Chasing snow in our long-term Jeep Wrangler

Spent a couple weeks and 2000 miles driving the Wrangler through the mud and record-deep snow of the Sierra. Drove to Reno, then Sacramento, then Reno, then up to Tahoe a couple times, then finally back to L.A.

One day-trip excursion took me in search of the East Carson River hot springs south of Minden, Nevada. The springs were 10 miles off pavement, down a muddy, wet, and at times icy 4WD trail. Never got to the springs because of a locked ranch gate, but in an attempt to get around the gate, we drove the Jeep down the steep shores of the East Carson, and forded the river to the other side. We also took a boulder-stewn short-cut trail that few stock vehicles besides a Wrangler (maybe an FJ) would be able to negotiate. The Wrangler kicked ass and never once hesitated to carry on as if there was nothing on its way. It’s so reassuring to be in a vehicle you know can handle just about any terrain you can throw at it.
 
A few days later, forecasters were calling for a winter storm bigger than the region had seen in years, and sure enough, the feet began to fall. I joined up with my Lake Tahoe enviro-engineer friend, Tim Rynders, and we headed up to the top of Highway 267 (one of the summits leading into Tahoe) to check the rising snow depths. Within a couple hours of the storm hitting, there was two feet of snow, with plenty of more on its way.
 
The Wrangler loves the snow. Later that night back in Reno, the snow level had come down the mountain and began to blanket the Biggest Little City. People were spinning out on the freeways and abandoning their less than capable cars, but the Jeep kept on truckin’. I was using it to shuttle my friends who didn’t have adequate vehicles. I was staying at a friend’s house in the foothills of Reno where the city plows don’t come and had tons of fun in the Jeep by putting it in 4 wheel hi, turning off the ESP, and sliding all around the neighborhood in huge, snow-throwing drifts.
 
I couldn’t have picked a better vehicle to be caught in this storm with (storm totals were 6-8 feet above 7000 feet), but the Wrangler’s weaknesses stand out like a sore thumb, as soon as you get it back in the lower elevations and drive it for any distance over 50 miles. Noisy, incredibly underpowered, sloppy tracking, uncomfortable seats, poorly insulated(obviously).
 
Here is a nice list of gripes from me and my numerous passengers:

•  In wet , wintry weather, condensation forms on the inside of the roof and drips on all passengers
• The rear fender flairs collect dirt then rub on the rear seat passengers as they exit the vehicle
• The NAV system doesn’t let you roam the map unless you’re stopped
•  The rear swingout door slams shut on you on even the slightest incline (and since it has the spare mounted on it, it’s the kind of slam shutting that could decapitate a small child)
• No cubby space in the center console. Two lousy cupholders aren’t enough to carry my phone and ipod or road snacks.
• If anything slides between seats and center console, it magically disappears and is never seen again (pieces of paper, coins, cds, magazines)
• The windshield defrost does not blow air in the proper direction in order to defrost the sweet spots of the windshield. This is dangerous and scary when driving through a blizzard.
•  Window rake is too steep to hold a radar detector, but it’s okay because the Wrangler is too slow to need one.
• The myGig audio system has trouble matching track names to the discs that it rips onto its hardrive. The whole system feels like it is years behind Mac OS or windows.
  

 And the good:

•  Awesome 4WD in the dirt, mud and deep, deep, snow. Should be standard issue for those who live above 7000 feet
• Super easy to engage/disengage 4WD
• Clever headrest collapses when the rear seats are folded 
• Huge amount of cargo space when the rear seats are folded flat (benefits of a big box exterior design) kind of reminds me of cargo room in the cubelike LR3.