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Planning a road trip from LA to Jackson Hole, Wyoming....how does the GTI fare in Winter?

Jozooka

Go Kart Newbie
Location
Bucks County, PA
My wife has an Outback and it's great in the snow even with the factory all-season tires. The ground clearance really helps. Sure, on packed snow roads a GTI with winter tires is probably just as good, but it goes wrong quickly when you have to get through deeper stuff. The road to the our parking area gets plowed in (piles of snow at the intersection) and I never worry getting in or out with the Subie, but with the GTI the only way to get through that is "ramming speed" and hoping the bumper doesn't fall off :)
 

NY01

Passed Driver's Ed
Location
California
When is this trip taking place? Which route are you planning? I would not cut over from Salt Lake City and go through Evanston WY this time of year. Maybe stay on I-15 then hook around Idaho Falls, or I-15 through through Soda Springs. I live in Idaho Falls, and there's several GTI's cruising around, some with snow tires, some without. Even your Outback with shitty tires will suck. You won't be the designated snow plow, but roads are still icy and can be snow packed in places.

That will determine a lot.

This is my place in Island Park, ID, just west of Jackson, WY.
View attachment 201389
Thanks all for the info. This was the drive I was going to take.
 

krs

Autocross Champion
Location
Las Vegas, NV
Car(s)
MKVIIS R
Thanks all for the info. This was the drive I was going to take.

Looks like a decent road trip. Bryce, Zion and the GC are something else when snow covered. The color contrasts highlight how amazing those areas really are. Shoot even the Tetons right now on a clear day are just plain badass. There's not much in Twin Falls but the gorge, so hopefully you're visiting someone there, or you might be disappointed. 😆

The parts I marked in red are areas that would be slow going if a storm were pushing through. Getting off I-80 in Evanston WY headed north will get a serious pounding by weather and winds. The area around Bryce can get pretty snow covered, and with it being a rural area can take longer to get plowed. That's based off my experience living and recreating near both areas. Out by Victor, Driggs, up through Island Park and West Yellowstone they hit those roads hard with snow removal as it's a main thoroughfare through that area. Mostly 2 lane highways with passing lanes. Any of those places would be alright in my opinion a day or two after any major storm.

How soon are you making this trip? I say take either or really. My daughter rallies here FWD car with snow tires and has never had an issue yet. The Subaru with AWD sounds better, but without good tires that AWD isn't really that big of a deal over the fwd. Just my 2 cents.

Give yourself extra time through those red areas, make sure you top off on fuel, and have some extra snacks, water and blankets in case you need to hunker down for the night un-expected. It's not Antarctica, but it can get treacherous for a day or two until things get cleared up. Each of those states have real good 511 highway apps, I'd download them and keep checking on updates as you go.

I'm in Idaho Falls, and have a place available in Island Park. If you want, I can send you my number in case you get in a bind through that area, you can hit me up.

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NY01

Passed Driver's Ed
Location
California
Looks like a decent road trip. Bryce, Zion and the GC are something else when snow covered. The color contrasts highlight how amazing those areas really are. Shoot even the Tetons right now on a clear day are just plain badass. There's not much in Twin Falls but the gorge, so hopefully you're visiting someone there, or you might be disappointed. 😆

The parts I marked in red are areas that would be slow going if a storm were pushing through. Getting off I-80 in Evanston WY headed north will get a serious pounding by weather and winds. The area around Bryce can get pretty snow covered, and with it being a rural area can take longer to get plowed. That's based off my experience living and recreating near both areas. Out by Victor, Driggs, up through Island Park and West Yellowstone they hit those roads hard with snow removal as it's a main thoroughfare through that area. Mostly 2 lane highways with passing lanes. Any of those places would be alright in my opinion a day or two after any major storm.

How soon are you making this trip? I say take either or really. My daughter rallies here FWD car with snow tires and has never had an issue yet. The Subaru with AWD sounds better, but without good tires that AWD isn't really that big of a deal over the fwd. Just my 2 cents.

Give yourself extra time through those red areas, make sure you top off on fuel, and have some extra snacks, water and blankets in case you need to hunker down for the night un-expected. It's not Antarctica, but it can get treacherous for a day or two until things get cleared up. Each of those states have real good 511 highway apps, I'd download them and keep checking on updates as you go.

I'm in Idaho Falls, and have a place available in Island Park. If you want, I can send you my number in case you get in a bind through that area, you can hit me up.

