I'm trying to get into Seattle today or tomorrow & ive never crossed the pass around this time a year. Do you think a LX470 with regular passenger tires will be fine? I don't plan on risking the Z. I'm sure you guys have way more experience having lived in the NW longer than I in crossing the pass.

 

http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/traffic/passes/snoqualmie/

Looks fine right now, but I would bring chains just in case. I'm not sure how the cars 4wd system works with chains, so you should read up on it.

 

sooo do you think the Z will make it across the pass with rear stud tires? ;( i kind of want to see my family for thanksgiving.

 

Right now the Z will make it. This weekend, probably not.

 

Not sure how the weather is going to look for Thanksgiving, but if it's the same as today you should be fine as long as you have studded tires and drive slow...

 

Ninja Modz is right, you should be fine, for the next 12 hours or so. Beyond that, good luck.

 

yeah i'm just gonna sit and pray it doesn't snow next wednesday night or thursday.

 

The other thing would be getting back over the pass after thanksgiving.

 

I've been crossing Snoqualmie since the early 70's and it's a crap shoot. The biggest problem with that pass is that it's elevation is low. The snow can be wet - which can pack to ice almost immediately.

For your LS470, passenger tires aren't very good on ice. I'd pick up cable chains for all four, pack some thick plastic sheet to lay on, and practice putting them on before you need to. With experience you can do it in < 3 minutes a wheel and never touch the snow. New 4x4s don't deal with chains on front or back only well.

 

Great advise.

 

If my Z in summer tires made it pass the pass then I'm sure your SUV has no problem... I just got back from Spokane a couple days ago and Snoqualmie pass was fine... Snoqualmie Pass is very weak in the snow area. They don't get a lot of snow until like December-ish

 

^ lol

Good luck

 

Your LX470 is a truck and as such won’t be equipped with passenger car tires. Usually this type of SUV (in the northern states) comes equipped with all season tires. (Have a look at the tire sidewall to confirm)

This SUV has a super effective 4-wheel drive system and will be able to climb over the pass with most any tire. The trouble comes when you need to slow down/stop on the way down. Tires are very sensitive to cold temperatures. Summer tire tread rubber is like a frozen brick in the low 30s, all seasons are good to the mid/high 20s and real snow tires stay pliable and maintain grip well below sub zero temps.

 

I'll be back in town for the holidays and plan on meeting up. Remember to ask me how I destroyed a brand new Pathfinder SE Offroad and one of the first Versas ever made heading over snoqualmie during the blizzard of 2007.

Long story short they sanded with pebbles - blue tape is your friend.

 

Hopefully you got through ok. This was yesterday on the pass...

 

Icicles down the hood, doors, trunk, bumpers, and grill. Good times. Thank goodness for "snow" mode

 

K maybe I was wrong.. holy shat

 

As of now, snow tires required over snoqualmie pass fyi

 

I was hoping for shotgun cam footage from that ride of yours with da killa summer tires over the last couple of days.