Well the Snow is Finally here

My Ridgeline has now seen its first snowfall, so far it handles great. Only problem I've found is the wipers ain't very strong if to big of a clump of snow falls on the winshield I gotta pull over and brush out the wipers

Do you get much ice? I would love to know if anyone has dealt with any yet.

We usually get at least one real bad ice storm a year here. Plus our roads are prone to blackice.

I'm sure the RL will handle the snow fine but ice is a whole different creature.

It will be an interesting couple of months on the ROC as we all post our Winter driving experiences.

the intersections are very icy right now but I think thats more of an issue with your driving ability then the actual truck. Regardless I had no problem stopping this morning at any intersection

Good to know thanks.

I bet all of the extra weight from the snow in the bed helped a bit.

How about a report on the way the Ridgeline handled in the snow. Most of us have yet to experience driving in the snow yet. I can't wait to try it.

Oh, and about leaving that cake of snow on the roof...:o You're busted!

My Ridgeline has now seen its first snowfall, so far it handles great. Only problem I've found is the wipers ain't very strong if to big of a clump of snow falls on the winshield I gotta pull over and brush out the wipers
Thanks for the pics, made me thankful my wife talked me into opting for the OEM T cover:)

Great pictures. I am very interested to hear about how the Ridgeline handles in snow. I live in the mountains where we get lots of snow and my job requires that I be able to get there at any time of day or night regardless of road conditions. Main reason I picked the Ridgeline was for the safety and reliablity of Honda but also for the ability to get to work no matter what the roads look like. Please keep us updated on how it does in the snow. We are predicted to get some in the next week or so.

How about a report on the way the Ridgeline handled in the snow. Most of us have yet to experience driving in the snow yet. I can't wait to try it.

Oh, and about leaving that cake of snow on the roof...:o You're busted!

Ya I need a longer brush for sure :D hard to get all the snow off that roof, was gonna climb in the box but it had already been filled with snow. As for handling I had no problems making my own lanes this morning when I dropped the GF off at work. I passed many stuck cars and trucks this morning with only one worry, that someone would hit my new baby.

I knew it. The BLUE looks fabulous no matter the season. We're having 20s at night now so there's frost in the morning, but no valley snow yet.

I had read a post in March that someone had a problem with the wipers with a late snow. Snow slid off the roof and the wipers wouldn't move until it was cleared. Lets watch for the next snow and see what happens.

I had read a post in March that someone had a problem with the wipers with a late snow. Snow slid off the roof and the wipers wouldn't move until it was cleared. Lets watch for the next snow and see what happens.
Ya thats exactly what happened to me. I guess I just gotta make sure I get all the snow of the roof. Never really had this problem with my jimmy tho.

Winter is the only time I dislike having a roof rack because getting all the snow off is near impossible. The picture of snow reminds me of the snows we had last year. I know you all get snow that just lasts and lasts. I have friends around Toronto that send me pictures of their snow and how trapped they are in their house. We get a lot of snow but it doesn't tend to stay through the winter, it usually melts between storms. I can hear you on the hard to clear roof though, I am going to have to think how we are going to do that this year, we have long brushes but I think it is going to be an angle issue.

I knew it. The BLUE looks fabulous no matter the season. We're having 20s at night now so there's frost in the morning, but no valley snow yet.

His RL is actually silver it was just really cold.:D

Thats why they call it WINTERPEG .... :p We' should see signs of spring with temps to hit 10 or 12C again by the end of the week here in Edmonton....looking to go for a scoot :D on my CBR 600 :D

Do you get much ice? I would love to know if anyone has dealt with any yet.

We usually get at least one real bad ice storm a year here. Plus our roads are prone to blackice.

I'm sure the RL will handle the snow fine but ice is a whole different creature.

It will be an interesting couple of months on the ROC as we all post our Winter driving experiences.

I just drove home last night in one of our typical storms. It was very close to freezing which is the worse because as you gain elevation you get a layer of water and snow then a layer of ice and snow. I gain about 2500 ft. in elevation on my commute home so sometimes the driving can be interesting. Last night was one of those evenings. I'm happy to say that I didn't have any problems, didn't change any of the drive train settings and passed two cars and two SUVs that were just spinning their wheels. I did have some problems this morning in the new snow with steering as the front end slid around in the driveway (not your typical driveway either) but I managed to get out without any trouble. I'm a little worried that Ridgeline will be prone to high center when the storms get worse and the snow deeper. I'll let you know.

So far I'm pretty happy with the snow performance.

I'm a little worried that Ridgeline will be prone to high center when the storms get worse and the snow deeper. I'll let you know.

So far I'm pretty happy with the snow performance.