View attachment 201495
Truly great information! Thank you so much. I will hit you up if I'm out your way. Thank you again.
 

Keehs360

Autocross Champion
Location
Denver
Car(s)
Mk7.5
Since tires are the only thing that connect you to the road is those tiny little contact patches. AWD doesn't help you turn or stop - only tires affect that.
Even with proper winter tires on an awd car, you’ll lose less grip vs a fwd with winter tires.

frankly an awd car with winter tires eat snow. My friend just got his s4 fitted with studded winters last week. He tells me he doesn’t even need to slow down anymore 😂. He can’t even purposely make the car slip.
 

cb1111

Newbie
Location
Virginia, USA
Even with proper winter tires on an awd car, you’ll lose less grip vs a fwd with winter tires.

frankly an awd car with winter tires eat snow. My friend just got his s4 fitted with studded winters last week. He tells me he doesn’t even need to slow down anymore 😂. He can’t even purposely make the car slip.
What AWD will do is make your car go better. Depending on the AWS system, it may help with stabilization in turns, but it will not help you stop and can't overcome the laws of physics.

https://www.tirerack.com/videos/index.jsp?video=747&tab=Winter
 

Boje

Go Kart Champion
Location
Brooklyn, NY
Car(s)
2018 Golf R
I've driven my (also a stage two Autobahn, slightly lowered on DG springs) GTI in the snow a lot in the Northeast over the past four years on Pirelli Sottozero 3 XLs and have generally found it surprisingly capable. That said, I have gotten stuck. Like, really stuck, more than once, in places that anyone who knows anything about anything will tell you you shouldn't be driving a GTI (up relatively steep, deeply rutted dirt tracks in the woods that're virtually impassable in the summer in three feet of snow at night when I don't have cell service, for example), but I've always managed to get where I was going even if I left some blood, sweat, and four letter words behind.

Obviously good snow tires are a must, but from my experience doing some reading and then taking the car out in some decent snow and really getting used to how to deal with it is also really important; knowing how to use the handbrake to stay on the road when you take a sweeping corner a little too enthusiastically and that ditch around it is suddenly rushing towards you and the car won't steer at all is a life-saver (and extremely satisfying). And having chains in the car just in case is important too. And gloves, a headlamp, some kitty litter or chunky salt, and plenty of water and fuel and snacks. I even keep some of those foil emergency blankets in there, and cliff bars and... whiskey in the car, you know, just in case.

IMG_7388.jpg
 
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cb1111

Newbie
Location
Virginia, USA
Not quite accurate.

Weight of the vehicle and clearance will also play a key role.
Not really. Yes, weight, clearance and a zillion other things affect braking, but if you are comparing two identical cars, then the only difference can be the tires.
Also how narrow or wide the tire

some people just dislike awd for some reason 🤷🏽‍♂️
Of course - narrower for snow, but the point that I made (and some chose to overlook - not pointing at you keehs) is that the tires (and the design/compound) are the only thing that connect you to the roadway (or snowway) and your choice of tires is important.

I'm a great fan of AWD and always have an AWD in the garage - which is why I bought an Alltrack. It won't help you stop (in some cases, it might help you steer a little bit, but not significantly), but it will help you go.

Pre CoVID, I was going to start a job that required me driving 50 miles each in any kind of weather, and I was contemplated a 4Runner, Lexus GX or a grand Cherokee, but that job literally disappeared but I still wanted some sort of AWD.
 

Keehs360

Autocross Champion
Location
Denver
Car(s)
Mk7.5
Not really. Yes, weight, clearance and a zillion other things affect braking, but if you are comparing two identical cars, then the only difference can be the tires.

Of course - narrower for snow, but the point that I made (and some chose to overlook - not pointing at you keehs) is that the tires (and the design/compound) are the only thing that connect you to the roadway (or snowway) and your choice of tires is important.

I'm a great fan of AWD and always have an AWD in the garage - which is why I bought an Alltrack. It won't help you stop (in some cases, it might help you steer a little bit, but not significantly), but it will help you go.

Pre CoVID, I was going to start a job that required me driving 50 miles each in any kind of weather, and I was contemplated a 4Runner, Lexus GX or a grand Cherokee, but that job literally disappeared but I still wanted some sort of AWD.
You can’t ignore awd systems that can vector (or fake vector) power front to back and or horizontally
 
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