It was slow going heading up Mount Washington on Strathcona Parkway Wednesday morning as snow fell heavily and some motorists showed up unprepared.
“We attempted one drive up the mountain and we were starting to slip so we went back to town and got some chains and just stuck them on the car and we’re going to give another go up the mountain,” said Siri Bright, who was putting chains on her near the lower chain-up area.
Many of the drivers made it as far as the Anderson Hill chain-up area before stopping to put chains on and some people could be seen struggling with the task for the first time in the cold and snow.
Warning lights were flashing on signs on Strathcona Parkway indicating chains were mandatory but many vehicles were seen without chains.
“The problem is when people aren’t prepared and maybe not following the recommendations they do spin out and unfortunately now we can’t get our plows through which worsens the situation exponentially,” said Mainroad North Island’s general manager, Chris Cowley.
Mainroad North Island Contracting says its plows had a hard time keeping the road clear of snow when so many people were getting stuck or slipping on the ice.
Meanwhile, a number of families chose not to go any farther than Anderson Hill and just stayed there to enjoy snowshoe or toboggan.
People chain up in the Comox Valley. (Dean Stoltz/CHEK News)
Dean Stoltz
