Snow chains for mid-march ?

Hello everyone,

I read in several forum posts that it is possible that snow chains will be sometimes necessary for driving in Yosemite in Winter.

me and my girlfriend are visiting Yosemite in for 1,5 day in mid-march (it%26#39;s our first time in USA and we%26#39;re making a trip to several national parks).

We will be comming from Fresno (so south entrance) and leaving from the West entrance (we will be staying in Yosemite View Lodge for 2 nights).

We are planning to visit the Yosemite Valley mainly and the Mariposa Grove (hike with snow shoes because the Mariposa Road is closed in winter) to see the giant sequoias.

my specific question: do you think for these main roads snow chains are necessary during that time of year? so keeping in mind that we will mainly visit the Valley and just use the main roads from the south and west entrance.

The problem is that the car rental company doesn%26#39;t rent snow chains and doesn%26#39;t even allow putting the chains on the car tiers.

So if you think that it%26#39;s really not necessary for these roads and the places we want to see... we don%26#39;t have anything to be ';affraid'; of...

otherwise.. what options do we have? (putting chains on our own ';risc'; for instance? Do you think when applied correctly they would notice?..)

Other question: do the shuttle busses drive in this period? for instance from valley just till the mariposa road where we can then continue by hiking.

thanks a lot for your help!

all info is welcome!!

greetings,

Ben

Snow chains for mid-march ?

It%26#39;s difficult to forecast the weather for March. However, historically there have been major snow storms in March and even into April. That being said, you might want to rent a 4 wheel drive vehicle which is available in Fresno. This will give you some peace of mind since most of the main roads should be passable with 4 wheel.

Enjoy!!

Snow chains for mid-march ?

ricardoBA thanks for your answer!

so do you mean that with a 4 wheel drive car we don%26#39;t need snow chains at all?

sorry if that%26#39;s a stupid question, but here in Belgium we don%26#39;t know that kind of driving conditions...;) it%26#39;s snows very little here.. (no snow yet this winter for instance)

thanks for the advise!!

Ben

If you rent a car, you are not allowed to put chains on that car. So, you have to rent a 4WD. However, March can be our snowiest month, and you might encounter conditions that require chains on even 4WD (I%26#39;ve had this happen in March and April). So, be sure to rent a 4WD, but also carry chains (buy them) and have them, just in case you are stopped by the police (they have check points when all cars are required to put on chains).

That%26#39;s excellent advise from Yogachik. It%26#39;s always good to be prepared. Hopefully, you will not have to put the chains on the 4 wheel drive car, but you have them in the car to show the highway patrol should they stop you and ask. Depending on the severity of the storm, the snow plows will keep the main road open and usually allow the 4 wheel drive cars to pass.

The road condtions will be readily available on the internet, as such:chains required for cars or ok with 4 wheel drive only; or chains required for all cars and trucks(if this is the situation then the storm is bad and the road conditions are bad). Hopefully you won%26#39;t have to worry about this at all.

I would buy the chains for the 4 wheel drive in Fresno at a big retailer such as Walmart;keep the receipt;if you don%26#39;t use them, then return them to any Walmart depending on where you are.

The Yosemite Park and the surrounding area is worth the trouble to visit. They are spectacular.

Enjoy!!!

ok thanks a lot you both for the excellent info!!!

To clarify, a 4-wheel drive does not exempt a vehicle from chain requirements.

but still it%26#39;s safer to drive a 4 wheel drive with chains then a normal car with chains? right?

I%26#39;m just considering all options.. and when 4 wheel drive is not absolutly necessary we can maybe just buy the chains at wal markt..

well anyway...it%26#39;s maybe better to be flexible and whatch the weather forecast every day.... and then judge then if 4WD is necessary..

thanks!!

The reason 4 WD does not exempt you from chains is that Yosemite is a federally controlled area. Whereas on a road controlled by Caltrans you would probably never see a requirement that 4WD with snow tires have to put on chains. The federally controlled roads might have that requirement. Caltrans would most likely close a road if it got to the point where a 4WD with snow tires had to put on chains. At that point the road is much too unsafe to drive on.

I think you need to hope for good weather, and if there is a storm when you plan to visit, you may have to give up your visit.

Yosemite National Park is under federal jurisdiction and has different rules from the state highways outside the park. The state highways require chains or snow tires only when it is actually snowing, and they will not check just to see if you have chains in your possession, they only care that you have chains on the tires (or snow tires) when the snow is falling. But the National Park Service does require that you have chains in your possession at all times within the park boundaries. They might or might not check when you enter the park, but if it does start snowing you will need chains to drive around.

Outside the park, snow tires can substitute for chains at the lowest level of chain control (there are three levels depending on how bad is the storm), but 4WD alone without snow tires is never a substitute for chains. The three levels of chain control are

1. chains or snow tires,

2. chains or 4WD *with* snow tires,

3. chains on all vehicles, regardless of snow tires or 4WD.

Again, these are the California state rules outside the National Park, inside the park, you need to have chains, period.

As long as the chains don%26#39;t damage the vehicle, the rental company would never know that you had them on, but if you%26#39;ve never put chains on before, you should pay a chain jockey to do it for you. If the chains are too loose they will slap against the body of the car and cause some very obvious damage to the paint.

There are never any busses from Yosemite Valley to the Mariposa Grove, you have to get there on your own.

little question:

do all wal marts stores sell snow chains ?

thanks!!