It is, sort of.

4WD vehicles with snow tires don't have to chain up at R-2, the most common level of chain control. Subaru hasn't sold 2WD vehicles in the US in 20 years, so the Caltrans employee's assumption is a pretty safe one. California considers anything with the "M+S" mark to be a snow tire, so virtually anything but high-performance tires or the silly rubber bands attached to ridiculously large chrome rim-like objects counts.

I got waved through in my Jeep every single time, and 2wd Cherokees were pretty common, especially in California. Sometimes they saw the block heater plug and waved me through, sometimes they squatted and saw the front diff, but usually they saw a Jeep and waved.

Exception being the BRZ, imported since 2012, it is RWD only.

So either a Subaru or Jeep? I'm renting with either National/Alamo preferably; although I'm open to other companies if need be.

I'd reckon the Jeep would be more common to find since I've never seen a Subaru at any of the National locations where I've been (granted none of them were cold weather destinations).

Remember there are no guarantees as to make/model/type of vehicle so not something to count on. 4WD only helps with getting going and doesn't really help stopping and turning (wrecking the vehicle if you don't have snow tires may void insurance). I got a Jeep from SIXT at LAX earlier this year. It wasn't until I was on a dirt road in a national park did I realise it was 2WD only. I used to think all Jeeps were 4WD and were Rubicon trail-certified (might have been until the mid-'90s).

It is written -- as posted before, there are 3 levels of "chain control":

R1 -- chains required except if you have "snow tires", which just means M+S marking common to "all season" tires; virtually all passenger vehicles get waived through this

R2 -- chains required except for 4wd with snow tires (M+S); any Subaru or 4wd SUV will get waived through this.

R3 -- chains required on all vehicles.

On the major highways like I-80, R3 is effectively never imposed that I'm aware of; the highway will be closed first, so those with 4wd SUVs really never have to use chains on those roads.

Be aware that technically, all vehicles, even 4wd with snow tires, are supposed to carry chains; I've never had them even ask but they could; I suspect the majority of 4wd drivers do not have them. (I've always read that as only when the "chain control area" is active, i.e. R-1 or higher during a storm, not that you have to have chains year-round to use the passes)

As mentioned, any storms especially that early are likely to be short-lived. Caltrans is very good about clearing the major roads, so if you have the flexibility to wait a half day or day worst case you should be fine.

Yes, aside from snow in RNO itself, rental companies know a high percentage of renters will be heading up to Tahoe and environs, and will equip accordingly. If you rent in Sacramento or San Francisco, chances are much lower.

Once when I lived in RNO, I had to drive to Oakland, and my windshield washer pump broke. I got it fixed at a shop in Oakland before I drove back home. I told the service rep I was driving back to RNO via the pass, but the message obviously didn't get passed along, as the person who worked on the vehicle topped to washer reservoir either with plain water or stuff rated to a not-very-low temperature. When I first sprayed the windshield, the stuff froze to ice almost instantly, and it took a couple minutes of front defrost fan set to high temp/high speed to get the ice melted.

Subarus don't come with magic fairy dust. Any 4WD or AWD would be waved through.

Arrival in two weeks and keeping a tab on the weather. It looks like it will just be cloudy (no snow) at around 40F, so I'm feeling relatively upbeat in going through the pass and enjoying it. Still have a SUV reserved as backup though.

FYI, a weather forecast here this time of year two weeks out is about as accurate as well ... 2 to 3 days out is about the max for possibly accurate storm timing, unless there's absolutely nothing coming this way.

Ironically, when I saw your location (Paradise), my first thought was "You should already know this," as Paradise is a town in the Sierra foothills. :)

Agree. I hold off on hotel reservations in Reno/Tahoe this time of year as I don't want to risk having chain controls up. I was up in Reno this week and chain controls were up on Wednesday morning from Truckee to Baxter because 5-8 inches of snow fell overnight. I stayed an extra night and drove over with blue skies on Thursday. Crossing Donner Summit:

https://photos.smugmug.com/photos/i-...-x6BZXvr-M.jpg

Lol I do realize that about the weather. Don't worry, I'm monitoring constantly now multiple times a day for any sudden changes. I also have a refundable ticket booked in case there is heavy snow and chain controls come into effect; I can just fly out.

Haha. :D
Paradise is just an expression most people use when they see the endless sun, sand and sea where I am. I'm in the Tropics hence my meticulous planning with regards to Reno. I don't plan to get stranded if I can help it.

You want to watch out for rain too if there's been a lot of snow and if the rain is forecasted to be warm and heavy.

Back in the mid '90s sometime, I had gone down to Reno to visit a friend on the weekend, intending to stay for the day. The rain (a warm one a.k.a. a pineapple express) was heavy enough that it melted a little bit too much snow and washed out/closed virtually all the roads into the basin. US 50 west of SLT was closed by a massive landslide, NV 431 was closed by washouts. Can't remember why CA 267 and CA 89 were closed in the north and CA 88 in the south were closed but they were, as was US 50 between Carson City and Tahoe.

After 2 nights crashing at my friend's place (his workplace in Sparks flooded too as the Truckee river overflowed its banks), I made my way home via Truckee, which was the only way in and out of Tahoe for the days after the storm. Due to poor design of a junction, northbound traffic stretched from Truckee all the way down CA267 to Kings Beach, and past the last light on NV28 in Incline Village where I turned off.

Are any of these roads better than the other in inclement weather? I know I-80 is the interstate but looking at google maps, I also see quite a few state routes (Hwy-50, Hwy-88) that lead into California. Are any of these more scenic and/or less prone to bad winter weather than others (lower elevation perhaps)?.

Edited to add after researching.
Hwy 4 is closed for the season and chains are required for both I-80, US-50 and Hwy 88 at certain parts per the California department of transport site. Doesn't look promising for me afterall.

Tonight both 50 and 80 have chain requirements. 80 was closed for 2 hours this afternoon according to KCRA, a Sacramento TV station. 10-12 inches of snow is expected from the storm coming through right now.

50 is a mostly a two lane road from Kyburz to Meyers, where chains are required tonight, with an occasional passing lane, and takes you into South Lake Tahoe and the Nevada border at Stateline. The problem in using 50 to go to Reno is that you then need to go over Spooner Summit on the way down into Carson City and then into Reno. An alternate route would be over the Mount Rose Highway from Incline Village to Reno. Both of those routes present their own obstacles with winter weather/snow because of their elevation (Spooner Summit is at 7,146 feet and the Mount Rose Highway at 8,911 feet).

80 is freeway the whole way. I just wouldn't be thinking about alternate routes that may end up causing you even more problems.

Thanks, got it. I'll continue to monitor 80.