Dec
29
Packing the Car for Cold Weather Travel
Filed Under Tips
I know we usually think of a family vacation as a happy time when everything “just works” but, many times that’s strictly not the case. If you’re setting out by car there are certain things you should pack to bring along anytime of year and then there are a few more things that you should make a point of in the winter. A couple weeks ago we had a strong snow storm come through and in part from the snow and another part from tractor trailer jackknifes on the highway there were many stranded motorists. There’s also been a story of a couple that was stranded 3 days after their gps led them off the beaten track on the “shortest route” and they wound up getting stuck in back country somewhere during a snow storm.
I hope that at the very least you have a first aid kit that you keep in your car. A tool kit of some sort for me is a good thing to accompany that. (The tool kit came in really handy when my 2 year old discovered a light switch on the car that I had never noticed before and I had to just pull a fuse to cut off car lights until I could look during the day for a better way to switch it off.) Most cars have a spare tire already, but make sure you would have the tools to change it. A cell phone is a great thing to have “just in case” but many of you may be surprised that there are places that you just can’t get coverage so don’t expect that a cellphone alone will bail you out of any problem.
Personally I like keeping a good road map in the car. I like these maps that cover all fifty states. They do give less detail but, you don’t have to keep buying maps at each gas station and they give you pretty good coverage. Even if you have a GPS navigator please learn to read and use a map…. they have been known to lead people astray on roads that weren’t finished yet, were closed for some reason (rock slide, weather, flooding, etc.) Plus your batteries could die and then you’ll be glad you have a real paper map.
Jumper cables!
I’d also suggest a flashlight (or two) and spare batteries in your car packing. Maybe even one of those little battery operated LED emergency flashers. We have a little yellow flasher like that. It straps on your arm if you need to walk along the road at night and will help you to be seen. If that doesn’t work for you, look for some reflective tape. At least with that, batteries won’t run down and someone with a light would be able to spot you. (i.e. if you have to walk along the road maybe you can be seen.)
For winter weather I like the idea of putting a couple spare blankets in the car. Again, just in case. If you are stuck or stranded for a while these can really help. More important than that though is to make a good practice of keeping at least a half a tank of gas in your car. You’ll be surprised how long a car can idle with a half tank of gas. If you are stranded along the road you can idle the car to charge cell phone batteries and warm up, cover up in the blankets and pace your usage of the gas and hold out for a good amount of time.
Water bottles are a good thing to have on hand for each passenger (good or bad weather). I like the aluminum/steel refillable canisters. Snacks…. well, you can go longer without food than without water or shelter so here I’d just make sure there’s a pack of peanut butter crackers per person or granola bars. (Something that can help maintain energy because you expend more in cold weather environments.)
Some other items that you may wish to pack are as follows:
Small portable weather band monitor with SAME alert. This way no matter where you are you should be able to tune the nearest NOAA weather radio frequencies. If you spend a fair amount of time in one place you can program it to come on and alert you of warnings issued in that area. I’d also throw in a portable battery powered radio (so you don’t drain the car battery listening, or waste fuel just to listen to the car radio.) You’re most likely to find local news and info on the AM band, but some FM stations may do local news as well. The best time to catch local news is the top of the hour either way. Some stations will also have a news/weather segment at the half hour.
Oh, also, the FM stations that you tune in are likely to be closer because those frequencies don’t travel as far. AM stations can be further away (at night you may pick up stations MUCH further away in the AM band).
Some people suggest a bag of sand or kitty litter to help with traction on ice/packed snow and that might be a good extra item to pack. A change of clothes is another good one (if you get stuck in the snow you will want to change into something dry after digging out.) Of course if you’re traveling you probably already have that covered. Some sort of tire patch/repair kit would be another smart item to add as well as a collapsible small shovel to help with the digging out from snow. Matches or a lighter and candle with a sturdy base would be good too. (You could use it to melt snow for water.) A knife of some sort, rope, pencil and paper (sharpen with the knife if you need to….) All these are good things to have in your emergency car travel kit.
Another bonus that I like are these small portable 2 way radios that run on the FRS (Family Radio Service). They have a 1/2 mile or so range in our area (mountains) but can work with a clear line of sight further (up to 4-7 miles if conditions are really good.) If one person has to leave the car it would be nice to be able to communicate back and forth.
So…. where can we fit the luggage and passengers?
I know it seems like a lot, but really many of these items can be crammed into a small box and kept out of the way. Make sure to check your spare and main batteries from time to time (before a trip is a good chance.) Also make sure to replace items in your first aid kit after they’re used so you don’t get caught short next time out. I’ve seen some suggestions to reverse the batteries in a flashlight so that it isn’t accidentally flipped on while packed. It seems like a lot to pack, but as the scouts always said “be prepared”. Even if you don’t wind up getting stranded on the side of the road it feels better to be ready for the worst. (Plan for the worst, hope for the best.)
Happy and safe travels!