{"id":10492,"date":"2016-12-21T07:00:12","date_gmt":"2016-12-21T15:00:12","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/?p=10492"},"modified":"2018-11-11T22:33:49","modified_gmt":"2018-11-12T06:33:49","slug":"winter-checklist-5-items-keep-car","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/snowsports\/winter-checklist-5-items-keep-car","title":{"rendered":"Winter Checklist: 5 Items to Keep in Your Car"},"content":{"rendered":"

The first snow of the year is finally starting to fall across the country. Big fluffy flakes, hard pellets of sleet\u2014whatever the white stuff is, I can\u2019t wait to head to the hills.<\/p>\n

I’m\u00a0stoked to see you out there. But it\u2019s been a year since a lot of us drove into the mountains in the snow. And we\u2019ve all seen the videos on the Internet where drivers on icy downhills seem to be playing a real-life game of bumper cars\u2026<\/p>\n

It\u2019s better to get there slowly and carefully than settling for skiing the snowdrift you slid into as you wait for help. So before you head out on winter roads, take a look at my\u00a0list of must-have, mountain-commute needs:<\/p>\n

1. A Full Tank<\/h4>\n

Yeah, this is obvious. But do you really want to be the one who forgets? That\u2019s an embarrassing AAA call. Plus, if you\u2019re stuck in snow or traffic, you\u2019ll want that full tank for running the heater so you stay warm.<\/p>\n

2. Ten Essentials<\/a><\/h4>\n

You\u2019re going into the mountains, so you should have them anyways, right? Grab your map and compass, sunscreen, warm layers, headlamp and batteries, first-aid kit, fire starter, multi-tool and favorite emergency shelter. If you have to hunker down or go for help, these items will help.<\/p>\n

3. Hanger Supplies\"car<\/h4>\n

Yes, they\u2019re part of the Ten Essentials, but your friends and family want them on your (and especially my) checklist twice. There are lots of reasons you might get hangry: unexpected poor visibility that triples your mountain commute, an endless traffic jam up the mountain or just plain old forgetting to eat that oatmeal you made before you left home. Whatever the reason, snacks and water in the car are a must.<\/p>\n

4. Kitty Litter<\/h4>\n

Cheap and effective, you may be able to get yourself out of any slippery spots by sprinkling some down for traction. Add in a snow shovel, broom and ice scraper, and you\u2019ll be super prepared to help yourself or your fellow drivers actually make it to the resort.<\/p>\n

5. Pee Bottle<\/h4>\n

It\u2019s cold out there. You shouldn\u2019t have to leave the warmth of your vehicle for this annoying human bodily function. And for women, one of those\u00a0pee funnels<\/a>\u00a0can sure come in handy. Pro tip: Don\u2019t forget to label the bottle (don\u2019t ask).<\/p>\n

And I should take a moment to say thanks for attending one of\u00a0REI\u2019s Pray for Snow bashes<\/a>. All of those roasted Twinkies seem to have worked! See you out there.<\/p>\n<\/span>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The first snow of the year is finally starting to fall across the country. Big fluffy flakes, hard pellets of sleet\u2014whatever the white stuff is, I can\u2019t wait to head to the hills. I’m\u00a0stoked to see you out there. But it\u2019s been a year since a lot of us drove into the mountains in the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":10499,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[11,388],"tags":[364,706,66,12],"internal-tag":[703,1683,1684],"class_list":["post-10492","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-snowsports","category-travel","tag-snowsports","tag-snowsports-tips","tag-tips","tag-travel","internal-tag-aer-parris","internal-tag-pre-redirect-snowsports","internal-tag-pre-redirect-travel"],"parsely":{"version":"1.1.0","canonical_url":"https:\/\/rei.com\/blog\/snowsports\/winter-checklist-5-items-keep-car","smart_links":{"inbound":0,"outbound":0},"traffic_boost_suggestions_count":0,"meta":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","headline":"Winter Checklist: 5 Items to Keep in Your Car","url":"http:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/snowsports\/winter-checklist-5-items-keep-car","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"http:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/snowsports\/winter-checklist-5-items-keep-car"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2016\/12\/C01-4873-web.jpg?resize=150%2C150","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2016\/12\/C01-4873-web.jpg?fit=1500%2C1000"},"articleSection":"Snowsports","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Angela Crampton"}],"creator":["Angela Crampton"],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Uncommon Path \u2013 An REI Co-op Publication","logo":""},"keywords":["snowsports","snowsports tips","tips","travel"],"dateCreated":"2016-12-21T15:00:12Z","datePublished":"2016-12-21T15:00:12Z","dateModified":"2018-11-12T06:33:49Z"},"rendered":"