AWD - Driving in Snow
The roads are quickly cleared in Big Bear but there is only so much that can be done when there’s that much snow. I have never driven the Van in snow or put on chains (even until today) After driving his Toyota Corolla in the snow for the first time, Erick decided that it would be the last time and we bought a used Mazda CX5 4X4 - it’s just something you have to have if you’re going to live in a place that snows. The Mazda has never let us down and we have had no issues with the snow ever since - all the while without chains! The rest of the year has beautiful weather and a lot of people will have a 4x4 to drive in winter and something else the rest of the time.
At least once a winter a car gets stuck on the hill up our street. Thankfully both cabins are on level ground and there are two ways out. If you’re looking at cabins in Big Bear - PARKING, not just the # of spaces, but how the driveway and street(s) leading up to the properties are a really big deal. Our cabins have the ideal layout when it snows and all you gotta do is shovel out behind your vehicle and you’re done. Big Bear sends out trucks with snow plows and they do a great job - well unless they push it into a big pile that freezes up and makes it a lot harder to move. Pro tip - Shovel it while it’s soft!!
I was told you’re suppose to put your windshield wipers up when it snows - supposedly so they don’t get frozen to the windshield. I did that to the van for the first snow, and I can’t recommend that, at least with vans and 4 foot of snow, cause when the snow eventually fell it took the windshield wipers and 300$ with them. Also, and again it’s probably exaggerated because of the shape of the van - but remove the snow from the top of your vehicle before driving. That was a VERY scarry lesson cause the snow atop the van didn’t decide to fall off, and down the windshield until we got to the freeway down the hill. Not fun! I hope these little tid bits of information / advice come in handy, cause there are a lot of things you wouldn’t even think about until living in a place with weather like this. Beautiful and fun, no doubt. But … ya know. Be cautious!