What's "high center"?

I'm a little worried that Ridgeline will be prone to high center when the storms get worse and the snow deeper. I'll let you know.

You should have one of the creative minds on the ROC cut some sort of small plow that you could mount low on the front to prevent high centering in the snow.

My Ridgeline has now seen its first snowfall, so far it handles great. Only problem I've found is the wipers ain't very strong if to big of a clump of snow falls on the winshield I gotta pull over and brush out the wipers

You wouldn't happen to live in and around, Winterpeg, Manifrozen would ya? I could swear I was looking at my Ridgeline-- same colour, same snow storm?

Hi hijack204, Great before & after photos! Looks really cold there...:)

We just got 20 centemeters of heavy wet white stuff last night. And more to come this evening with lots of wind. I tried mine out on snow and ice. The ABS is more responsive than my Cherokee's was. There was no way I could fishtail it or make the tires spin. I took a quick corner and it tracked with precision. I was distracted by the flashing yellow triangle on the instrument panel though. Also tried moving off in 2nd gear on ice and didn't notice any real difference. That is not a bad thing because it didn't spin in any case. All in all the 4WD system is very transparent.

Love the pics, but I think I'll stick to just visiting the snow.:rolleyes:

Well, we got an interesting mix of rain all day, followed by snow/ice mix. Drove home without any problem whatsoever. Stopped without any slipping or sliding and made it up our hill without a hesitation.

I also experienced my first snow with my Ridgeline. I experienced the same issue with the wipers jamming up, but it was my fault to begin with. I had about an inch of snow on my windshield, and just figured I could use my wipers to clear it off as I have done in other vehicles. Unfortunately, what happens is the snow gets packed in between the bottom of the windshield, the bottom of the hood, and the wipers. This makes it impossible for the wipers to move until you clear it out. I can see this being a MAJOR safety issue if you happen to be in some bizarre situation where you are driving and a bunch of show hits your truck as it could potentially cause you to lose visibilty and therefore hit something. So, before driving your truck, make sure to clear off your windshield and your roof to prevent this from happeneng. Also, I was seriously in need of a rear window defroster as my rear window ended up fogging up while I was driving, and I had no way to clear it. As far as the handling goes, I could not get the wheels to spin, and I could not get the vehicle to fishtail at all, so I gotta say Kudos to Honda on this truck! I felt very secure driving this truck in the snow as opposed to ANY of the previous vehicles I have owned.

You wouldn't happen to live in and around, Winterpeg, Manifrozen would ya? I could swear I was looking at my Ridgeline-- same colour, same snow storm?

Sure am, you don't happen to travel in the osborne area very often do ya. I seem to get seen there alot when i'm nowhere close to there :D

As for the other post with the rear defroster I total agree, why they didn't add one on i'm not sure definetly something I need

I thought that very odd that there isnt a rear window defroster! It should be a mandatory saftey issue at least in the states where we get snow/ice. Maybe there is some sort of fan based portable/low profile unit that could be mounted over the window....

I thought that very odd that there isnt a rear window defroster! It should be a mandatory saftey issue at least in the states where we get snow/ice. Maybe there is some sort of fan based portable/low profile unit that could be mounted over the window....
First pick-up truck. How many pick-up trucks have rear window defroster???

How many pick-up trucks have rear window defroster???
None that I know of, especially if they have a sliding rear window. If you are used to driving a truck, and especially if you are used to towing, as long as the outside rear view mirrors are clear you are good to go.

Does air come out of the rear heating/cooling vents when the system is in defrost mode?

Tex, no not my first truck, but then again that doesnt mean that things shouldnt be improved upon, right? They didnt have a/c in trucks for the longest time, or ABS, or.....etc. Get my point?

I just think it would be a good idea to offer a defroster. If you remember years ago, cars didn't even have rear defrosters, and even before that they just had rear defoggers(no heat elements in the window).

'nuff said..... :D

The red RL is so sizziling Hott, that snow or ice doesnt stand a chance in its path.:p

Tex, no not my first truck, but then again that doesnt mean that things shouldnt be improved upon, right? They didnt have a/c in trucks for the longest time, or ABS, or.....etc. Get my point?

I just think it would be a good idea to offer a defroster. If you remember years ago, cars didn't even have rear defrosters, and even before that they just had rear defoggers(no heat elements in the window).

'nuff said..... :D
Well I guess I did not make my point clear. The rear glass in the back is perpendicular. It has an overhang from the roof edge. There should not be any ice build up on the glass at any time, other than slight frost which should clear within a few minutes. This is one reason there are no pick-up trucks with a rear window defrost (to my knowledge)

I didnt know you were trying to make a point, I guess at my expense! It came across as though you were trying to point out that my comment about defrosters for the rear window was absurd and that if I had owned a truck before I would know that.

