Towing in snow?

What some don't realize either, is there's a HUGE difference in traction between warm, wet, greasy early and late season snow (or all winter on the W side of the Cascades! Lol) and cold dry snow when the thermometer dips.
Below about +10F, snow and ice are much stickyer. Below zero, it's almost like driving on a gravel road. But between like +20-35F, traction gets perceptibly worse with every couple degrees of warming.
Up in the interior of AK, you can rip around most all winter in 2wd on bald tires, because 30below temps make the snow packed roads pretty grippy.

millerak49 wrote:
I agree with Drsteve, around here lots of people out towing when it snows with heavy snowmobile trailers. Drive smooth and careful. Easy on the gas, easy on the brakes. You would think everyone would be used to it her in Alaska, but first big snow there are always lots of ditch divers. Watch out for other vehicles driving too fast, especially 4x4.

Same here in Michigan. The first dusting of an inch or two, and people are sliding off the road left and right.

I agree with Drsteve, around here lots of people out towing when it snows with heavy snowmobile trailers. Drive smooth and careful. Easy on the gas, easy on the brakes. You would think everyone would be used to it her in Alaska, but first big snow there are always lots of ditch divers. Watch out for other vehicles driving too fast, especially 4x4.

I try to avoid it as much as possible. Driving in icy, snowy weather is hard enough without anything behind me at times.
I've been caught in one freak snow storm years ago in May. Drove slowly and cautiously. Visibility was horrible as well. Stopped at every small town to have a break and clear snow and ice off.
Oddly enough though, the added weight in the rear due to the trailer seemed to give me more traction.

We've had to camp out in our trailer as early as late March and late as early November here in Canada due to certain circumstances, not just vacationing and we've been able to miss bad weather those times. Days were warm but the nights are chilly so be prepared to use sleeping bags and heaters. Don't put water in the lines in the trailer until you can keep it consistently warm.

If you really have to do this, I'd watch the weather and wait until late morning to get going. Let the road crews clear out the roads and let the sun melt off any ice and stuff. Wait until the weather breaks to travel. Avoid freezing rain, blowing snow types of situations and be ready to camp out in a hotel/motel in communities on the way to your destination.

Drive slow and plan WELL in advance. Several years in a row we've had to tow in 4WD for a little while to get out of Maryland en route to Florida in February.

drsteve wrote:
Snowmobilers tow on snowy roads all the time, some with large, heavy enclosed trailers. They seem to do just fine.

Yup, every time, and ideally it's in the worst road conditions getting to the best powder!
My trailer is suspiciously closely resembling a 30' TT. Current one anyway, but have ranged from little 2 place open trailers to 20' cargo trailers to the current 32' enclosed.

WI, WA, CO, WY, MT, ID, AK, NM, AZ BC and a couple other states. Only have ever chained up for unplowed parking lots or forest roads.

I chance towing in the snow every November when coming home from Thanksgiving. Like everybody else said, take it slow and easy. No fast moves. 4x is absolutely your friend. Be ready to wait it out if the conditions are awful.

Wolf Creek Pass E/B about six miles to the summit last weekend pulling a 35ft 5W. Thanks for shift on the fly 4x4.

Snowmobilers tow on snowy roads all the time, some with large, heavy enclosed trailers. They seem to do just fine.

Every weekend from December to early April using trailer as a ski hut. Included getting stuck at top of pass due to extreme snow fall, avalanche danger etc.
Not dead yet!

Marty