diginomad813

Hi everyone,

My wife and I are planning a road trip in Colorado around Xmas. We will be driving in, so taking our own vehicle and not renting a car. We don’t currently have an itinerary or list of destinations in-state - my wife is just dead set on spending a week in Colorado during the winter.

I have a 2021 F-150. It is only 2WD, but it is lifted 6 inches and has All-Terrain tires (35x12.50 inches). Here is a link to the specific tire for specs - https://www.nittotire.com/light-truc...ht-truck-tire/

I grew up in the northeast, so am familiar with winter driving, but haven’t done so in over a decade.

While my tires are all-terrain, I don’t believe they are all-season. My suspicion is that they are likely better than most regular tires, but still not as good as dedicated snow or all-season tires.

We would be OK with being flexible with our plans based on weather, so that we would not be driving if there were a bad snowstorm.

Is what we are planning just a ridiculous idea though? Or reasonably doable if we take things slow and don’t drive when conditions are bad or when it’s actively snowing?

Thanks in advance!

pseudoswede

If there are traction laws in place for highways/interstates, then you will need to have chains/socks for your tires since it's not 4WD/AWD. There's also a decent chance the highways will be bone dry, and you could be walking around a mountain town in a light jacket. Where would you be driving from? You will absolutely need to make a plan A, plan B, plan C, and probably D/E/F/G.

AZ_MISMAN

Colorado has a chain and traction law: https://www.codot.gov/travel/colorado-chain-law

DenverBrian

Colorado is a HUGE state. You've got to tell us more about where you're going. Denver? Telluride?

djp98374

all western states have their own chain/ traction rules on driving mountains in winter. States allow snow/studded tires from around nov-April ir snow driving.


snow out west is generally a dry snow. Northeast snow tends to have a higher moisture content. Out west you have more elevation gain/ loss roads.

many people plan way ahead for Xmas-new years visits so finding hotels in ski town areas is going to be difficult or it will be very expensive.

going to Colorado isn’t crazy. It’s a matter of where do you want to go and want to do?

YVR Cockroach

You'll probably need weigh over the rear axle. Lots of truck don't have sufficient such when unloaded. Won't need the clearance your lift kit has and the only thing I'd add it that it raised your CoG which is never good.

One time I ran into this was getting a RWD Jeep (Sixt in LAX didn't have the promised M-Bs) which could barely get up a faIrly-gentle hard-packed dirt road in Joshua Tree NP.

Should also add that unless your tires are all season or winter, the compound used may be a little hard when it's colder so not likely to give you as much traction (not just to get moving but taking turns and braking) in (extreme) cold.

pseudoswede

If there is snow on the ground, then lowering the tire pressure will help with traction.

COSPILOT

Without adding 1,000 lbs to the bed in nasty conditions you are in for a handful. If weather is perfect and likely will you will be fine.