I guess perpendicular windows never get ice build up is your point. I must remember that when I'm scraping my side windows :D . But you are right, I dont know of any trucks that have rear window defrosters(yet).

Now I'm sure you really didn't mean to make me feel that way, right? I hope that anyone else commenting on suggestions or their own opinions checks with you first :eek:

First pick-up truck. How many pick-up trucks have rear window defroster???
Hopefully the Lincoln LT does. At that price it should include wages for a babe to blow on it when needed.;) The window that is...

I didnt know you were trying to make a point, I guess at my expense! It came across as though you were trying to point out that my comment about defrosters for the rear window was absurd and that if I had owned a truck before I would know that.

I guess perpendicular windows never get ice build up is your point. I must remember that when I'm scraping my side windows :D . But you are right, I dont know of any trucks that have rear window defrosters(yet).

Now I'm sure you really didn't mean to make me feel that way, right? I hope that anyone else commenting on suggestions or their own opinions checks with you first :eek:
Hey Vinny, this is a free country my friend! Everyone is entitled to their opinions:) I brought up the point, because, earlier I thought the same thing, until someone having more expertise convinced me otherwise. Apply, rainX after cleaning the glass on the outside. It helps too. Nothing said on this forum is ever absurd, silly, or any other of these adjectives:D

Hey hijack204, we are awaiting our first snowfall here in PA & was curious as to what you mentioned about snow buildup on the wipers. I understand that the Ridgeline has a heater at the base of the windshield that is suppose to activate automatically when the outside temperature drops to a certain level. Was this feature of any assistance at all:confused:

Speaking of snow! I just ran across this web cam on the Blue Ridge Parkway. Beautiful view, check it out. http://webcam.srs.fs.fed.us/

This is what I see. Miserable!! http://www.hazecam.net/hartford.html

The rear window definetly holds snow. I could not see out tonight. With the heater on it melted pretty fast. Only about 3 inches of snow but the roads were icy. No problems on the straight line and took off with ease. Turning was a different story. I tried to lay into a corner and the VSA kicked in. It cut engine power or something and brought it straight but not much fun. I thought I could gun it to straighten up like in my Tacoma (gun it and let the front wheels dig and pull it straight). I will need to get used to it or turn it off but it seemed intrusive. No wiper problems for me but at a quick stop I did get the windshield avalanche from the roof. Happens in all the trucks I have owned. With the windshield being warm it broke up easily. No confidence problems in the bad stuff just a lot of computer interference but I never drove a stabilty assist vehicle before.

Hey hijack204, we are awaiting our first snowfall here in PA & was curious as to what you mentioned about snow buildup on the wipers. I understand that the Ridgeline has a heater at the base of the windshield that is suppose to activate automatically when the outside temperature drops to a certain level. Was this feature of any assistance at all:confused:

I was curious to this as well?

Manchester, CT. Still falling. Nice, wet and fluffy. For those wondering about the wiper heater, it seems to be working; I see that it is melting somewhat along the wipers.:)

Love that gold badge sticking out!!!!!! :D

Manchester, CT. Still falling. Nice, wet and fluffy. For those wondering about the wiper heater, it seems to be working; I see that it is melting somewhat along the wipers.:)

Nice photos Tex, I am originally from Wallingford CT and still have some folks up there. You probably wont believe this but I actually miss the snow.

We received only a couple if inches of snow and it was salted away before I had a chance to play..errr..drive in it. <grrr> Must wait to test the Ridge's capabilities in the snow.

I hate driving on salted roads. I wish everyone in Ohio would start using the non-corrosive chemicals to melt snow and ice. Even though it's more expensive to purchase, it would prevent billions of dollars in damage to bridges, vehicles and the environment. Seems like a no-brainer to me but, then again, we're talkin' about politicians who prefer to fund unneeded construction jobs (repairing/replacing salt damaged bridges) instead of doing something intelligent. :rolleyes:

Nice photos Tex, I am originally from Wallingford CT and still have some folks up there. You probably wont believe this but I actually miss the snow.
I know, my wife is from Costa Rica, and she is ecstatic about the snow!! It's nice to look at from the inside looking out!! Pictures made you home sick? That's oK, I'll tell everyone in Wallingford you said hello!!

Being raised in southern New Mexico where snow was not too common, I do not like snow. So I'm not looking forward to our first snow here in RI. However, from reading your driving reports in the snow, it looks like I have a vehicle that can handle the white stuff. Long live the Ridgeline!!

