read the parking info


https://wolfcreekski.com/wolf-creek-stats-facts/

Bring me some back too

Driving - Either vehicle will work but listen to hop if you take the truck. Do not stop when going uphill and triple your stopping distance going downhill.

Skiing - Point them downhill and turn them loose. This is what my buddies told me when I first learned at age 14, so I wouldn't advise it. Be safe and enjoy your time on the mountain.

I can only give snowboarding advice.
Wear a helmet. Baseball batter’s helmets work in a pinch.
When going downhill, always be leaning up the mountain. That way, if you fall, you have a better chance of not falling downhill.

Hop is spot on as usual---take the truck, go to lowes or home depot and buy 2 bags of play sand and put one over each tire in the bed. should you get stuck you can use the sand for a traction aid.
roads will be plowed well but chains or 4 wheel drive could be required on the mt.
watch out for black ice, shady corners in the afternoon will be the worst but are probably sanded well, just be careful. I've been there many times and do this. The only thing I do different is I use 200lbs of sand or topsoil for weight in the back of my truck.

If you are a fisherman you might want to carry something for trout and fish the moving creeks or river. Yes they bite in the winter and you always have most of the best spots to yourself.

I think you are putting too much thought into it. Go have fun!

Driving on snow is not a problem until it gets really deep. Ice is a different beast. Best advice I've heard on driving on ice,
" pretend there is an egg on the gas and brake. " too much pressure on either and you've lost control.

MO

Thanks for all the input! We are all beginners, and I expect we will spend 100% of our time on the green slopes. I have looked at the trails and there are not many greens so we'll be relegated to relatively few trails. But I couldn't find anything else that had pricing even remotely close to what I could find at wolf creek, so that's what we're doing. I had a buddy who went last year and said he had a blast and he was a beginner too. Our airbnb is like $60 a night in south fork, and has great reviews. Kids haven't been around snow like this ever, so I'm sure they'll have a good time regardless.

I did buy helmets for all of us - wife had a friend die while skiing about 8 or 9 years ago, so she's already freaked out.

I did hear that wolf creek is a high base elevation so we will bring lots of water and be ready for possible altitude issues.

As for vehicles, seems somewhat split. Reason I'm asking now is I figured I'd need to get chains for whatever we take.

My family and I will be in South Fork the 22nd - 27th. We are taking an F150 4x4 and a Buick Enclave AWD. Was in Red River last year and they got 16" in one day. Both vehicles where fine. Getting to South Fork is easy but then you have to go through Crede to get to Wolf Creek, it can be daunting but just go slow and safe. Just an FYI but Wolf Creek has a 68" base on the mountain. That's a lot of snow, not your average Texas snow storm here.

Here you go

The Colorado Department of Transportation website, cotrip.org, lists the following winter driving tips:

Always keep the top half of your gas tank full. It can give you better traction and gives you a bigger margin of error if you get stuck and have to keep the engine running periodically to keep warm.
If you are stuck in a serious storm do not leave your car. Run the engine periodically and wait for help.
Carry blankets, water, a flashlight, a shovel, some nutrition bars or even candy bars for sustenance.
Remember that 4-wheel drive does not mean 4-wheel stop. A four wheel drive vehicle will not stop any better on sheer ice than a 2 wheel drive vehicle.
Be sure of your route. Don’t go exploring in the back country without some local knowledge, especially during a storm or when one is bearing down anywhere near your location. The weather can change quickly and violently in the Rocky Mountains and not necessarily only in the heart of winter.
Be sure you have good tires. The Colorado State Patrol recommends at least 1/8 of an inch tread depth. All season radials on a front-wheel-drive passenger vehicle are adequate for most situations. Snow tires on most rear wheel drive vehicles are usually adequate. Chain restrictions in Colorado are most often put into effect for commercial vehicles (semi’s) and usually do not affect passenger vehicles.
In poor visibility or even white-out conditions, don’t drive faster than you can see ahead. High speeds in poor or no visibility can lead to large chain reaction accidents. Remember you can’t see around mountain curves and corners either.[color:#FF0000][/color]

I suggested the truck for clearance if you do get a storm, sucks bad to high center an all wheel drive due to sitting too low and you will have to be pulled out or dig out. truck is heavier and will do better imo.

