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jm31828 Member
Joined: 29 Jul 2011 Posts: 206 | TRs | Pics
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jm31828
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Fri Nov 27, 2020 1:51 am
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We’ve seen that chains are required in the car to go into Mount Rainier National Park, and that there is enforcement during bad weather when going beyond longmire.
We are wanting to go to longmire this weekend, but do not own any chains. Does anyone know if it is possible to get into the park to Longmire without having chains with you- if not planning to go any further up the road?
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Randito Snarky Member
Joined: 27 Jul 2008 Posts: 9512 | TRs | Pics Location: Bellevue at the moment. |
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Randito
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Fri Nov 27, 2020 8:54 am
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IME: The ranger at the entrance/fee gate will ask you if you have chains.
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Randito Snarky Member
Joined: 27 Jul 2008 Posts: 9512 | TRs | Pics Location: Bellevue at the moment. |
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Randito
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Fri Nov 27, 2020 9:15 am
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zephyr aka friendly hiker
Joined: 21 Jun 2009 Posts: 3370 | TRs | Pics Location: West Seattle |
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zephyr
aka friendly hiker
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Fri Nov 27, 2020 9:50 am
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There's a cottage industry in Ashford of renting chains for visiting Mt. Rainier. I did it one day during the New Year's weekend a few years ago. The cost was reasonable and they make it easy for you to pick them up early and return them. In the above link that Randito posted is another link to FAQ's on having chains. And if you scroll down you will see the names and numbers for the chain rental places. ~z
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Hoosierdaddy Trophy Husband
Joined: 29 May 2003 Posts: 436 | TRs | Pics Location: Little Norway |
God, I am going to regret this someday!
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jm31828 Member
Joined: 29 Jul 2011 Posts: 206 | TRs | Pics
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jm31828
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Fri Nov 27, 2020 10:20 am
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Yep, I had read that. Was just wondering if they don’t care about chains if you let them know you are going no further than longmire.
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thuja Member
Joined: 13 Sep 2018 Posts: 67 | TRs | Pics
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thuja
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Fri Nov 27, 2020 6:50 pm
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Depending on road conditions, chains can be required ON your tires at the Nisqually entrance. If you have AWD or 4WD you are exempt from this requirement but you still have to have chains in your car.
Nisqually entrance is at about 2000' and Longmire just under 3000', so the snow level has to get pretty low for chains to be required at the Nisqually entrance. That said, the road between Nisqually entrance and Longmire is all in the forest and so it stays dark and cold and icy. This section is probably more slippery than parts higher up that get sunshine and thus melt some.
The road to Paradise is not to be taken lightly in winter, it's a much different beast than in summer. There are multiple places where going off the road would likely end in serious injury or death.
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ChinookPass Member
Joined: 21 Aug 2009 Posts: 145 | TRs | Pics
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I bought chains for my new car ( Subaru Crosstrek) last year, but then later checked the owners manual and it says chains should not be installed. I'm not sure what I'd do if I showed up at Longmire and chains were required to be installed. Probably go somewhere else.
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kitya Fortune Cookie
Joined: 15 Mar 2010 Posts: 842 | TRs | Pics Location: Duvall, WA |
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kitya
Fortune Cookie
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Sat Nov 28, 2020 10:40 am
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If you buy chains from Les Schwab they allow you to return chains back for full refund next spring, if you don't use them. They are not that expensive anyway and great investment in safety. If you car doesn't have enough clearance for chains (or even if it does) you can also consider snow socks. They are also accepted in place of chains.
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Randito Snarky Member
Joined: 27 Jul 2008 Posts: 9512 | TRs | Pics Location: Bellevue at the moment. |
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Randito
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Sat Nov 28, 2020 3:42 pm
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FWIW: IME driving an AWD vehicle with M+S rated tires the last 2 decades is that while one is required by law to carry chains , in practice I've never had to put them on driving on paved public roads. When it gets so bad that the DOT/NPS would require chains ron ALL vehicles rather than the more typical chains required , except AWD. They close the road, or as is often the case on I-90 the road is closed due to multiple spinouts from folks in 2wd that tried to make it without installing chains. The worse being semis that try to make it, but end up sliding sideways and blocking multiple lanes in the last 1//2 mile before the pass.