Being raised in southern New Mexico where snow was not too common, I do not like snow. So I'm not looking forward to our first snow here in RI. However, from reading your driving reports in the snow, it looks like I have a vehicle that can handle the white stuff. Long live the Ridgeline!!
Yes you are my friend!! No problems!!!:) Happy Thanksgiving!

My Ridgeline has now seen its first snowfall,

Thanks for the photos! Reminds me why I left the Peg all those years ago. Plus 11c in Calgary..... -12c in the Peg! :D

hijack204]My Ridgeline has now seen its first snowfall, so far it handles great. Only problem I've found is the wipers ain't very strong if to big of a clump of snow falls on the winshield I gotta pull over and brush out the wipers


Question? Where you hauling that snow too? ;) :)

Love that gold badge sticking out!!!!!! :D

That was TIGHT!

Thanks for the photos! Reminds me why I left the Peg all those years ago. Plus 11c in Calgary..... -12c in the Peg! :D

I've been making lots of Celsius and kilometer conversions since I went to Canada last summer.

For any conversion phobic Americans, that's 52 degrees in Calgary and 12 degrees in Winnepeg. Wow, that is a big difference. Glad you found a warmer clime.

Unfortunately the reverse is true in the summers. Remember many a "hot" summers night in my youth in Winnipeg. ;)

Unfortunately the reverse is true in the summers. Remember many a "hot" summers night in my youth in Winnipeg. ;)

Ya winnipeg certainly has some extreme weather patterns, from fricken cold in the winter to fricken hot in the summer. You just can't win, but atleast in the winter there aren't any misquitoes:)

As for the heated wiper question I haven't really noticed any difference from any other vehicle's wiper system but now that I think about it I haven't really had to bang my wipers to get the ice off at all this year. So they must be working to melt it off-

Besides the light dusting of snow we had last week, We got our 1st good snow today.woke up this morning to aprox 4" of the white stuff and -10c temps,
The city was busy plowing and salting the main roads but residential and side streets had lots of snow and ice.
so after warming up and cleaning the snow of the truck(heated mirrors and wiper zone are a blessing I tell ya) off I went to work(also the 1st real test of my RL) Like I said the streets were still covered in snow and lots of ice on the corners and intersections.took the 1st corner like I would on normal dry pavement,AND IT FELT LIKE I TOOK THE CORNER ON NORMAL DRY PAVEMENT. imidiate confidence was gained and the truck handled like a dream.no fish-tailing, no over or under steer,no wheel spin AT ALL all the way to work. at work the yard wasn't plowed yet,I did a little donut and same results.absolutely marvolus.the 4WD syestem is very smooth,never felt it kicking in or out just worked like it suposed to .
This is my 1st Honda but I have driven and have been a passenger in other 4WD and 4x4 SUVs and trucks(except Honda vehicles).IMHO there isn't any comparison(atleast not with any other pick up truck) when it comes to safety and handling.
I know you should drive with caution and use common sense when road conditions are slippry/icy but like I said today was my 1st day to put it through a test and I only did it when it was safe with no other vehicles around.
I was all set to buy a Tacoma before I test drove the RL and let me tell you, I am sooo glad that made the right choice of buying the worlds safest truck.:D
Sorry about the low light conditions in the pictures.
http://www.MyOnlineImages.com/Members/stinger/images/east.JPG (http://www.MyOnlineImages.com)
http://www.MyOnlineImages.com/Members/stinger/images/west.JPG (http://www.MyOnlineImages.com)
http://www.MyOnlineImages.com/Members/stinger/images/ice_ridge.JPG (http://www.MyOnlineImages.com)

Stinger, thanks for the photos and the glowing report of how the RL handled. I think most of us will be trying a donut in a parking lot just to get the feel. Actually, I think that's a wise thing to do. It's especially important for people who have moved from places where it doesn't snow.

http://img345.imageshack.us/img345/6729/ridgeline4jv.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

I have had no problems at all with the snow. I can't wait till we get pounded to see how she cuts through it.

We got ours.

We got 3"-4" yesterday in Western MA, and this morning I was off at 5:00am for Black Friday shopping. The roads were snow covered, icy, and sparsely treated. I took the opportunity to play with the Ridgeline traction control, VSA, etc. where it was safe to do so. I was only able to light up the traction control light once. This truck is incredible on bad roads. Be careful, because it will give you confidence like nothing else. Use common sense.

The weather report I just heard says we're in for 6-15" in the valley floor tomorrow and 2-4 feet for the ski resorts. We'll see if they're right.

