Winter Extras Kept in Your Vehicle

FYI, if you have the space, a friend who works SAR recommends keeping something to help get you out if your vehicle winds up high-centered on snow. A narrow, long-handled shovel, a cut-down garden hoe, or something else that can reach halfway across and pull out compacted snow.
 
Built this out from Amazon last winter and it came in at less than $200. I figure it's a small price to pay if I'm ever stuck somewhere without cell service. AAA Gold is nice to have as well. Should probably add some gorilla tape to this as well.
  • Amazon Large Duffel Bag
  • Jumper Cables
  • First Aid Kit
  • Water
  • Shovel
  • Moving Blanket
  • Hand Warmers
  • Basic Tool Kit
  • Emergency Food Bars
  • Reflective Cones
  • Road Flares
  • Reflective Vest
  • Tire Pump
  • Tire Repair Kit
  • WD40
  • 5W30 1L
  • Mechanix Gloves
  • Headlamp Flashlight
  • 550 Cord
  • Ratchet Straps
  • Zip Ties
 
Hey, how is that Catamount ski area? I've only heard of it in the past couple years, thanks to Instagram. How long has it been around? Did they recently expand? Might like to try it out. Want to hit some of the smaller, more homey/family style places like this, Butternut, Jiminy, Bousquet. Too bad I missed Mt. Tom and Brodie. My all time favorite is Magic Mountain in VT.
 
Long handled square tipped steel garden shovel. Use it all the time in the winter. I just leave it in the back of the truck.
So much better than a regular snow shovel when dealing with snowbanks, ice or really heavy wet snow.
 
just cleaned up car for winter. Siliconed all the door gaskets and the blade of the shovel. Checked hats and gloves. Repacked the Frogg Toggs (keep them in large zip lock bags). Repacked everything else so I know where to grab it from. Winter tires go on Thanksgiving week.
 
You guys all live out in the boonies? I can see the chains if going on a ski trip, or if I live in Northern New England or the Bezerkshires.


Is it snowing where you are yet? (Where ARE you?)
When someone made this thread last year, if I recall, one guy claimed to basically tow a trailer loaded with supplies and the stuff he claimed he packed could last you like 10 days in the wilderness. He probably lives and works in Newton.

Someone else pointed out the majority of NESers spend nearly all of their time within a few miles of a Dunks or other civilization. Few people, in their daily lives, end up more than a few hours' walk from where they could get some kind of shelter or assistance.

There's obviously exceptions. I don't really bring anything different than I usually do, namely an emergency blanket (plus some other blankets), personal water filtration system, car emergency kit, gloves, some spare lighters, etc. Actually, packing a small amount of tinder might not be a bad thing for me to add.

If I am going off the beaten path then it's obviously a different story, but for my normal commute I don't need to pack a chainsaw and multiple batteries, etc.
 
Someone else pointed out the majority of NESers spend nearly all of their time within a few miles of a Dunks or other civilization. Few people, in their daily lives, end up more than a few hours' walk from where they could get some kind of shelter or assistance.

With cell phones, unless I am heading to northern Maine or upstate New York or somewhere else remote, I mostly want to know I will either be able to dig myself out (shovel and gloves and hat in case I was not already wearing some) or be comfortable (blanket and full tank of gas) for the three to four hours it seems to take AAA to show up these days. All things considered, keeping your cell charged and tank over half full is probably enough to cover 98% of what you will run into if you are on paved roads. The blanket is in case of accident that takes out engine (broken radiator) or running out of gas while waiting for tow. The rain gear has come in handy as it seems every tire blow out I have had in last 20 years it is rain/sleet/snow or combination of.
 
With cell phones, unless I am heading to northern Maine or upstate New York or somewhere else remote, I mostly want to know I will either be able to dig myself out (shovel and gloves and hat in case I was not already wearing some) or be comfortable (blanket and full tank of gas) for the three to four hours it seems to take AAA to show up these days. All things considered, keeping your cell charged and tank over half full is probably enough to cover 98% of what you will run into if you are on paved roads. The blanket is in case of accident that takes out engine (broken radiator) or running out of gas while waiting for tow. The rain gear has come in handy as it seems every tire blow out I have had in last 20 years it is rain/sleet/snow or combination of.
In the winter, my general rule of thumb regarding the gas tank is "half is empty." I work near a gas station, so I try to keep to over 50% at all times in the winter.
I'm basically in the same camp as you. Just need enough to ride things out if I get stuck somehow, but I carry a shovel with me and enough stuff to stay warm, etc. This assumes I can't just walk somewhere nearby, too.
 
This assumes I can't just walk somewhere nearby, too.

Yeah, if I am in Somerville, my biggest worry is finding a spot I can pull over into if I can't keep driving for some reason. What I don't want to be is one of those people who like in blizzard of 78 or even the April Fools storm in 97 abandons my car on a highway or secondary road if I can help it. I was working in Bedford in 97 and remember seeing people walking away from cars on 62 and 3A where there were no sidewalks. At least it was mid morning so you could mostly see the people walking.
 
Several replies had some things I hadn't considered, and some were entertaining. Thanks.
 
All y'all talking about shovels, and there's locking rear-differentials and 4 low...

