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The roads to Minden should also be pretty well cleaned off. We got hit with the same storm today here in Elko and all major roads are decent and easily navigable without chains.
I doubt you'll need to do any more with your chains other than carry them in the trunk. If you do need to use them on a front wheel drive vehicle just take it slow and use judicious power and traction to pull you around corners and obstacles. Be gentle with braking.
Allow extra time and space for everything you do and resist the urge to become overconfident after a few successful hours of driving on slick roads.
Bring plenty of warm clothes. They're predicting unseasonably cold temperatures over the remainder of the week. We're expecting -6 tonight with a high of 11 tomorrow followed by -14 Wednesday night.
I'm bringing all of my warmest jackets and plenty of layers. We'll be outside quite a bit (I think I'll be helping them get wood) but I'm actually looking forward to the cold weather. I get uncomfortably warm rather quickly and prefer it to be cold out than warm.
Perhaps the best tip would be if your girlfriend is from the area, let her drive. She has been exposed to the conditions previously. It's very easy to have too much confidence when first learning to drive in snow and ice; and, in a situation where chains are required, that's a bit too much of both to realistically be learning how to handle a car in those conditions. Even in areas where it regularly snows, the first snow of the year can be a bit dicey until people remember their snow skills.
If she's not from there, and you must drive, I would add that you should accelerate enough to gain momentum, but not so that you will need to use the brakes. It's much easier to control a car moving at a consistent speed through snow/ice than it is to have to deal with braking and accelerating.
Stay on the main roads, since short cuts and side streets can be very dangerous if they are not cleared and you're in the midst of a storm. If you get stuck on the side road, it can take a while for help to arrive.
If you see a plow in front of you, stay behind it, even if the plow is traveling slowly. You are much better off behind the plow, especially if you're new to this sort of driving
Have a safe trip.
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Are you planning on taking 80 to Reno and then south or 50 across to South Lake Tahoe? If the weather's really miserable there are folks who will put your chains on for a hefty fee. If weather is good today still take you chains so you have them if the trip home is bad.
Safe travels to all who are venturing out on the roads for this holiday.
Geeze, people get paid to install tire chains? I have never used chains on a FWD car, but have on rear wheel drive cars and 4x4 plow trucks, and drive into the chains easy.
If I were going to drive into FWD car chains, I would first place the chains on the ft tires , with the rear of the tires chain just barely touching the ground, and the excess hanging off the ft siode of the tires. Get all that nice and even. Then ]back up on to the chains drapped over the back, and hook them on the ft side for hand working room.
Hitch the inside as tight as possible, then hitch the latch on the ouside edge last, and bungie cord that whole as snug as possible. maybe drive a little ways and resnug the bungie cord if not re hitch the out side latch.
On that inside take the last lionk and pass it thru the one that hooks up, so no extra links beat the tar out of the inner wheel well, or get caught in any brake lines!
What's that Wilson the back way? Only a short 4,500 miles or something?
Its called the southern route and it might be 200 miles longer, or about the time one would waste at their first 2o mph mountain climb with chains.
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