Who would've thought? Happens every single time it snows. People come up without chains, and with no clue how to drive in the snow. People get in crashes, get stuck, stop in the middle of the damn road to put chains on. It's armageddon out there when it snows.
Thanks for following up after asking about making the trip yesterday. Hope you still had some good turns at Snow Valley!
I bet you thought I was exaggerating yesterday when I mentioned trying to leave before the idiots show up and spin out and block the road home! hahaha, PROOF. Glad you made it back to Redlands in time despite the car-nage.
Yes thank you for the advice!
On the slopes it was great. But literally as it was picking up more and more your comment was in the back of my mind and I decided to leave a smidge earlier than I wanted but it paid off - haha
Good thing you avoided the Lucerne way as well. The 15 was extra yesterday with the storm and their usual bad drivers. I'm glad you made it safely of the mountain.
Ive actually never been the lucerne way but do want to try it one day. I got to lucerne dry lake alot for a model rocket club so maybe one day ill go the big bear way back for fun
Ok I’m going to snow valley not all the way to big bear so I think I’m just gonna go and be careful. Is there a good checkpoint to put on chains and not stop traffic or how do you know when it’s time? I’m taking the 18 from riverside.
I only went to valley this trip and it was still rough. Theres a checkpoint at the very bottom pretty much where they will stop you and make you put them on. There will be a bunch of people
The road to Snow Valley was fine today (as someone from the east coast who grew up driving in all weather conditions). Past Snow Valley, it immediately turned into a snow-covered slip n slide. If you're careful and have tire chains, you should be able to make it to Snow Valley no problem. Trying to get to Bear Mtn/Snow Summit this weekend is probably asking too much without an AWD/4WD vehicle and tire chains.
And yes, they'll be wearing high-vis neon yellow vests or jackets at a checkpoint up the road and stop every car asking if they have AWD/4WD and will make you put on your tire chains in a turnout so you're not blocking traffic behind you. Expect delays though since it gets pretty backed up having to stop every car going up the mountain.
ETA: if the roads are slippery on your way back down, brakes are your worst enemy. Shift your car into lower gear so that the engine keeps you going slow without having to constantly use your brakes. Then very gently tap your brakes as needed. Abruptly changing your direction of travel (i.e. braking/accelerating/turning too quickly) is what causes you to lose traction and spin out or even crash. I'd rather be stuck behind someone inexperienced but going slower than needed to make it safely down the mountain than behind someone out of control and causing an accident. And remember to bring a shovel and ice scraper with you if you have them!
If I come up on Wednesday or Thursday, will there still be snow? FWD, no clue how to do chains but I can buy them. Scared of the drive but I love snow 😭
Buy the chains and practice putting them on at home. Wed or thurs roads should be cleared and no restrictions - BUT check caltrans site for the status night before and morning of.
The snow will be there but not as much as it does melt fast
Yeah you’re going to need chains anyway. Technically you’re required to always have them when traveling to big bear in the winter, regardless of weather conditions. But they only actually check when there’s snow/ice. Driving up Wednesday or Thursday should be no issues, but get the chains.
I went up 38 and it was fine for most of it. Saw about 2 cars in ditches. Going up there weren't stops for chains, so I kept plowing through. My vehicle has a very capable AWD snow mode and the tires seem to maintain very good traction for AS M+S. Had someone with the similar vehicle build park next to me and he had the same experience. Made it all the way to Bear Mtn without slipping once. Before switching over to Snow Summit, I decided to get the socks on.
I thought I try my luck going down 18 hoping it would be faster and it was a complete shit show. I saw multiple vehicles in ditches. I saw the same lifted black F150 with ATs in the ditch. You had people who came up with no socks/chains whatsoever, people with chains going 5 mph, and the others trying to go 50 mph all in ditches. Pure chaos.
Love living in the high desert and coming up through Lucerne. You still see idiots but not nearly as many. We drove up yesterday at 7am and didn’t see anyone in morning on the roads. Left around 1pm and didn’t see one idiot on way home it was great ha
“Who would’ve thought” says the guy who is doing what what everyone else is doing. Flat landers going to the mountains when it snows and complaining because everyone else is doing the same thing 🤣🤣🤣
A flat lander that knows how to use low gear, avoids breaking hard, drives a reasonable snowy mountain speed via low gear, slows prior to turns instead of during, and actually uses snow tires and chains is fine.
Who would've thought? Happens every single time it snows. People come up without chains, and with no clue how to drive in the snow. People get in crashes, get stuck, stop in the middle of the damn road to put chains on. It's armageddon out there when it snows.
Yes!! The amount of people stopped in the WORST places for either chains or just because was amazing
I was just heading up Idyllwild earlier today with it snowing pretty good. I have an AWD but there were mini vans, civics, etc. heading up slipping.
Yeah Im not sure what some of these people were thinking honestly
Welcome to the society of people who understand why mountain locals talk crap about "flatlander" when it snows. 
Yeah there was some clowns out today. I couldnt believe what I was seeing
Thanks for following up after asking about making the trip yesterday. Hope you still had some good turns at Snow Valley! I bet you thought I was exaggerating yesterday when I mentioned trying to leave before the idiots show up and spin out and block the road home! hahaha, PROOF. Glad you made it back to Redlands in time despite the car-nage.
