Home Safe driving through storm

17 hours; 975 miles.

I left Saturday morning at 0600. Good drive, no problems sun shining all the way up US 6 to to the top of Soldier Summit. On the west down hill drive about 100' below summit hit snow flurries the IC guys warned me about at the dinner. Made SLC airport by 1015.

20 miles west of SLC airport start getting steady flurries and stiff head winds.


Between Wendover and Wells NV is a 6,900' pass. At the bottom was a flashing sign: Chains or snow tires required, a mile later, still just blowing snow, about an inch on the pavement but there is a rolled over Ford F350. about half way up the traffic which was single file stops. I nudge into the snow covered #1 (of three) lanes and continue up at about 35mph. Turn a curve and there in the center lane is the reason for the stoppage, a driver installing chains on a big rig. The number 3 lane has also become a chain install area. A mile later it all stops, all lanes jammed by big rigs without the required chains. Look closely and the pick-up two vehicles ahead of me didn't have chains either.



I sit for an hour and a half. It's cold. Every ten minutes I move the Jeep a foot to keep the snow from building around the tires.


Nature calls. I walk to the center median and see two things. An "authorized vehicle" turn around about 100 yds west and the median is soft dry powder. Also a NVDOT pickup making it's way up the median w/o chains.

Hmm...I walk back to the XJ, authorize myself to use that turn around and start working from the center lane onto the median, actually driving across the #1 lane at 90 degrees. Move up the shoulder to turn around to get a room in Wendover but the turnaround has a plow coming through, he turns up hill and I follow along with a few big rigs. Two hours to go 16 miles.


Listening to channel 19 and drivers cuss each other out for not putting on chains was entertaining. The NVDOT guys were up the road about 1/2 mile moving the barrels to open the #1 lane ahead of the plow.

Stopped in Reno, NV at Cabella's for ammo and dinner. Pulled into my driveway about 1030.

Ours started on I-70 coming down into Richfield



Snow only stuck on the highway for a little while



Had to clear the ice of the windshield twice

Wow... I left just in time.

We saw that storm coming and dodged around the tail end by taking US50 instead. We had snow flurries just about the whole drive but nothing on the ground or stopped traffic. Hell we hardly even saw any other cars. It was kind of cool seeing snow in the desert terrain. Glad to be home safe for sure.

I got home an hour ago. I had Monday off, so I stayed in Moab and did the tourist stuff today. Thanx everybody for a great time.

I hit a few small flurries headed SOUTH! actually, it wasnt even enough to turn the whipers on. but still it was snow to this AZ boy!!

My brother and I drove thru the pass about 5am Sunday....
The temperatures were into the 20s and there was about 3-4" on the ground.
The highways were almost clear.... with only small amounts of ice, slush and snow in certain areas...

I dunno, snow like that wouldn't even slow traffic down in Vermont, and tire chains are illegal there. Most people run snow tires though. I always ran studs when I lived there.

Finally pulled into home about 2 hours ago. Seems Tom's vehicle gremlin decided to jump in the Motorhome and come home w/me. I broke down going up the Tehachapi grade and had to get it towed to Lancaster, CA for repair.

Good trip but it is nice to be home.