I agree with the confidence the truck inspires. I've been passing people on the unplowed lane with ease. I will say though that I've had VSA kicking in alot, but I've been attempting as many four wheel drifts. :D

....took the 1st corner like I would on normal dry pavement,AND IT FELT LIKE I TOOK THE CORNER ON NORMAL DRY PAVEMENT. imidiate confidence was gained and the truck handled like a dream.no fish-tailing, no over or under steer,no wheel spin AT ALL...

That doesn't sound like any fun at all!! :( :D

That doesn't sound like any fun at all!! :( :D
True! can't even make nice donuts with the RL:D .....but very safe:)
when I park the RL and jump in to my work van,I have to keep reminding my self that its not the Ridgeline and drive with extra caution.

Sure you can. Shut off the VSA.

Had quite a bit of snow till it started melting today. our secondary road and the subdivision road didn't get plowed from Thanksgiving till sometime Sat. There's about 6 inches that over time got flattened and packed in places. The truck handled great but inside the subdivision where the snow was less packed I noticed the truck would still fishtail a bit in turns without the VSA kicking in. I had to take the turn faster and with more power before the VSA activated.(I was trying to see what would trigger it). I thought the VSA prevents fishtailing(could never remember which is oversteer or understeer)
With regular driving(not pushing the truck) it was remarkable for being unremarkable in spite of 4-6 inches of snow. No problems getting up to speed.

Understeer is when the front end plows. The vehicle won't turn. In racing parlance, this is known as "tight".

Oversteer is when the tail end gets happy and wants to come around and meet the front. In racing parlance, this is known as "loose".

I bet this guy wishes he had an RL.

my ridgeline does great in the snow too!!! the vsa works like a dream. if the back end starts to slide the vsa corrects it perfectlly. i switched off the vsa to see if i could take a turn and try to fishtail and correct myself. it wasn't pretty. somehow the vsa makes it so much better. i can drive threw the snow with no effort or fear for the first time in my life. has anyone had a problem finding snow tires? i can't even get any from discount tire. whats up with that?!

or the element in the parking lot!!!

elements are slow and boaty. i was with a friend one time and he almost flipped it. i was sleeping when i guess he desided to, too!!! the tire came off the bead. no big deal though. except the fact i could have died. lol

Everyone with snow--
What tires are you using? Have you switched to winter-snow tires or are you using the "stock" tires that came with the RL??

Everyone with snow--
What tires are you using? Have you switched to winter-snow tires or are you using the "stock" tires that came with the RL??

I've found the stock tires are fine, there should be no reason to get snow tires in my opinion.

Agreed, this is by far the most stable vehicle in winter conditions I have ever driven. Stock wheels & tires with no plans to change.

Do snow tires fulfill the chain requirements in the mountains?

Everyone with snow--
What tires are you using? Have you switched to winter-snow tires or are you using the "stock" tires that came with the RL??
The stock tires are M+S, meaning Mud and SNOW. I don't see any reason to change them.

Running stock until I have to buy new. :)

Staying w/ stock. on and off road, these have been very good tires.

-ridgeln

I didn't have the time to read all the posts on this thread, so excuse me if I repeat some of what has been said here...

We finally had somewhat of a "significant" snowfall here in S. WI. last night, about 4 inches (I put significant in quotes because these Cheeseheads freak out when they are driving in a little now. I'm used to much more snow than this, I'm originally from the UP of MI, and we considered 4" of snow a dusting) when it was all said and done. I had to drive home from a part time job I work around the holidays, about 45 miles, and most of that drive was on the interstate.

Anyway, traffic was crawling along at about 30 MPH. I followed along for a while, but there wasn't even a hint of my truck slipping and sliding, so I got in the left lane, passed a bunch of cars. I was about going 45 MPH. As I was going along, and I was in a stretch of road that was basically empty, I stepped on the gas, and got it up to about 60. I felt totally in control and my Ridge felt absolutely rock-solid on those slippery roads. I slowed it down to about 50 for the rest of the drive on the interstate and passed about 1/2 a dozen vehicles in the ditch along the way (No, I didn't need to stop and help...there was either cop cars or tow trucks helping those folks).

As I got on to some side roads, that had not been plowed at all, again the truck was rock solid. Stops and starts were almost slip-free and there was never even a hint of the truck sliding sideways or ever feeling outta control. I pulled into my garage, turned the engine off, and said to myself, "Wow, what a truck".

It was a little hard getting used to how the 4-wheel drive system works with the engine when you start to slide in a turn (When you hit the gas a little to try and get the truck to slide sideways....just goofing off a little.....:D ). When you start to slide and the wheels start to spin, it "dogs" the engine, so there is less power going to the wheels....thus ou stop fish-tailing/sliding...I thought there was something wrong with my truck for a minute, and then I remembered the discussions here.... It's a little disconcerting, but then again.... pretty cool....

