Winter Driving
Winter Driving in Spokane: Traction Laws, Mountain Passes & Ski Resort Routes
Washington's traction tire rules trip up a lot of visitors, and the drive to every ski resort near Spokane crosses at least one stretch that behaves nothing like the highway you left. Here's what the law actually requires, what each route is genuinely like in winter, and how to plan the drive.
What Washington's Traction Signs Actually Require
WSDOT posts three escalating levels on mountain routes. They mean different things for different vehicles, and the fines for ignoring them are real.
Traction Tires Advised
Traction tires are recommended but not required for passenger vehicles. You can proceed on all-season tires, though conditions are already deteriorating — plan for slower speeds and longer stopping distances.
Traction Tires Required
Every passenger vehicle under 10,000 lbs must have approved traction tires installed. If yours doesn't, you must put on chains or an approved alternative. Our AWD and 4WD vehicles run 3-peak mountain snowflake tires, which meet this requirement as-is.
Chains Required On All Vehicles
The most restrictive level, posted in extreme conditions. Front- and rear-wheel-drive vehicles must chain up. AWD and 4WD passenger vehicles under 10,000 lbs with traction tires installed may proceed without chains mounted — but Washington law still requires you to be carrying chains in the vehicle. In genuine extremes the state can require chains on absolutely everything, AWD included.
What Counts as a Traction Tire
- A tire qualifies as a traction tire in Washington with at least 1/8 inch of tread and either an M+S / All-Season label or a mountain-snowflake symbol.
- The three-peak mountain snowflake symbol (3PMSF) is the stronger of the two — it means the tire passed an actual winter traction test, not just a tread-pattern designation.
- Washington law applies to you regardless of what state you flew in from or what your license says.
- Any vehicle over 10,000 lbs gross vehicle weight — which can include large SUVs and vans — must carry chains over any Washington mountain pass from November 1 to March 31, even when no chain requirement is posted.
AWD vs. True 4WD — They Are Not the Same Thing
Rental sites tend to lump these together. They behave very differently, and we keep both in the fleet on purpose. Which one you want depends less on how much snow is falling and more on what's under the tires.
AWD
All-Wheel Drive
A full-time system that sends power to all four wheels automatically. Sensors detect a wheel starting to slip and shift torque to the wheels with grip, usually before the driver notices anything. There is nothing to engage and no wrong time to use it — it works on dry pavement as well as snow.
- Best for
- Highway miles, icy city streets, packed-snow resort access roads, and anyone who doesn't want to think about their drivetrain at all.
- Watch out for
- Most AWD systems are tuned for traction, not clearance or torque. Deep unplowed snow, mud, or a steep loose surface can still stop an AWD crossover.
- In our fleet
- Our Subaru and crossover-style vehicles — the default choice for ski trips and winter highway driving.
4WD / 4x4
Four-Wheel Drive
A driver-selected system, typically with 2H, 4H, and often 4L modes and a transfer case that locks front and rear axles together at the same speed. That mechanical lock puts real torque to all four wheels instead of managing slip electronically, and 4L multiplies it for crawling.
- Best for
- Deep or unplowed snow on maintained roads, steep icy resort access roads and driveways, and winter conditions where ground clearance matters as much as grip. All of our vehicles are for on-road use only — off-road driving is prohibited under the rental agreement.
- Watch out for
- 4H should not be used on dry pavement — with the axles locked, the front and rear wheels can't rotate at different speeds through a turn, which binds the driveline. Shift back to 2H once the road is clear.
- In our fleet
- Our trucks and body-on-frame SUVs, which are genuine part-time 4WD, not AWD crossovers.
The one thing both share: neither helps you stop. Braking and cornering come down to tires, and every vehicle we rent runs 3-peak mountain snowflake rubber for exactly that reason.
The Drive to Every Ski Resort Near Spokane
Five US resorts sit within two hours of Spokane. The drives are not equally demanding.
Mt. Spokane
The closest option and the only one you can reach without leaving Spokane County. No mountain pass involved, but the final stretch of WA-206 climbs steeply with tight switchbacks and is frequently snow-packed even when the valley is clear. AWD makes a real difference on this road.
49° North
Straightforward highway driving most of the way. The climb from Chewelah up to the base area is the part that gets slick. Cell service thins out north of Deer Park — download your directions before you leave.
Silver Mountain
Once you cross into Idaho you're under Idaho Transportation Department rules, not WSDOT's. Fourth of July Pass is the one stretch that closes or slows in heavy weather. The gondola from the town of Kellogg means you park at the bottom rather than driving a mountain access road.
Schweitzer
The longest drive of the group and the most demanding finish — the access road out of Sandpoint climbs roughly six miles of switchbacks to the village. This is the route where people most often wish they'd taken the AWD vehicle.
Lookout Pass
Literally on the pass, which means the resort gets excellent snow and the drive is the most weather-dependent of the bunch. Check pass conditions the morning you go, not the night before.
Driving to Canadian Ski Resorts from Spokane
Most of our winter guests head north across the border. Spokane is a genuinely good launch point for British Columbia and Alberta — Red Mountain is closer than some Washington resorts, and the big destinations are all reachable by road.
Red Mountain
The easiest Canadian resort to reach from Spokane and a common day-or-weekend trip. Paterson is a small, quick crossing. BC-22 north of the border is a winding two-lane climb that is plowed but rarely bare. Rossland sits at elevation, so expect snow in town, not just at the hill.
