As I drove down off Berthoud Pass, the SUV that had been on my tail suddenly accelerated. I instantly had a premonition of the car wreck before it happened. Sure enough, as it sped up heading into the switchback, the car did a 180 right in front of me, ricocheting into the snowbank on the other side of the road. I slowed down, pulling over to see if they were ok. Apparently, they were fine, only their pride was wounded from getting the car stuck in the snowbank.
After 12 years of living in the mountains, both the Sierra in California and the Rockies in Colorado, I’ve seen all kinds of interesting driving methods on windy, mountain roads. I’ve also picked up quite a few tips of my own, many of them gleaned from my own mistakes that fortunately for me did not end up in disaster.
Like the Boy Scouts, it’s best to be prepared before you end up on the snowpacked roads driving over Berthoud Pass or up Boulder Canyon. I’ve found investing in a good set of snow tires to be invaluable, even though I drive an all wheel drive Subaru Forester. They make a profound difference in terms of getting up and down hills without sliding.
I’m always reminded of taking my exam to get my first driver’s license when driving in snow. You know, the part that talks about stopping distance and the space between you and the car in front of you. And that question about slowing down during rain and snow.
I’ve found a lot of people from southern states think if they rent the Four Wheel Drive SUV, that they are pretty much indomitable on the roads. It’s like all those prudent suggestions about driving in snow don’t apply to them. Well, I’ve got news for you, you can “do a donut” and end up in a ditch just as easy in a fancy SUV as a 2-wheel drive sedan if you drive too fast on snow. I’ve not only seen it happen, I’ve made the mistake myself.
One of our first winters in Colorado, we got caught by a surprise snow storm in mid-April on I-70. We had planned to go skiing at Copper Mountain and even though the roads were snowy and slick, I pushed my speed in my Subaru Forester. I could see others were having trouble, but I didn’t slow down and before I knew it, my car was spinning out of control. I had no way to stop the careening of the car, simply clutching the wheel, and praying that I didn’t smack into someone else. Good fortune prevailed, as we slid into the median with nary a scratch on our car or anyone else’s. Only my pride was wounded.
That leads me to my final lesson learned for navigating Colorado’s mountains during winter. Do everything slow and give myself lots of time to get where I’m going. Accelerating quickly or slamming on the brakes is the surest route to a wreck, either on or off the road. It’s simply not worth it for a better parking spot at the ski resort, and it’s ok to be a little late to work during inclement weather.
There’s even a company, First Gear Skid School, that provide winter weather driving training for new residents to Colorado who hail from southern states like Texas and Florida.
Enjoy the snow and take it easy!