I'll tell you what.... I have driven quite a few different vehicles in my day, including tractor trailers, 14-bay beer trucks, full-sized 4 wheel drive trucks, etc., etc., and none of them felt anywhere as solid in snow as my Ridge does. I was aboslutely impressed. It was like driving a snowmobile with navigation!

I only have two words to say about my Ridge.... Sue-Wheat!......:)

Good to know for when I hit the mountains.

We have had somewhere between 4-6 inches of snow the past few days. No problems whatsoever driving the Ridge. We have two major hills to go up to get to our house. One is our driveway,which we don't have plowed unless we get a bit more than we just had. The Ridge has not stuttered a bit at this point. :D

cdepuydt , I am glad to read your Ridgeline experience on icey/snow covered highway:) .I am very impressed with its handling too.
I don't care about the negetive comments other make of truck owners have, I know, I bought it for me and my family's safety and comfort and Honda's reputition for reliability, and so far it has delivered that and then some:D

I've had my Ridge in the snow and the stock tires work well. If I was going over passes every day I would probably invest in real snow tires though. Don't let the M+S notation make you think these are snow tires....they aren't. While they certainly work fine in most conditions, the M+S designation is no different than any all season radial tire. A mountain/snowflake symbol is on the side of tires actually designed for severe winter use. These have a softer tread compound in freezing conditions and grip very well on snow and some ice. The drawback is that they won't last long if driven on a dry road and the cost, of course.

We have finally had a couple snowfalls out here in northern Utah in the last 10 days, and I took the opportunity to test / become familiar with the Ridgeline in the snow, and I'd have to say it is much much more surefooted (surewheeled?????) in the snow than any other vehicle I had driven. Frankly, I'm surprised how quickly the VSA kicked in when I pushed it, and how effective it really is.

This morning on the way to church everyone else was having a really hard time getting up the incline to the parking lot, but I didn't know it until I was talking to some people inside. I hadn't even noticed that it was slippery; the truck just went right on up without flinching. Two of my friends had to engage their 4-wheel drive to get up the hill at all (Ford Explorer and Cadillac Escalade).

Agreed, this is by far the most stable vehicle in winter conditions I have ever driven. Stock wheels & tires with no plans to change.

Do snow tires fulfill the chain requirements in the mountains?
They will in Oregon, but chains will work better if you have icy conditions. The chains will break through the ice whereas the studs just grip the ice.

I have passed several cars and trucks on the mountains and in town that have studs and they just slide around.

We are supposed to get our first significant snowfall tomorrow. I anticipate that the Ridge will perform beautifully.

I'll be in the same snowstorm as you tomorrow IROC, only a bit south on the Eastern end of Long Island. I leave so early in the morning, that I beat the snow plows out usually. This is one of the major reasons why I bought the RL and I am looking forward to having no problems at all. These Michelin tires are the exact same I had on my prior vehicle and they worked great in the snow. Then again, I am not going through any mountain passes on the way to the train station on Long Island like some of the other members, and their purchases of real snow tires and/or chains are wise choices in that enironment.

I'll be in the same snowstorm as you tomorrow IROC, only a bit south on the Eastern end of Long Island.

Good luck, BillB! I'll feel a lot better driving to work in the Ridge :).

I'm here on the cape, they say we are going to hit the worst. We will see.

Can't wait to test the ridgeline in the snow tomorrow, do you think it will do as well as my snowmobile? LOL

All this talk about how the Ridge's perform in the snow, how about some cool snow shots? There were only two pics at the beginning of this thread, I'd like to see some more. Anyone have a pic of a black Ridge in the snow? :D

Looking at the Satellite images as of right now, both of us are on the far north edges of this pretty good size storm and it is moving East/Northeast fast. We may get gipped out of some real snow, but if the storm moves a bit more to the North, we will be out AWDing in about 4 hours for me and about 6-8 for you on the Cape. Go Orleans Cardinals.

Looking at the Satellite images as of right now, both of us are on the far north edges of this pretty good size storm and it is moving East/Northeast fast. We may get gipped out of some real snow, but if the storm moves a bit more to the North, we will be out AWDing in about 4 hours for me and about 6-8 for you on the Cape. Go Orleans Cardinals.
We always get gipped out of any snow. I think it snowed twice here last year. Of course, I never wanted snow until I got the RL.

My company's home office is in Memphis. When we have our weekly status meeting, I am always complaining about the cold in the winter and they about the heat in the summer. I visit them in the winter to warm up and get some great barbeque and they come up in the summer and I take them for some NYC Chinese food.