Big White / Kelowna
Highway the whole way, with the Anarchist Mountain descent into Osoyoos as the notable stretch — steep, switchbacked, and best taken in low gear when it's icy. The Big White access road out of Kelowna is a long, sustained climb where winter tires and AWD earn their keep.
Fernie
The Montana leg is remote and long between services. BC-3 through the Elk Valley is a proper mountain highway that gets heavy snow. Fuel in Eureka or Fernie rather than trusting the gaps in between.
Revelstoke
Deep interior BC driving with several passes and inland-ferry timing to plan around depending on the route you pick. Check DriveBC before committing to a day of it — closures here mean long detours, not short ones.
Banff, Lake Louise & Sunshine
A genuine road trip, usually broken into two days. Rogers Pass and the Alberta approaches are among the snowiest maintained highways in North America. Alberta's winter tire and chain guidance differs from Washington's — travel prepared regardless.
Whistler
The longest of the group and almost always an overnight. The Sea-to-Sky Highway is excellent road but weather-sensitive, and winter tires are legally required on it from October 1 through March 31. Coquihalla, if you route that way, closes more often than any other pass on this list.
Crossing the Border in Our Vehicles
- Taking a rental into Canada is allowed and common — you'll need the vehicle registration from the glovebox, a copy of your rental agreement, and valid ID or passport for everyone in the vehicle.
- Our insurance coverage and 24/7 roadside assistance both extend into Canada.
- BC requires winter tires on most mountain highways from October 1 through March 31 (April 30 on some routes). Our 3-peak mountain snowflake tires satisfy that requirement.
- Check DriveBC for pass conditions and the CBSA border wait times before you leave — Paterson and Nelson are usually far faster than the crossings west of here.
Before You Head Out
Check the pass, the morning of
WSDOT publishes live mountain pass reports and camera feeds, and the Idaho Transportation Department does the same for routes across the state line. Conditions on these roads change over a few hours, so a forecast from the night before tells you very little.
Leave earlier than the map says
Every drive time above assumes clear pavement. In active snowfall, add anywhere from thirty minutes to an hour, and expect to be behind a plow or a sand truck at some point.
Fill up in town
Fuel is more expensive and much sparser once you're heading up US-395 or US-95. Top off in Spokane or Sandpoint rather than counting on a station near the resort.
Slow down before you think you need to
The most common winter incident on these roads isn't a dramatic one — it's a driver carrying too much speed into a shaded corner where the road is still frozen. AWD helps you go. It does not help you stop.
Winter Driving FAQs
Do you provide tire chains with your rentals?
No, and it's a deliberate policy. Chains are rarely necessary on a vehicle already running 3-peak mountain snowflake tires with all-wheel drive, and improperly fitted chains are a common cause of damage to wheels, brake lines, and body panels. We'd rather send you out on tires that handle the conditions than on hardware most drivers have never installed. If you're traveling during a storm severe enough that chains are being required, here's what we tell people who ask: buy a set from one of the national auto parts chains in Spokane and keep them in the vehicle. If you never open them, return them to any location of that same chain before you fly home. Keep the receipt and leave the packaging intact and it costs you nothing but the errand.
Do your vehicles have studded tires?
No. We don't run studded tires on any vehicle in our fleet, and they aren't available as an add-on. Studs are legal in Washington only from November 1 through March 31, they chew up dry pavement, and on the plowed highways you'll spend most of your trip on they offer no advantage over a quality 3-peak mountain snowflake tire. Our AWD and 4WD vehicles are fitted with 3-peak tires, which meet Washington's traction tire requirement on their own.
Do your rental vehicles meet Washington's traction tire requirement?
Yes. Our AWD and 4WD vehicles are fitted with 3-peak mountain snowflake tires, which satisfy Washington's traction tire requirement without adding chains.
Will I need chains for a ski trip out of Spokane?
For most winter trips to Mt. Spokane, 49° North, Silver Mountain, or Schweitzer in an AWD vehicle with 3-peak tires, you will not need to mount chains. The exception is a 'chains required' posting during a severe storm, when Washington law asks even AWD drivers to have chains with them in the vehicle.
Is AWD actually necessary, or is it upselling?
For driving between Spokane, the airport, and Coeur d'Alene on plowed highways, a front-wheel-drive car on good tires is usually fine. For the climb up to Mt. Spokane, Schweitzer's access road, or any resort during active snowfall, AWD is the difference between an uneventful drive and a stressful one.
Should I book AWD or true 4WD?
For plowed highways and resort access roads, AWD is the better tool — it reacts faster than you can and needs no input. Choose true 4WD when the surface itself is the problem: deep or unplowed snow, a long climb that hasn't been touched by a plow, or a steep icy access road. Our trucks and body-on-frame SUVs are genuine part-time 4WD with a transfer case and low range, not AWD crossovers with a badge. Either way, our vehicles are for maintained roads only — off-road use is not permitted.
Do Idaho's rules differ from Washington's?
They do. Schweitzer, Silver Mountain, and Lookout Pass all involve driving in Idaho, where restrictions are posted by the Idaho Transportation Department under their own rules. Traveling with proper winter tires keeps you compliant in both states in nearly all conditions.