Along with blissful landscapes and recreational opportunities, winter also brings forth challenges in regard to driving. Highways that were once easy-peasy turn into hour-long adventures in which catastrophe is just one wrong move away. As winter conditions continue to thrive in certain regions of our state, all Nevadans should use extra caution when driving on one highway in particular. Often regarded as the most dangerous road in Nevada during the wintertime, driving down this highway is no joke and you should definitely prepare yourself.
Also known as Mount Rose Summit or the Mt. Rose Scenic Drive, the road is a paved, 25 mile scenic drive between Reno and Lake Tahoe. It's famous for its stunning views, but it has also proven to be one of the scariest roads to drive during the wintertime.
Boasting an elevation of around 8,911 feet at its summit, it's considered the highest road that's open year-round. It receives a whopping average of 400 inches of snow every year so its regularly subject to road closures throughout the season.
This road is no joke. As you drive along the scenic highway, you'll experience all sorts of drops, twists, and hairpin turns. It's tricky regardless of the weather but adding snow and ice into the mix can be a recipe for disaster.
During several recent winters, there have been more than 300 crashes that have occurred on the highway. In fact, the crashes became so frequent that chain requirements were put into place for the Mt. Rose Highway during the 2018-19 winter.
This means that only vehicles traveling with tire chains were even allowed to drive on the Mt. Rose Highway, along with Kingsbury Grade and U.S. 50 between Glenbrook and Carson City.
The only vehicles that were be allowed to go without chains were all-wheel-drive or four-wheel-drive vehicles with proper snow tires. Yikes! That's not something you see every day out here.
Even with chain requirements in place, drivers are urged to only travel when necessary during extreme winter conditions in this region.
If you MUST travel, please reduce your speed and leave space for other vehicles. Take these precautions and, most of all, stay safe this winter and every winter.
Are there any other dangerous roads that people should use caution driving on this winter? Let us know in the comments. We could all probably do with some reminding of why winter in Nevada is so great right about now, so check out our list of 13 Reasons Why Nevada Is The Most Underrated Winter Destination.
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