# mount baker road conditions question ASAP



## shredder07 (Oct 18, 2008)

so im deciding to go either to whistler or baker from vancouver tomorrow morning, i have a rental car with all seasons and i need to know how bad the roads get. i checked the washington site and it said chains or 4x4 is required. does it really get that bad? or can i make it without chains/4x4?


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## DrnknZag (Feb 7, 2010)

Yes, it can get that bad. The last few miles of switchbacks can get pretty hairy in a storm, especially in a rental car with rental car tires. If you pick up a set of chains though and engage your non-idiot driving, you should be ok. The forecast is calling for a decent amount of snow overnight so the roads tomorrow could be interesting.

Check wsdot.wa.gov for info tomorrow morning for conditions.


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## Shocktroop531 (Aug 3, 2010)

you should rent something with 4WD if you are serious about your boarding on your trip. If you want to hit some good conditions, you almost always are going to need a quality 4WD vehicle to get the goods.


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## Tarzanman (Dec 20, 2008)

If it is a rental car, then spend the bucks. Get a 4x4 and buy/rent chains for it if you have to.

I recently found out how sh**ty my 2WD 2004 Isuzu Rodeo is in snow. It snowed 8 inches at my folks' house over Christmas. My stupid Isuzu Rodeo with brand frakkin new tires (less than 1000 miles on the tires) slid around like a b*tch on grades that you wouldn't even be able to snowboard on.

Luckily it was fresh snow, so I was able to run the tires to dig through the not-yet-completely-frozen stuff on the ground and find traction.

I can't imagine trying to drive a chevy cavalier around a mountainous area that's gotten a foot or more.

Spend the extra bucks. It doesn't snow here in Georgia, but I might look at an all wheel drive car when I buy a new car in 5 years or so


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## wrathfuldeity (Oct 5, 2007)

90% driver and 10% car/truck/suv. Doing 8 years at baker, with 2wd rear volvo wagon & nissan pickup, only chained up 3 times ever and this year a front wd volvo wagon. The past few times...idiots have literally driven off the road down into the trees. Going up, the third and last hairpin is the deal maker. Going down...go slower than you think you need...its only like 5-7 miles then you are usually below snowline. BTW WA DOT does an excellent job of keeping 542 cleaned off...because its a cash cow and its a big PITA if wrecks happen. Also awd/4wd will get you going and perhaps track abit better...probably get you stuck worse....but really nothing beyond that....and certainly doesn't do shit for stopping any faster.


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## Triple8Sol (Nov 24, 2008)

Whatever you drive, just be careful. I see a car flipped over or in the ditch nearly every single day I hit Baker.


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## DrnknZag (Feb 7, 2010)

wrathfuldeity said:


> 90% driver and 10% car/truck/suv.


This.....

Through college my old beater Honda Civic went anywhere as long as I had chains.


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