Anyone have a pic of a black Ridge in the snow?
Not enough snow left here for a decent picture. But this being Central Pennsylvania, just give me a minute, I will see what I can do for you!

I was up in Maine driving in snow, on the way up to the family compound (a little Kennedy joke), I was on a 50 MPH stretch while all the cars were doing 15 MPH. I couldn't handle this slowness when the roads felt fine to me. So in the next town I took off down a backroad which still headed in the general direction of the house, and thanks to Nav and the wonderful tires and performance of the Ridgeline I cut a good hour off our trip by cruising down the back roads. It was great, some unplowed roads with 2 to 3 inches of snow on them and we cruised right along with no problems except that I couldn't tell where the road was. I was happy to get back on the main road not long after but ahead of the crowd that was behind a plow. I thought the roads were pretty good until I got to the house and my uncle complained at how bad the roads were and how he had just arrived 10 minutes before me.

I couldn't tell where the road was.
Did you happen to notice the farmer chasing you with a shotgun trying to get you out of his field. :p

Everyone with snow--
What tires are you using? Have you switched to winter-snow tires or are you using the "stock" tires that came with the RL??
I'm still using stock but looking for studded snow tires.

We always get gipped out of any snow. I think it snowed twice here last year. Of course, I never wanted snow until I got the RL.

Talk about getting gipped, what a dud of a snow storm, I expected to wake up to a storm getting around 10", guess what, 3" xof slushy stuff not expected to accumulate more tha 4", roads are all clear, and I only got to drive in 3" of slush. no fun at all!!!
Sorry for the crappy photo, took it through a closed dirty window!

Talk about getting gipped, what a dud of a snow storm

I got home late last night and had to put my plow on in the dark to get ready for the "BIG" snow storm. What a disappointment:(
Its all melting now..only got about 2", was suppose to get 6-10.
Maybe this will be the year that it "Never snows on Cape Cod"

Heck, we got more snow way down south in Central Virginia yesterday. Officially, 4 inches of "oatmeal" snow, really wet and slushy. It was fun to drive the Ridgeline in the snow for the first time. It was outstanding. Very stable- couldn't get it to slip and slide (without doing something stupid). Took it on some steep snow covered subdivision streets- it ate up the snow- didn't even flinch. Very impressive. We've got another storm heading our way this Friday. Maybe you New Englanders will get some this time around:)

You got more slush than we got snow last year. Send some of the white stuff down this way, please.

It was touch and go, but we were able to dodge the 36 snowflakes that blanketed southeastern mass...thank God for 4WD. :)

Only slush for me on Long Island also. All it did was make my RL very, very dirty. How useless are those mud flaps? - VERY USELESS.

10 inches.
230 feet.
Uphill.
No problem.

10-12 inches in Western MA, too. No problems with the Ridgeline at all.

You guys are soooooooooooo lucky. I have to drive 6 hrs for that pleasure.

I wouldn't call it lucky. I can't break out the board this weekend at all. Too much holiday stuff to do. What good is snow if you can't ride it?

Sometimes just the look of it is all I need.

Finally, some snow! I had a blast with my RTL today. No probs, except for expected lack of sleep tonight - I can't wait to get out tomorrow!

http://www.ridgelineownersclub.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=3710&stc=1&d=1134243182

My middle son and younger dog with the RL carrying three Christmas trees! We went on our annual "hunt" at a tree farm nearby. It snowed last night, so the roads were thoroughly salted and the poor Ridge got rather filthy!

Here's my Xmas experience so far. Not as snowy as yours but fun none the less...:D

Got 10 inches Friday and had a 32 mile commute home at 8am on the scenic Taconic State Parkway and I gotta tell you, WHAT A BEAUTIFUL TRUCK!!! I've been doing this commute since 1998 and had used quite a variety of vehicles including a Jeep Cherokee and nothing ever came close!!! the Ridge was fantastic and flawless!!! Looking forward to my first midnight commute in a snowstorm with no plows out yet!!!:D


( Hey Dbb, you have to be close to me, I'm over in Cortlandt Manor off of Rt 6)

The Taconic is a fun road, I take it when I can.

And with the snow comes cold....-17F when I left work this morning:eek: . The ridge started right up after sitting all night in the parking lot under the full moon.

All this snow?...

Here in SoCal, we haven't had more that an inch of rain since I bought my Ridge! The only snow here is the stuff they are making at the resorts. Otherwise, everything is bone-dry... I still don't know if I have the water-leak problem or not!

The only snow here is the stuff they are making at the resorts.
I saw snow last week in So. Cal of course I was at Disneyland. :D

I just had these images sent to me. I don't know how old they are but I thought they were cool and worth sharing.

