Snow: how deep is too deep for camping?

This is more about going driving in the snow. And you are talking about off road? These are not plowed roads?

I was going to say if you can’t open your camper door, that means it’s probably too much snow to be camping. LOL

However, if you are talking about driving in the snow, it really depends on your vehicle and your trailer if any.

I wouldn’t go out driving in anything more than A few inches of snow on the road itself. Only go on plowed roads. I would not go off road in any kind of snow. Too easy to get stuck.

You need the roads to open. Towing a trailer in the snow is not good. There are plenty of deep drifts that need to be cleared. Most of our passes in the central Sierra are still closed. Pay attention to the elevation of camp sites you want to visit.

I have camped several times in 12 feet of snow, but that was on xc skis. As the snow melts there will be drifts left over from the winter in the shade and on north facing slopes. All it takes is one drift to stop you in your tracks. Bring a shovel or two and some chains and don't go too high.

I am sensing a consensus here. SMK, yes I have aggressive link chains (not just cables), but only for two of the four tires. I have driven off-pavement on unplowed forest roads, with no problem, but only with about six inches of snow. I do have a winch but have never had to use it.

And I have used the truck to "pre-plow" a forest road -- we unhitched, drove the truck to the campsite, and then went back for the trailer:


Click For Full-Size Image.

Bottom line -- that's probably as adventurous as I will get. But I was hoping some of you backwoods explorers had some stories of busting through deep drifts to get to a boondocking site.

Most of us SoCal residents know nothing about snow. In my early and less-knowing 4x4 RV days, I came up a mountain road to where there was a drift of snow across the road. It looked like maybe easy to blast through and go on along the clear road on the far side. Fortunately, I had the good sense to get out and check that drift. It was hiding a tree that had fallen across the road. Time to turn back.

As many have mentioned/eluded to, I wouldn't go venturing in conditions where it would be more than 6" of snow. Reason being as the previous poster also mentioned, hidden obstacles. But not only down trees, snow drifts can hide major holes, drop-offs from erosion, etc. Then there is the more likely aspect of snow drifts you are trying to go over and they are much deeper than you expect. This can easily result in getting high centered which is not the easiest situation to get out of even with multiple people with shovels.

I run snow on my utility ATV frequently and even that can be a major chore. We generally don't go out in conditions where the snow is deeper than 12" but again, we end up hitting drifts frequently, getting stuck and we are very experienced riders even in snow. When there are a couple of ATVs, we can link winches front or back and have anchor points as many times there is no solid tree within reach. I also carry 100' of winch rope (50' on the winch and a 2nd 50' rope) along with 20' tow strap, tree saver strap, snatch block, shackles, etc. I've used all of those as well. And keep in mind that is for a VERY capable Yamaha Grizzly ATV 4x4 with serious off-road, low pressure tires.

Out in CO, we are also confronted with mass amounts of snow in the high country this year and suspect the high country trails, 10,000+ feet will not be passable until mid-July or even later. Just better to find something lower for now as eventually, the snow will mostly melt off and allow some access.

profdant139 wrote:

Snow: how deep is too deep for camping?

For me? A trace. :B

Not trying to be picky, but your original question was what is the deepest snow I can reasonably expect to camp in, and the question now is not a question but asking folks for their experiences in deep snow.

Having said all that, I would agree with your original assessment. If the snow is deeper than the axles on the trailer, I would say that's too deep.

Friend of mine just got back from Cali and said the pass over 50 to Nv was chains only.

I think it would be neat to camp in a little snow, as long as the trailer was insulated enough. I've driven in snow a fair amount in my early adult years, but have never towed a trailer in it. Not sure how I'd like that.

Mike

It really shouldn't be about how much snow you can get through. It's more about whether you'll damage the road or the boondocking site by creating ruts in the mud under the snow. Seen more than our share of places where people obviously drove in very wet conditions and left big ruts in the road and/or pulloffs that take a long time to heal.

Another thing to consider is how wet you'll get tromping around outside. Are you planning on hiking? Or just hanging out around the campsite which will quickly become a mud pit. I'm not a big fan of dragging water and mud into our trailer.

Probably the worst we had to deal with was camping up in the Flat Tops (elevation 10,000') north of I-70 maybe 25-30 years ago. Woke up in the morning and probably 6" of snow had fallen overnight and it was still dumping. We had a Toyota 4x4 pickup with a TC on the back. Bailed out and drove out of there (at least we were in a NFS CG with gravel roads and pads). Even with 4x4 it was sketchy getting out of there. The amazing this about this -- it was July 4th!

Ken, that's a very good point about not tearing up the muddy roads. Most of the places we go are gravel and rock with little mud, but there is no way to know when it's all covered in snow!

And on our snow camping trips, we have generally gone snow-shoeing -- it is fun to start out right from the trailer and head up to the higher country. That's Mono Lake on the right of this shot -- our trailer was about a mile down the trail:


Click For Full-Size Image.

And tracking mud and slush into the trailer is always a hassle, but it is part of the price of boondocking -- we have several astroturf mats and boot cleaners deployed around the doorway. They almost work.

Or you could go with zero snow -- 8000 ft in the Az strip.
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And if you get tired of that, you could go to Toroweap or Whitmore Canyon Overlook. .