"I grew up in Minnesota in the 50s and dont remenber school being canceled just because it was winter."
Just one example, then I am done here:
I can remember sitting in one of my high school classes, right after lunch, IIRC, when the PA system announced that "ALL students who live in Columbia Heights or inside Bad Rock Canyon, report to your buses immediately!"
When we got to the highway cut at Columbia Heights, they were keeping the road open for the school buses. As soon as the last bus went through, they gave up and went home.
Three days later the road (U.S. Hwy 2)was open again.
Come to think of it, there was also the time my parents went to Kalispell, and got home 4 days later due to a snowstorm. There was no school then, either.
"Snow Days" are not at all unusual in Montana. Never have been.
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Summit County, Colorado usually gets a lot of snow. That is why we have 4 ski resorts, Arapahoe Basin, Keystone, Breckenridge, and Copper Mountain. Probably more skier days than any other county.
The towns in Summit County, Silverthorne, Dillon, Frisco and Breckenridge are at elevations of 8,500 to 9,600 feet.
The automatic tire chains are very common. School buses, fire engines, ambulances, and delivery trucks use them. If not familiar with them they have short chains that swing down next to the inside of the tire from a hub. The hub rotates from a chain that is passing under the tire. The advantage of them is you might drive for 5 miles and not need chains but then a short hill or side road may require chains for a mile or two. Just push a button to deploy them or retract them.
And schools don't close unless it is major storm. Very few snow days if any. And the ski resorts do not want to close just because there is snow on the roads.
My wife drives a school bus and if they cancelled school for every snow storm the kids would never get a summer off. For years she would put chains on but now they have a device that drops down and rotates at the same speed as the tire; then chain lengths are flung out from the device as it rotates and move under the tires as the bus moves forward. No more chaining up.
In WA state most Class A motorhomes are big enough to be required to at least carry chains between November and March. So we carry them. But we have never had to use them despite some ski trips in the winter.
Craig95005 wrote: We plan to take our motorhome into the Aspen area February or March. We intend to avoid snowfall while traveling but if there's no avoiding it, do motorhomes do better or worse than automobiles on snowy roads? If we screw up and find ourselves on a road where the signs tell us that chains are required, are the guys who install chains for a fee on the side of the road able to do that for RV's?
Tractor trailers are easy to chain with plenty of clearance and they can pull out from under the trailer to chain the tractor. I doubt the chain up guys ( I haven't seen these guys but if you have ... Will want to do it or the price will surprise you. You also need 3railers .. Chains that cover both duals with a common "rail" in between otherwise your inner tire will float on top the snow and leave your outer chained tire spinning. Then there's the damage a broken link will cause ( no big deal on a large steel trailer or tractor) before you can get to the side of the road. In the last 25 years ive been trucking Ive seen it All and been in it all and will never be caught in that situation with my MH Now can it be done ? Sure ! seen people do it all the time and I'm sure most don't have problems. Same as a car yes it is , kinda , but mistakes are bigger ! that's a lot of mass
to stop. Good luck sorry its good and bad but you asked.
My post's are my opinion The advice, comments etc are free and worth what you paid
Craig95005 wrote: We plan to take our motorhome into the Aspen area February or March. We intend to avoid snowfall while traveling but if there's no avoiding it, do motorhomes do better or worse than automobiles on snowy roads? If we screw up and find ourselves on a road where the signs tell us that chains are required, are the guys who install chains for a fee on the side of the road able to do that for RV's?
If your going to be using your MH in the winter you might want to take a look at these. Automatic Tire Chains. I use these on my bucket trucks and have had no issues.
Steve B
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Square peg in a round hole is the way to go
I grew up in Minnesota in the 50s and dont remenber school being canceled just because it was winter. School buses had chaines on many times. Delivery trucks and even 18 wheelers use them. I have had a set for every motorhome I have owned, over 40 years of rving.
Yeah yeah yeah I had to walk ten miles in knee deep snow stories will abound now .
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In the 90s we had a 34' Bonder and spent many weekends skiing in the Sierra's at Northstar, Squaw Valley, Heavenly Valley, Mamouth Mt.and had to put chains on several times. Very easy to put on driving the MH up on blocks made of 3 levels of 2 by 6 wood on the inside dual. Lifts the outside dual and after doing it once it is no problem. Yes, you do have to drive 25 in the chain area. So what. Also went to Tiger Run in Breckenridge, Co. several times with a 2001 National Tradewinds. Wheel wells had less room and we never carried chains but drove according to the weather report. Still had to drive in snow a few times but had no problems First night there it got down to minus 10. Previous night was minus 20. Placed was packed with old farts with artificial hips and knees skiing. Nothing beats coming of the hill and walking to your MH for the night. Spring is the best time to go. Go for it.
"nothing beats coming off of the hill and walking to your MH for the night" One thing beats that---skiing right to your MH for the night. I remember being at 7 Springs in Pa, probably spending a grand on rooms for us and the kids and spotting all these RVs behind the lodge. At that time it was $15 a day to park there including electric. It was the last time I rented a room at that place or carried our junk in the elevator to the 8th floor. But I never used chains.
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