip above shows the current chain control on the main passes, and the Snowy Roads pages for I-80, US-50, SR-88 and US-395 show every checkpoint with cameras and message signs, refreshed every 3 minutes. Caltrans QuickMap (quickmap.dot.ca.gov) and 1-800-427-7623 are the official sources. Requirements change without notice, so check again before you start the climb.
Before traveling, check your
- Brakes
- Battery: cold weather is when a weak one fails
- Headlights and taillights
- Windshield wipers and washer fluid rated for freezing temperatures
- Defroster and heater
- Tire pressure, which drops in the cold
Always have with you
- Tire chains sized for your tires, regardless of the forecast and even with snow tires and 4WD
- Jumper cables or a portable jump starter
- A full tank of gas or a fully charged EV battery: a closure can mean hours of idling to stay warm
- Winter clothes, including gloves, a hat and boots, because you may be kneeling in slush to fit chains
Good to have in the vehicle
- Water and extra non-perishable food
- Warm blankets and spare clothing
- A first aid kit
- A shovel
- A bag of kitty litter or sand for traction if you get stuck
- An ice scraper and a snow brush
- A flashlight or headlamp, with spare batteries
- A phone charger and a spare vehicle key
- Road flares or reflective triangles
- A tow strap and a basic tool kit
Safety is the whole point of winter driving. Leave early, accept that the trip will take longer, and be ready for the road to close. The Sierra rewards patience far more than speed.
FAQ
What is the speed limit under chain control?
25 or 30 mph, as posted for that highway. Drive slower if conditions call for it, and take chains off past the End Chain Control sign rather than driving on bare pavement with them at speed.
Do I need snow tires to drive to Tahoe?
No, but they make the drive far safer, and under chain control a snow-tread tire (M+S, M/S, MS or the mountain snowflake) is what earns the R-1 and R-2 exemptions. Without them you will be chaining up.
What should I keep in my car for a Sierra winter trip?
Chains that fit your tires, warm clothes, gloves, water and food, a blanket, a flashlight, a charger and a scraper, plus a full tank. Closures on I-80 and US-50 can last hours.
How do I drive on ice?
Slowly, smoothly and with no sudden inputs. Brake before the curve, not in it; keep a light touch on the steering; and if the car starts to slide, ease off the pedals and look and steer where you want to go.
Is 4WD enough in the snow?
4WD helps you get going, not stop or turn. Stopping distance depends on your tires and your speed, so a 4WD on all-seasons at 50 mph stops no better than anything else.