Winter mountain travel requires caution and preparedness

The holiday travel week may not have started out as many hoped it would as a storm hit Lake Tahoe on Monday, stranding many travelers for hours. I was one of those stranded between Kyburz and South Lake Tahoe on Highway 50, making the 1.5 hour drive from Cameron Park in 8.5 hours.

This caught me off guard since I've been driving the mountain roads for the past 36 years and my four-wheel drive car with snow tires has been very steady and dependable. I normally don't drive the mountain passes when a storm is headed our way, but I had to pick my daughter up from the San Francisco Airport.

What lay ahead on our journey home was out of my control, but I could have been more prepared. The situation reminded me of how to be ready for whatever winter driving has in store.

Here is a list of what you should have in your car when driving through the mountains in winter. You can divide them into three sections: Items to keep warm, items for your car, and food.

Before you leave, have your cell phone charged and a full tank of gas. While I was always able to have my car on during the long delays, this may not always be the case.

To Keep Warm:

Blanket or sleeping bag
A change of clothes
Gloves

For Your Car:

Bag of sand
Jumper cables
Ice scraper
Flares
A shovel
A towel
Good wiper blades

Food and Safety:

First Aid Kit
Flashlight and spare batteries
Radio and spare batteries
Snacks
Water

It never hurts to have reading material or other activity....helps the time go by faster!

Another thing to remember when driving in winter, if the chain controls are up, abide by them. The experts know what they are talking about and aren't just out to inconvenience you. Know your car. If you have four-wheel drive, make sure your tires are Mud and Snow or another Snow Tire. One of the cars that ended up blocking lanes on Highway 50 last night was a rental car that the driver understood to be four wheel drive, but it wasn't. if using chains, make sure you've tried them on before heading to the Sierra and that you know how to put them on.

Speed limits in Chain Control areas are either 25, 30 or 35 miles per hour and the one selected for your road will be posted on the electronic signs. This doesn't mean just for people using chains, its through the whole chain control area. Just because you drive a four-wheel drive vehicle it doesn't mean you're invincible.