In terms of Mt Rainier traveling between the entrance and Longmire, I've never had the ranger actually ask to see my chains. I once at the Longmire gate headed to Paradise had to show the chains to the ranger that had opened the gate before being allowed to proceed.
However note that while you could lie to the ranger at the entrance about having chains, in the event that you do have a mishap, they can cite you for being ill equipped and it is a hefty fine.
In general the biggest problem tractionwise is navigating ski area parking lots during "storm skiing" I find that a snow shovel and a bag of sand or "oil away" clay / or kitty litter are useful tools for getting going / helping others in parking lots.
The other thing that helps tremendously is driving very gently. Go very easy on the gas and the brakes and allow way more space in front of you than for snow free roads.
I recall one time helping some folks in a "rent a wreck" mini-van with bald tire at Hyak. I helped them get unstuck twice, but the driver kept giving the car too much power and spinning the wheels and sliding sideways on the slightly sloping road. Through hand gestures I convinced the driver to let me take the wheel (his English and my Mandarin were equally limited) and I was able to unstick and creep the car along 150 yards to where the road was better cleared.
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Slugman It’s a Slugfest!
Joined: 27 Mar 2003 Posts: 16874 | TRs | Pics
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Slugman
It’s a Slugfest!
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Sat Nov 28, 2020 4:09 pm
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fyodorova Member
Joined: 29 Apr 2012 Posts: 93 | TRs | Pics
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ChinookPass wrote: | I bought chains for my new car ( Subaru Crosstrek) last year, but then later checked the owners manual and it says chains should not be installed. I'm not sure what I'd do if I showed up at Longmire and chains were required to be installed. Probably go somewhere else. |
I have AutoSocks for my Subaru Crosstrek. They are approved by WSDOT as an alternative to tire chains. I haven't needed to use them so can't review them yet.
Definitely don't put chains on your Subaru. My dealer told me to never, ever do this - chains will chew up the inside of your wheel well.
https://autosock.com/
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Waterman Member
Joined: 21 Mar 2015 Posts: 589 | TRs | Pics Location: Big Snow Quadrangle |
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Waterman
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Sat Nov 28, 2020 5:30 pm
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Spike Spyders, on or off 2 minutes. Used them on my old saturn. Very pricey. WSP uses them, can handle higher rates of speed than traditional chains. Will need 4 for the Subaru, personally I prefer studded snow tires.
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I,I took the one less traveled by. And that has made all the difference.
Robert Frost
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I,I took the one less traveled by. And that has made all the difference.
Robert Frost
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kiliki Member
Joined: 07 Apr 2003 Posts: 2324 | TRs | Pics Location: Seattle |
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kiliki
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Sat Nov 28, 2020 5:41 pm
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ChinookPass wrote: | I bought chains for my new car ( Subaru Crosstrek) last year, but then later checked the owners manual and it says chains should not be installed. I'm not sure what I'd do if I showed up at Longmire and chains were required to be installed. Probably go somewhere else. |
From the Tire Chain FAQ:
The requirement to carry tire chains applies to all vehicles, regardless of make or model. Vehicle manufacturers that caution against traditional metal tire chains (e.g. Subaru) do market cable chains that are specifically made for their vehicles. Cable chains can be a good option for vehicles with limited tire clearance.
https://www.nps.gov/mora/planyourvisit/tire-chain-faq.htm
I love this FAQ in general. It's essentially all the ways that people can ask, "Do I really need tire chains?" and all the ways they can say "yes." It's important to remember that unlike WSDOT, the NPS at Rainier doesn't use chemical de-icers, sand, etc. It's also not uncommon to have little slides or blowing snow that cars have to traverse. That's why the chain requirement is in place until mid-spring--due to the slides you might have to drive over.
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ejain Member
Joined: 27 Apr 2009 Posts: 1498 | TRs | Pics Location: Seattle, WA |
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ejain
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Sat Nov 28, 2020 6:19 pm
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fyodorova wrote: | I have AutoSocks for my Subaru Crosstrek. They are approved by WSDOT as an alternative to tire chains. I haven't needed to use them so can't review them yet. |
+1
I've never used them (except putting them on once to make sure they fit). I find it hard to imagine that they'd do much good, but they do meet the legal requirements, and don't take up any space in the trunk...
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