[jm31828]

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?

[Randito]

IME: The ranger at the entrance/fee gate will ask you if you have chains.

[Randito]

https://www.nps.gov/mora/planyourvisit/road-status.htm

[zephyr]

[Hoosierdaddy]

Whittaker Mountaineering is the cottage industry that zephyr was referring to that rents chains. Here is the link: https://whittakermountaineering.com/collections/snow-chains-rental-list If you're in there, tell the manager (Kim) that Hoosierdaddy says Hi!

[jm31828]

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.

[thuja]

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.

[ChinookPass]

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.

[kitya]

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.

[Randito]

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.

[Slugman]

https://www.wsdot.com/winter/files/2018-alternative-traction-devices.pdf

[fyodorova]

[Waterman]

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.

[kiliki]

[ejain]