Winter Driving
One of the reasons we all love the mountains is the snow! But with the beauty of nature comes some dangers. The Lake Purgatory roads are dirt roads and get snow and ice packed in the winter making them dangerous to navigate. Adding additional danger, the roads are steep and curvy with some high drop offs making it imperative that all drivers on the roads have correctly equipped vehicles so everyone maintains full control when driving in the neighborhood.
Four wheel drive vehicles with snow/snowflake-rated tires or chains are ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY in winter. Owners who rent their properties must make renters aware of this rule as well as other road related rules of the Association, such as a 15-mile per hour speed limit and no snowmobiles or ATV's or other off-highway vehicles being permitted on our roads. Sledding on the roads is dangerous and we highly recommend no one sleds on the roads. There are plenty of safe sledding hills around town. Most of the vehicles that get stuck or have to be towed during winter are those of non-property owners driving ill-equipped vehicles. Two wheel drive vehicles with chains are not sufficient to navigate the road. For the safety of the driver and everyone else in the neighborhood, 4WD or AWD with snow tires is required. Signs are posted multiple times from the entrance off US 550 as a reminder to all drivers to stay safe and have the correct equipment. Please note that roads are only plowed once six inches of snow has fallen, in heavy snow storms, roads can get more treacherous before the plows have a chance to arrive and plow the road. You do not want to go over the cliff like the black 2WD SUV in the pictures below almost did! Please respect the warnings and follow the requirements (not suggestions) about the proper equipment. Towing There are three towing companies that will services the north county neighborhoods. Please remember if you need to call a tow truck, please stay with your vehicle until the tow truck arrives.
Don't have the right tires? Help for Owners and Visitors! Owners who rent their homes or even owners who are renting a vehicle that may not have the proper tires, North County now has a new service from which you can rent tire chains called Purgatory Chains! This site allows anyone navigating our roads in the winter to rent tire chains for the duration of the stay. When you rent chains, someone will meet you at the entrance to the neighborhood, fit the chains for you and show you how to put them on and remove them. This service also provides recovery should you get stuck. For more information please visit https://purgatorychains.com. Please help us keep everyone safe who may be navigating our roads in the winter! Traditional Rental Car Alternative We understand not everyone drives to visit our beautiful area, so rental cars are a necessity for some. However, traditional rental car companies cannot guarantee a 4WD/AWD and if you get one, they usually only have standard, all-season street tires, which are not sufficient for driving in snow. An alternative way to rent a better equipped vehicle is to use https://Turo.com. Much like vacation rentals for homes, Turo is for car sharing. You can look for the type of vehicle that is required for winter driving in our neighborhood and will be guaranteed to get the appropriate vehicle because you select the exact one. Non-resident owners and rental owners, this would be a great way to ensure peace of mind that you will have a safe vehicle for traversing our roads in the winter. Rental owners, the board recommends you share this information with your guests. Snow Cam Wondering how much snow has fallen in our neighborhood? Our snow camera updates an image every 30 minutes with the snowfall amounts. Each colored bar represents 2 inches with a max of 12 inches. The platform is cleared every 24 hours at 8am unless we are in a heavy storm, then it is cleared when the plow is called. This stake sits at an elevation of 9000 feet. View our snow stake camera! Lake Purgatory Drive in Winter
|
Rental Guest Reviews
Many vacation rental guests have commented on the need for the proper vehicle in our neighborhood. Here are a few examples:
