One of the most intimidating factors of traveling to Lake Tahoe in the winter is the requirements around snow chains.
As a former East Coaster, I never used snow chains on my car. I didn’t know anything about them. I got a crash course (thankfully, not literally) when I visited Truckee in the winter this year.
Here’s everything that I learned about snow chains in Tahoe. Since this is a safety concern, make sure to do your own research. But I wanted to share what I figured out from some hard-won, real-world experience!
Where do you need snow chains?
Technically, you’re supposed to carry snow chains in your car anytime you’re driving in the Tahoe area in the winter. You never know when you might get stuck or you might need them to get out of a snowy situation.
And, snow chains are required when there’s new snow on the ground or when snow is actively falling in many of the high altitude or low-lying areas around Tahoe.
Donner Pass, for example, is 7000+ feet tall, and thus often freezes, or has heavy snowfall and storms roll in. If you’re driving back over the pass to get to the Bay Area, you’re likely to need snow chains in these conditions.
If you’re driving in the chilly and ice-covered valleys around Tahoe, you may need snow chains as well.
Yes, they actually do check! On my trip to Tahoe, I tried to drive over Donner Pass in my Chrysler Pacifica minivan. The CHP had a checkpoint where they were ensuring that everybody who drove through had snow chains on their vehicle.
The good news is that for some cars, you barely have to worry about actually putting on snow chains. If you have an all-wheel-drive or four-wheel-drive car, you can often avoid them. You still should carry them in your trunk just in case, but the CHP often won’t make you put them on.
My car is not four-wheel-drive, so I had to use snow chains on my visit.
Getting the right chains
I made a big mistake by buying the wrong chains for my car. I went online and ordered ones that said they fit. It turned out that they were for emergency use only and weren’t actually road-legal for my car.
To avoid that, I recommend checking with the dealer for the brand of car that you have. I could probably have saved myself a lot of hassle if I had called Chrysler and asked them specifically what kind of chains to buy.
Another good strategy is to visit a local auto parts store, where they’ll have more experience. Again, I wish I had done that instead of trying to buy something online without fully understanding what I was getting.
The price was probably the first clue. I only paid about $40 for my chains. Good ones typically cost at least $100. When I got the appropriate chains for my car, they ended up costing about $140.
Putting on your chains
If you end up driving in an area around Tahoe where chain controls are in place, you’ll have to pull to the side of the road to put your chains on. There are designated areas where you’re allowed to do that.
The good news is that you don’t necessarily have to personally put the chains on. There are certified chain installers who will put chains on your vehicle for a fee.
You have to supply the chains, though! So, don’t wait until the last minute and expect to be able to buy them at the roadside.
On my trip to Tahoe, the installers charged about $40-$50 to put the chains on, and then $20 to take them off on the other side of the pass.
The installer that I ended up using told me not to go over 30 mph with chains on. That seems to be consistent advice from car manufacturers; the owner’s manual for my Pacifica said the same thing.
Driving with chains on is weird. They make a ton of noise, and the whole car feels like it’s vibrating. The good news is that my chains did get me over the pass with no problems. It was a slow go, but we got there.
Moral of the story is that you definitely need to leave extra time for your drive if chain controls are in place.
How to know if chain controls are in place
This is one of the things I found most confusing about the chain control process. It wasn’t an easy place to go to see if you actually needed to put chains on.
From looking at Google Maps, I thought the chains weren’t required. But when I got to the top of the pass, I found that they actually were.
I learned from the chain installer that one of the best ways to check is to look at the free Caltrans QuickMap app. It shows the exact places where chain controls are in effect, and also has cameras you can use to look at the road conditions around Tahoe.
The website Tahoe Roads also does a good job providing simple access to chain control information. Sometimes, though, conditions can change very quickly. That’s why it’s essential to always carry chains so you’re ready if chain controls are suddenly put in place. Don’t rely on the maps to tell you.
Again, chain control requirements felt pretty intimidating as someone who’s used to driving in the Bay Area. But if you follow the tips that I learned, they’re not that scary.
- Start by talking to your local car dealer to determine what kind of chains your car needs. Don’t cheap out on these; make sure you get ones that are properly sized for your car.
- Always carry chains with you when you’re driving around Tahoe. Ideally, you should practice putting them on yourself.
- If conditions seem to warrant it, check the free Caltrans QuickMap app to see if chain controls are in place when you’re driving.
- Make sure to bring cash if you plan on paying a chain installer to put the chains on your car. You’ll want to look for an installer who is officially permitted to do the work.
Leave plenty of extra time if chain controls are in place. Make sure to drive very slowly when your car has chains on.