the log cabin restaurant in south fork used to be some good grub but it has been a lot of yrs. since I was there. there is a little campground on the west end of town, might get to fish the stream thru there if you can get access.
if roads are clear and not icy go over the mt. to pagosa and hit the hot springs at least once, very much worth the time and relaxation (if it is open).
if all are beginners, hit the ski school for a half day lesson and it will make the trip more fun once you figure out how to turn etc. they will start you on a bunny slope then you can go find a green. be aware that some greens will be next to hard blues and possibly some blacks, be sure of your rte. down, moguls suck if you are learning.


for chains, get some of these cable type, light and work great also easier to put on if needed.
https://www.etrailer.com/Tire-Chain...L9Z3Q7QIVkPDACh1m7Qd9EAQYEyABEgJaCfD_BwE
get 6-8 bungees to stretch across from one side to the other, this helps tension the cables, put 2 on each tire (you may lose one or two so get extras).

take pictures, I have not seen wolf creek in a long long time.

Didn't see Hop's last post till after I posted. LOL Hop is spot on everything he stated.

y'all have fun

The drive to South Fork usually isnt too bad but there is about an hour stretch of road through La Veta Pass (between Walsenberg and Ft Garland) that gets a little sketchy. Ive made the drive dozens of times and this is the spot where the pucker factor comes into play more often than not. If there is any bad weather in the area this spot will get hit the hardest. On top of that, there is a lot of wildlife to watch out for. I always make sure to leave with enough time to make it through the pass before it starts getting dark.

Wolf Creek down to South Fork can get a little sketchy if there is a fresh dusting of snow, but you dont have to worry too much. Heading into Pagosa from Wolf Creek is where you need to plan ahead and stay aware of the weather. a heavy snow can close down Wolf Creek Pass quickly and the next fastest route into Pagosa is about 6ish hours if i remember correctly.

If it were me, I would be in the truck. There are lots of small 2 lane roads covered in ice/snow, through areas with abundant wildlife, that you will be driving ~60 mph down. I would much rather be in the big truck when i started sliding into oncoming traffic or when an 800 lb elk steps out in front of me. Also nice to have a bed to throw your snow covered skis, boots, etc in.

Like someone else mentioned, the roads up there dont get as bad as they do here when it ices due to the dryer climate, but things can obviously still get pretty squirrely.

Also, dont forget to downshift when driving down the mountains. Lots of Texans burn up their brakes coming down while constantly riding their brakes.

Restaurants in South Fork are pretty scarce so i would plan on doing a good bit of cooking at the rental. There is a good brewery/pizza place in Del Norte called Three Barrels.

If you want to go see some 200" class mule deer that will eat out of your hand, go to the first neighborhood off Ponderosa Dr (off hwy 149 right before you hit the Rio Grande). Seen many big muleys fighting 20 feet off the road as i sat and watched the show. Hard to find that anywhere else. Theres also a lot of Merriams Turkeys roaming the hood as well.






Monte Vista National Wildlife Refuge is down the road about 40 minutes and has lots of waterfowl and sandhill cranes. Not sure how it will be this time of year but during the crane migration in October and March it can get pretty spectacular. Oh yeah and its smack in the middle of Amish/Menonite country and you'll see some horse drawn buggies cruising around which is kinda neat. Worth keeping in mind if you need an acclimation day before you hit the slopes.

Sorry for the pic dump, too many good ones to choose from





(check out that Speck/canada hybrid!!!)

Thanks hop. One of the big problems with the MDX is the stupidly low clearance - I think it's like 6"-7" or something. So I guess that would be a potential issue.

Guess we'll take the truck and make the best of it. My plan is to leave Royse city at 3am-4am and try to make it there during daylight hours. I assume I basically need to switch to 4-hi gear as soon as I get off dry pavement?

How much should I air down the tires? I think door jamb says 60 psi front and 75 psi rear IIRC.

I just called yesterday to book a 1/2 day lesson for the 4 of us. Last thing I want is for everyone to spend 2 days struggling on the bunny slopes not knowing what to do.

Really appreciate all the help bud. I owe you a smoked pork shoulder or something for all the threads of mine you've responded to over the years.

I think it has more to do with "How you drive" than "What you drive".

Ya'll will have a blast, great spot for a first time, snow is always excellent.

Strongly recommend lessons for first timers, especially kids. There are a lot of little things that can be taught to make the experience better.