But I have that plus a shovel so if I get high center stuck I can get out.

Plus some HAM gear, food, a lighter in my pocket (and I don't smoke it's for of the locks freeze and I need to heat the key). I always have a knife, ccw, cell phone, half a tank even in the summer, and the knowledge on how to get to civilization in the event of bad weather.

I learned in the October blizzard when I was in North Adams and had to get to Boston, what I needed to be able to survive and help (if I felt so inclined)
 
In the winter, my general rule of thumb regarding the gas tank is "half is empty." I work near a gas station, so I try to keep to over 50% at all times in the winter.
I'm basically in the same camp as you. Just need enough to ride things out if I get stuck somehow, but I carry a shovel with me and enough stuff to stay warm, etc. This assumes I can't just walk somewhere nearby, too.
Good rule to have...

I need to get the extra gas cans for the generator filled up this weekend. I made sure to use it up over the summer, since I didn't want it to sit too long. Even [heavily] stabilized, it's good to swap out the gas as possible. I'll probably run the genny over the next couple of weekends enough to use up more of what's in it (used it last week during the high winds which brought down power for <1-1/2 hours).
 
Depends on where I'm going, but usually just a nice thick pair of gloves and a ski cap. I'm prepping for a commute, not the Battle of Borodino. And everything else I need is pretty much already in there.

In fairness, I'm a teacher. If the weather is really bad, these days they just call school off and I stay off the roads.
 
All y'all talking about shovels, and there's locking rear-differentials and 4 low...

But I have that plus a shovel so if I get high center stuck I can get out.

Don't have lockers.

I did see a guy last year who high centered a full sized Chevy pick up trying to get out of a parking space in front of the Commander in Harvard Square. He was hung up on the plow skree.

Had a bunch of guys rocking the truck and every so often a front or a rear wheel would hit the ground and squeal and smoke as he had it floored. Given it was morning rush hour and there was never more than five feet between him and other cars I wondered what would happen if he had got some traction on one of those rocks back or forth. Bet it would have been expensive.
 
Don't have lockers.

I did see a guy last year who high centered a full sized Chevy pick up trying to get out of a parking space in front of the Commander in Harvard Square. He was hung up on the plow skree.

Had a bunch of guys rocking the truck and every so often a front or a rear wheel would hit the ground and squeal and smoke as he had it floored. Given it was morning rush hour and there was never more than five feet between him and other cars I wondered what would happen if he had got some traction on one of those rocks back or forth. Bet it would have been expensive.

Hence the shovel, my friend. Even with lockers, I'd rather be sure then put my truck through another vehicle
 
When I lived in Wyoming, mid-October was the time when everyone loaded up a couple 20-lb bags of playground sand, two long strips of plywood, and a shovel.

Ice is nice.
 
Hey, how is that Catamount ski area? I've only heard of it in the past couple years, thanks to Instagram. How long has it been around? Did they recently expand? Might like to try it out. Want to hit some of the smaller, more homey/family style places like this, Butternut, Jiminy, Bousquet. Too bad I missed Mt. Tom and Brodie. My all time favorite is Magic Mountain in VT.
Catamount is a good Hill, some black diamond runs. I hear rumors that they want to open by Thanksgiving. They have been expanding and just installed a 5000' zip line, the longest in the US.
Butternut is a nice area, not as steep with lots of green and blue runs. Good for the kids.
Jiminy peak has probably the best snow in the general area, IMO. I don't go often as it's a 45 minute drive and not that much better than Catamount.
Bosquet is in Pittsfield. I don't go to Pittsfield.
Otis ridge is where I learned to ski. It's small, not really a destination slope but a great place to make a couple of runs at when it's in your own back yard.
 
4 point lug wrench. The one sided ones in spare tire kits that come with the car are useless on a tight lugbolt.

Ca$h. No getting help if the networks are down, your plastic doesn't work, and you need a tow or gas.
 
I plow in a loader with ok heat, so I leave a Carhartt one piece jump suit in the truck for that and just in case, several pairs of gloves and hats as my kids and wife wont have any. My go bag, my truck gun and ( those are there year round ) and a good shovel.
Living even withing walking distance of a store or gas station wont save your butt in a freak storm on 495 or the pike. You may have to hunker down for a few hours and that's all it take to freeze to death.
Its easy to have even some basics, its mostly stuff you have kicking around the house or can pick up cheap, like the wool blankets from the Army Navy store.
 
Heck, a fleece blanket or two for $5 each at Walmart will do. Tuck one or two of those plus a few of the other supplies here into a Home Depot bucket with a lid, and you are good to go. Don't forget road flares also.

Another thing is you can do some maintenance BEFORE you head out. Good spark plugs, good battery, good wires to make sure your car starts and you are not stranded. Make sure your tires are decent and inflated properly. Things like that.
 
Big change for me come winter time is that the snowbrush comes out of the trunk and goes in the passenger seat.

Everything else stays year round, or is a daily item.
 
I'm going to need to rethink my winter emergency gear. I work from home, and visit clients daily, but never go out if its gonna be bad. However, on January 1, I'm taking over a bigger dealer in Maine, and will be up there much more. Time to rethink things.

A pea coat, ice scraper, and dress shoes wont due anymore.
 
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