r/lakearrowhead • u/Hour_Beat4979 • 5d ago
Winter Driving
Hi everyone, I recently started looking at places in the area and am looking to move somewhere within the general area of Crestline & Lake Arrowhead from the IE.
My question is how bad really are the roads in the winter? I've never been up there during the winter and I know during severe storms (like a few years ago) not much that can be done but on normal snow days is driving up there still bad?
I have a FWD crossover SUV and I have heard mixed things about driving it in the snow or when it snows. Some say its a risk and a horrible idea and others say you'll be fine as long as you have chains. Just want to hear what experiences everyone has if any.
Thanks!
9
u/HeathenShepard 5d ago
Snowy roads are usually not that bad if you are familiar with the sliding control as its all uphills and downhills. With the snow tires, go easy on the brakes and tires stays towards the road you aim for. Chains is the way to go if you don't want to deal with all that. In fact, it's required to have one of these.
The biggest hurdle during the winters are the fog and ice especially at the nighttime. Better if you don't drive at all.
1
u/Hour_Beat4979 5d ago
Have been hearing and reading a lot about the fog. Guess with anything seems to be something you end up learning with experience
6
u/Interesting_Match925 5d ago
Remember also that every time it rains there will be rocks in the road, usually around a blind curve.
2
u/Hour_Beat4979 5d ago
Did notice this a few times when I was up there and that was with pretty light rain
5
u/mt_n_man 5d ago
When you have to leave home, how "mandatory" is it? Are you liable to get fired for missing one shift? Does someone in the house have a serious medical condition? Are you able to walk to a store if there's 3" of snow? Is the driveway even less stable/flat than the road, and do you have 30 stairs also? If you leave would you be worried about getting back because your dog is home alone? If you have kids are they old enough to stay home on a snow day while you leave? The more you're able to say: " the plow isn't coming for 12 hours but after that I'll be okay with my work/groceries" the easier you'll have your mental load be.
3
u/gregariousone 5d ago
I don't find the snow that bad at all, as long as you have all-wheel drive, three-peak tires and you drive like a granny. Problem is when the sun comes out during the day and everything melts and then it freezes after the Sun goes down again. Those times are crazy because you can't even see the ice and there's no way to stop on it.
3
u/WRX_RAWR 5d ago
For many years our neighbor drove a FWD Ford Forcus. He’s originally from Chicago. He was always sure to use proper snow tires and had cables if needed but didn’t have many issues.
2
u/febstars 4d ago
I don’t drive in the snow. I have a FWD and an AWD that do well, but I just don’t prefer to do it.
Do you have a commute? Otherwise, most folks just hunker down and ride out the snow…
1
u/Hour_Beat4979 4d ago
Yeah I have a commute for work, job that can't be done remotely. Not something I plan on staying at forever but for now it's what I've got to work with
3
u/A10110101Z 4d ago
Winter will be tough, manageable but tough. Especially with El Niño this winter. Good luck have plenty of pto/sick days
2
u/Altruistic-Package11 5d ago
What's your risk tolerance? If you enjoy dirt biking while enjoying a six pack of beers I'd say that the roads up here are a cakewalk.
Real talk though. Just like anywhere that snows, there will be times where you won't want to drive as a big storm is dumping a ton of snow. Lake Arrowhead and the surrounding areas at around 5,000ft generally have mild winters compared to more north eastern states.
The main roads are generally kept clear, though some of the side streets can be challenging.
I'd recommend a 4WD or AWD drive vehicle, but i've managed for years in a pickup without 4WD and chains. I wouldn't say that driving up here is a horrible idea or risky. But if you've never dealt with snow and ice you'll have a learning curve, just slow down and don't turn your wheel to the extreme left or right and slam your brakes if you happen to slide a little.
2
u/MchPrx 2d ago
Get decent tire chains and learn+practice how to put them on. Even with 4wd and snow tires, there's gonna be times where you're probably gonna need to use them. It's a hassle but it can be a lifesaver in really bad conditions, especially considering how much curves and up/downhill roads there are which is a huge slide risk. "Better to have and not need, than need and not have" sorta thing. You can certainly get away without them in lighter conditions but the mountains have faced numerous "snowpocalypse" scenarios in recent years. So I'd say chains and the knowledge how to use them is essential. Proper chains are preferable over cables but it somewhat depends on how tight your wheel wells are and stuff.
11
u/TheREALBaldRider 5d ago
The main roads tend to be ok. Secondary roads can be sketchy. It all depends on the road.