Red River Nm

[DIGGER]

Taking the family skiing in Red River  in a couple weeks.   Im from Houston Tx area.   Do you locals recommend buying some chains to take along or do the hyways stay pretty clear?

[Alpha Dog]

Great for you Digger.  I so miss skiing in the Rockies.  February was always the month I would go to Vail.  Fantastic powder snow.  Warm at the base and cold at the top of the mountain.  I was not familiar with Red River so I looked it up.  Looks like a smaller quaint place.   Also a nice mixture of green, blue, and black trails.  I see it has 300 days of sunshine.  You might need sunscreen with the light reflecting off the snow.  Sincerely wish you and your family a wonderful and safe skiing vacation.  I am envious.

[0leman]

Don't know what your vehicle is or know the area your are heading.  BUT if it was me, I would invest in a set of chains for safety reasons.   Many snow areas will have restrictions on vehicles when snows hit.  Such as having chains in vehicles or 4x4 with traction tires.  If you don't have these items they can turn you around.  May make a fun trip turn bad. 

[Valker]

Call the ski area the day of your departure. They will tell you if the roads are snowy or dry and clear. You can always pick up chains on the way there. I've been there many times in the winter and never needed chains.

[SCain]

They usually keep the roads pretty clear, there could be shady spots that freeze overnight but thaw during the day. Depending on what you drive, you should be ok, buy some chains and if you don't use them return them after your trip for a piece of mind. Welcome to the Land of Entrapment.
Steve

[DIGGER]

Thanks for the response    We will be driving a F250 crew cab disel with 4x4 and good tires      Guess I'll buy some chains and take with me to be returned if not used   

Nothing more dangerous than a flat land Texan driving on ice and snow!!!

[F6Dave]

Thanks for the response    We will be driving a F250 crew cab disel with 4x4 and good tires      Guess I'll buy some chains and take with me to be returned if not used   

Nothing more dangerous than a flat land Texan driving on ice and snow!!!

Don't waste your money on chains if you have a vehicle like that!!!  I've lived in Colorado for over 50 years, much of that in the mountains.  I've only needed chains a handful of times, and those were with 2 wheel drive vehicles.  I've never needed to chain up any of my 4x4s.  And my driving has included some pretty heavy blizzards.

The main paved highways are usually well plowed.  If it gets bad enough that chains are needed on a 4x4 they'll close the road.  The worst you will likely see is snowpacked roads or a few inches of snow.

BTW, I skied for the first time of the season yesterday.  I went to Loveland Basin, right at the Continental Divide west of Denver.  The snow was great.  It's been a great year so far, as Loveland has already received 229 inches.  However, the roads were absolutely dry right up to the parking lot.

[MarkT]

Dave's right on that.  The only times I've chained up my 4-bys is offroad, or to get out of my drive after a deep snow or blizzard.  And won't happen again as I'm not taking my new 4Runner Limited offroad and scratching it up, and I'll clear the drive with the tractor.  So don't have the right size chains for it.  Never seen snow on mountain roads that would stop a 4X4 with good clearance, sans chains.  If it was that bad, it would be closed or a back road, not a main route.  Mountain states have serious snow equipment.  Here's a snowblower I saw parked near the top of Beartooth pass. 

[Binkie]

I’ve been there probably a dozen times. I always stayed at the Best Western which is a very nice place right next to the ski lift.