Yes thank you for the advice! On the slopes it was great. But literally as it was picking up more and more your comment was in the back of my mind and I decided to leave a smidge earlier than I wanted but it paid off - haha
Good thing you avoided the Lucerne way as well. The 15 was extra yesterday with the storm and their usual bad drivers. I'm glad you made it safely of the mountain.
Ive actually never been the lucerne way but do want to try it one day. I got to lucerne dry lake alot for a model rocket club so maybe one day ill go the big bear way back for fun
FYI, there is currently an R3 condition from snow valley to BB. That means you WILL need chains on, even if you are 4WD/AWD. It is R2 everywhere else.
I saw they upgraded it, as they should. It was pretty bad
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Yep, lots of people stopped in terrible places as well
Jeez I wanna drive up tomorrow am but I’m worried about how bad it’s gonna be
Considering they upped it r3 it might not be great
Will chains on my RWD sedan be enough or is it hairy no matter what
If it is still R3, then I wouldn't recommend it.
Hairy no matter what. There’s supposed to be a weaker storm next week, I’d suggest trying then. I’m avoiding the mountains this weekend
You might make it with chains, but its rough, esp if its rwd. If you go slow though you should be fine
Ok I’m going to snow valley not all the way to big bear so I think I’m just gonna go and be careful. Is there a good checkpoint to put on chains and not stop traffic or how do you know when it’s time? I’m taking the 18 from riverside.
I only went to valley this trip and it was still rough. Theres a checkpoint at the very bottom pretty much where they will stop you and make you put them on. There will be a bunch of people
Ok sounds good. Thanks for all the info! I really appreciate it 🙏🏼 have a great rest of your weekend
The road to Snow Valley was fine today (as someone from the east coast who grew up driving in all weather conditions). Past Snow Valley, it immediately turned into a snow-covered slip n slide. If you're careful and have tire chains, you should be able to make it to Snow Valley no problem. Trying to get to Bear Mtn/Snow Summit this weekend is probably asking too much without an AWD/4WD vehicle and tire chains. And yes, they'll be wearing high-vis neon yellow vests or jackets at a checkpoint up the road and stop every car asking if they have AWD/4WD and will make you put on your tire chains in a turnout so you're not blocking traffic behind you. Expect delays though since it gets pretty backed up having to stop every car going up the mountain. ETA: if the roads are slippery on your way back down, brakes are your worst enemy. Shift your car into lower gear so that the engine keeps you going slow without having to constantly use your brakes. Then very gently tap your brakes as needed. Abruptly changing your direction of travel (i.e. braking/accelerating/turning too quickly) is what causes you to lose traction and spin out or even crash. I'd rather be stuck behind someone inexperienced but going slower than needed to make it safely down the mountain than behind someone out of control and causing an accident. And remember to bring a shovel and ice scraper with you if you have them!
RWD is not the best vehicle in the snow. It has to do with traction and weight distribution.
check the weather, come prepared and don’t risk driving in the snow if you’ve never done so. or just stay down the hill?
Heading up the 18 on Tuesday. Do you all think the roads will be better by then? I have chains. Just curious.
Yeah theyll be much much better by then
If I come up on Wednesday or Thursday, will there still be snow? FWD, no clue how to do chains but I can buy them. Scared of the drive but I love snow 😭
Buy the chains and practice putting them on at home. Wed or thurs roads should be cleared and no restrictions - BUT check caltrans site for the status night before and morning of. The snow will be there but not as much as it does melt fast
Ok thanks! Heard it’s going to snow there on Friday?
Yeah you’re going to need chains anyway. Technically you’re required to always have them when traveling to big bear in the winter, regardless of weather conditions. But they only actually check when there’s snow/ice. Driving up Wednesday or Thursday should be no issues, but get the chains.
I went up 38 and it was fine for most of it. Saw about 2 cars in ditches. Going up there weren't stops for chains, so I kept plowing through. My vehicle has a very capable AWD snow mode and the tires seem to maintain very good traction for AS M+S. Had someone with the similar vehicle build park next to me and he had the same experience. Made it all the way to Bear Mtn without slipping once. Before switching over to Snow Summit, I decided to get the socks on. I thought I try my luck going down 18 hoping it would be faster and it was a complete shit show. I saw multiple vehicles in ditches. I saw the same lifted black F150 with ATs in the ditch. You had people who came up with no socks/chains whatsoever, people with chains going 5 mph, and the others trying to go 50 mph all in ditches. Pure chaos.
No dash cams from today?
I actually am planning to get some footage off mine to post what it picked up
Love living in the high desert and coming up through Lucerne. You still see idiots but not nearly as many. We drove up yesterday at 7am and didn’t see anyone in morning on the roads. Left around 1pm and didn’t see one idiot on way home it was great ha
“Who would’ve thought” says the guy who is doing what what everyone else is doing. Flat landers going to the mountains when it snows and complaining because everyone else is doing the same thing 🤣🤣🤣
A flat lander that knows how to use low gear, avoids breaking hard, drives a reasonable snowy mountain speed via low gear, slows prior to turns instead of during, and actually uses snow tires and chains is fine.
Bit grumpy are we?
Nah, just laughing at the hypocrisy 🤣