Redding Doesn't Get Much Snow. The Roads Out of It Do.
On the valley floor, winter mostly means rain, fog and frosty mornings. By NOAA's climate normals, the Redding airport averages about 2.6 inches of snow a year, with average lows of 37.2°F in December and 37.7°F in January. Drive an hour in almost any direction and it's a different season. I-5 north climbs past Lakehead and Dunsmuir to Mt. Shasta and Weed, then on over the Siskiyous toward Oregon. Highway 299 west climbs over Buckhorn Summit to Weaverville. Highway 299 east heads up through Round Mountain and over Hatchet Mountain toward Burney and Fall River Mills. Highway 44 east runs up through Shingletown toward Lassen.
Any of those can go from dry pavement to chain controls in a single trip, and a car that's perfectly fine for a Redding commute may not be ready for them.
Our year-round maintenance guide covers the full calendar, and everyday rain driving around town is in rainy-season driving in Redding. This one is specifically about getting a vehicle ready for winter trips up the hill.
Battery: Summer Did the Damage, Winter Shows It
In Redding, it's summer that actually wears batteries out. Months of heat break down the inside of a battery, and the first cold morning is when it finally can't keep up. Cold weather cuts the power a battery can deliver at the same moment a cold engine with thickened oil needs more of it to crank.
A battery that cranks slowly on a frosty Redding morning may not crank at all in a trailhead lot near Mt. Shasta or after a night in Burney.
A load test shows where the battery actually stands. Get it done before the trip, not after you've needed a jump. Corroded terminals and a loose hold-down are worth fixing at the same time. More detail: why car batteries keep dying in Redding and our battery and charging system testing.
Tires and Chains
Tread. Rain, slush and snow all need tread depth to clear water and grip, and grip falls off well before a tire is worn down to its wear bars. Tires that are close will feel fine on dry I-5 and very different on a wet descent near Dunsmuir. We can measure tread depth and check pressure as part of a tire inspection.
Pressure. According to AAA, tire pressure decreases about 1 PSI for every 10°F drop in temperature, so tires set on a warm afternoon in the valley can be noticeably low after a cold night up the hill. Set them cold to the pressure on the driver's door-jamb sticker, and don't wait for the dash light: under NHTSA's FMVSS No. 138, monitors are built to warn at about 25% below the recommended pressure. More in why the tire pressure light comes on in cold weather.
Chains. Caltrans posts chain controls on mountain highways when conditions call for it, in three levels. In Caltrans' own wording:
- R-1: "Chains are required on all vehicles except passenger vehicles and light-duty trucks under 6,000 pounds." Vehicles on snow tires must still carry chains.
- R-2: "Chains or traction devices are required on all vehicles except four-wheel/all-wheel drive vehicles." Four-wheel and all-wheel drive vehicles must still carry traction devices in chain control areas.
- R-3: "Chains or traction devices are required on all vehicles, no exceptions."
Controls can change during the day, so check before you leave and again on the way. Caltrans QuickMap shows current conditions, and the Caltrans Highway Information Network is at 800-427-7623. Carry chains that fit your tires, whatever you drive. Four-wheel drive helps you get moving. It does nothing to help you stop on ice.
Two habits save a lot of grief. Practice putting the chains on once in your driveway, in daylight, before you have to do it on a dark shoulder in the snow. And check that they fit the tires you have now. Chains bought for the last set of tires often don't.
Coolant: Summer Top-Offs Come Back to Bite
Antifreeze protects against both freezing and corrosion, and it only does either job at the right mix. Here's the local trap: through a Redding summer, plenty of cooling systems get topped off with plain water, and every top-off dilutes the mix. Parked overnight at elevation, diluted coolant gives you less freeze protection than you think you have.
A coolant test checks the actual freeze protection. If it's weak, the coolant is old, or you've been adding water all summer, a cooling system service before winter is cheap insurance. Low coolant is also the most common reason a heater stops working; see why your car heater is blowing cold.
Brakes on Long, Wet Grades
Coming down off the hill means miles of sustained braking, whether it's southbound I-5 from Mt. Shasta down through the Sacramento River canyon or 299 coming down from Buckhorn toward Whiskeytown. We've covered how grades heat brakes and cause fade in what mountain roads do to your brakes and suspension. Winter adds two things:
- Less grip means smoother inputs. Use a lower gear to hold your speed on the descent, and brake earlier and more gently. On ice or packed snow, ABS may pulse the pedal and buzz. That's normal. Keep firm, steady pressure and steer where you want to go.
- Brake fluid matters more. Brake fluid absorbs moisture over time, and wet fluid boils at a lower temperature, which makes fade on a long descent more likely. If yours hasn't been changed in years, have it tested. See brake repair.
If the pedal felt soft, low or pulsing coming down a grade last winter, have it inspected before the next trip.
Washer Fluid, Wipers and Defrost Up the Hill
- Washer fluid should be a winter-rated fluid before any trip up the hill. Plain water or summer fluid can freeze in the reservoir and lines at elevation, or freeze on the glass right when you need to see.
- Wiper blades that already streak in the valley rain will be useless in slush. Don't use them to break ice off the glass; that tears the rubber.
- Defrost and heat need to work properly before you head up. A windshield that fogs and won't clear, or a sweet smell in the cabin, points to a heater core or cooling system problem, and in snow that's a safety issue. See heater repair.
- An ice scraper belongs in the car. Don't pour hot water on frozen glass.
Lights
Snow squalls and short days make being seen as important as seeing. Before the trip, walk around the car with the lights on: headlights, brake lights, turn signals and the third brake light. On the road, wipe snow and slush off the lights at every stop, because a coating of it can make them close to useless on an unlit mountain highway.
What to Keep in the Car
For any winter trip over the hill: chains that fit, gloves and a mat or tarp for putting them on, a flashlight, a blanket or warm layers, water and some food, a phone charger, an ice scraper, and a full tank or close to it. Traffic on a mountain highway in winter can stop for a long time.
A Pre-Trip Check Before the Snow
If you have a trip planned, bring the vehicle in beforehand and ask us to look over the battery and charging system, tires, coolant protection, brakes, wipers, heater and defrost, and lights, and tell you plainly what's fine and what isn't. You get a written estimate before any repair, backed by our 12-month/12,000-mile warranty on parts and labor.
Heading up I-5, 299 or 44 this winter? Call (530) 785-9900. 5490 Churn Creek Rd, Redding, CA 96002. Mon–Fri 8AM–5PM.