How do you think the RL would handle these streets?

Is the Windshield Wiper Defrost area up to this challenge?

I don't know how old they are but I thought they were cool and worth sharing.
:eek: Holy crap! We've had ice storms that brought trees and power lines down but never any that generated THAT much ice!

Thanks for sharing the photos. :)

Lake Geneva Wisconsin??

If that was in Wisconsin it must have been (age brain strain) 1996-7??

I was living in Minnesota at the time the storm came through, it rained almost 3 inches of freezing rain. It was shortly after the new year and then a cold front came through bringing the temperture down to -20F below for over a week!! Salt does not take effect at that temp so the roads stayed like that for over a week!!

I had the ole 87' Honda at the time parked outside with 3 inches of ice on it. It was too hard to chip off, so I took a bucket of luke warm water to melt it off!! And made sure to towel off and dry the doors so they did not freeze shut

That was one heck of a storm!

:)

No snow here yet, but I finally got a chance to experience some of what you all have been discussing. There was heavy frost and icy spots on the road this morning. As I backed out of the driveway, the street was covered with frost. I pointed the RL down the street, stopped and then punched the throttle. Nothing, nada. I might as well been on dry pavement. Farther on in the subdivision, I came to a dip in the street that had collected moisture and was covered with ice. I was doing 20-25 mph when I stomped on the brakes. The RL stopped straight, no skidding and in a lot shorter distance than I thought it would. Cool, next test. From a standstill, punched the throttle again. Wheelspin, apparently on all four wheels, because before you could say the word, the VSA kicked in, shut the power way down, stopped the wheelspin and slowy went up the street. Three for three high marks. Stopped again and started with a light foot on the pedal and drove off with no wheelspin at all. Very impressive! Now I need some of the real stuff to play in. :D

Web,

I had a sander following me on my way to work this morning. :eek: So my route must be slick, I couldn't tell the difference from a dry day. Wife said her TL slipped a bit.

We finally got snow the other week for the first time in central Virginia and I couldn't wait to get out in it and drive. Only once did the VSA indicator come on when I was passing this SLOW POKE going 20 in a 45 mph road. The left lane was jammed up with cars and it was wide open in front of this car. I passed him on and exit ramp lane that was ending fast and drove in a little bit of shoulder filled with snow. Traction kicked in and I was back in the lane in front and moving on. I'm from VA, but these people here can't drive in the bad weather. I got my license in Chicago in the winter, so I learned fast to drive in snow.

You wouldn't happen to live in and around, Winterpeg, Manifrozen would ya? I could swear I was looking at my Ridgeline-- same colour, same snow storm?


You a Pegger tooo??

Sure am, you don't happen to travel in the osborne area very often do ya. I seem to get seen there alot when i'm nowhere close to there :D

As for the other post with the rear defroster I total agree, why they didn't add one on i'm not sure definetly something I need


perhaps you saw me?

hehe

I think we are cornering the market on blue

By all means, please wipe the snow off the roof, too. Running boards will make that easier for me. Got them last week. Snow is due in Maryland tomorrow.

Has anyone added extra weight in the bed for better traction? I plan to lay down some old weights in the trunk, about 100 lbs should help, and they will leave a relatively flat surface so I can still put packages, etc, on top of them.

Wow!, I have seen my share of nasty ice sorms here in the NE, but yours is amazing to see. thanks for thepics. for those of you who have never been caught in one of those, you are lucky. my guess is that lots of folks lost power and got stuck home for a bit.

steve,

i have not needed to add any weight to the back end for snow days. I was very impressed with the RL in the snow. It was actually better than the last 2 Jeeps I had. I think the 4WD system ,and the other performance features of the RL make it very good in snow/ice.

By all means, please wipe the snow off the roof, too. Running boards will make that easier for me. Got them last week. Snow is due in Maryland tomorrow.

Has anyone added extra weight in the bed for better traction? I plan to lay down some old weights in the trunk, about 100 lbs should help, and they will leave a relatively flat surface so I can still put packages, etc, on top of them.
I don't think you will need the weight. Remember teh Ridgeline is mostly a front wheel vehicle and the VSA and VTM-4 will handle any changes in traction. The systems will also compensate for weight changes, but the added weight is not needed if you ask me.

Another PLUS of the Ridgeline - No need for weight in the bed to help with traction in the wintertime!

That should help the MPG!


TL

We are finally supposed to get some snow here in New England this weekend and I can't wait. Got my snowblower back, blew a hole in the engine and got my new Ridgeline just a couple weeks ago.

Can't wait. :)