Bobski
10-23-2008, 07:26 AM
My RS6 has Michelin PSS2's which as everyone knows are high performance summer tires. My past experience is that if there is a 1/4 inch of snow you are taking your life into your hands with these sorts of tires. I had to drive from Aspen to Albuquerque yesterday and a front had moved through the Western Slope but I did not want to go around through Moab, adding 8 hours to my drive, so my friend and I set out. I also could not buy the snow tires I wanted in the area. (group dynamics with friends can be dangerous).
Aspen was clear but as we started to pull up Independence Pass there was an inch on the road, so I tested the car now and then,braking, accelerating, turning to test the handling. Seemed OK. Then 2 inches, then 4, 6, usually punching through to the asphalt so it seemed OK. But, at 10,000 feet it was closer to 8" but we kept going. On the final switchback over 11,000 feet, 8% grade, over a foot of snow we were slipping a bit but it was still pulling. Amazing.
At 11,700 feet, on the steepest part with 18" of loose snow, a Prius with all season tires was stuck. As I approached I knew if I stopped I would be stuck but I could not go around so I stopped and spent an hour with others trying to dig the Prius out. Only 4 X 4's with mud and snow rated tires were on this final, exposed, deeply trenched, loose powdered ascent to over 12,000 feet. After five different cars and folks pulling and prodding and finally towing the Prius to the top of the pass, it was my turn.
I got back in the car with four people pushing to get me going and I'll be damned if the car did not pull staight up and out. Some spinning, but I pulled about 1/4 mile, started slipping, the ESP and whatever else, powered down the motor and diverted power many times to different wheels, but at over 12,000 feet I finally made it to the top. It was blowing 50 mph, about 17 degrees, the car was frozen, but...
in full-on alpine conditions the quattro technology made it up with summer tires on.
(disclosure: Do not attempt this at home. Professionally stupid driver.)
Aspen was clear but as we started to pull up Independence Pass there was an inch on the road, so I tested the car now and then,braking, accelerating, turning to test the handling. Seemed OK. Then 2 inches, then 4, 6, usually punching through to the asphalt so it seemed OK. But, at 10,000 feet it was closer to 8" but we kept going. On the final switchback over 11,000 feet, 8% grade, over a foot of snow we were slipping a bit but it was still pulling. Amazing.
At 11,700 feet, on the steepest part with 18" of loose snow, a Prius with all season tires was stuck. As I approached I knew if I stopped I would be stuck but I could not go around so I stopped and spent an hour with others trying to dig the Prius out. Only 4 X 4's with mud and snow rated tires were on this final, exposed, deeply trenched, loose powdered ascent to over 12,000 feet. After five different cars and folks pulling and prodding and finally towing the Prius to the top of the pass, it was my turn.
I got back in the car with four people pushing to get me going and I'll be damned if the car did not pull staight up and out. Some spinning, but I pulled about 1/4 mile, started slipping, the ESP and whatever else, powered down the motor and diverted power many times to different wheels, but at over 12,000 feet I finally made it to the top. It was blowing 50 mph, about 17 degrees, the car was frozen, but...
in full-on alpine conditions the quattro technology made it up with summer tires on.
(disclosure: Do not attempt this at home. Professionally stupid driver.)