Can I park overnight in a Chainup Area?

I’m fine with people who only chain up to get out of trouble. Nothing wrong with that. Me personally, I’ll chain up to simply keep moving if it comes down to it. But once you come to that flashing sign and the chain installation area, you are by definition “in trouble”. You have absolutely no idea when or if that snow will ever let up or when you may reach civilization. You have no idea if you’re going to be wiped out by an avalanche or what. You’re in a life and death situation when that sign starts flashing and you don’t have 10 hours to wait and see if the situation gets worse. Your fuel could gel up, you could derate, you could run out of fuel. You could be like my dumb ### when I started driving and get stuck in a life or death situation in Idaho with 1/4 tank of fuel, a Red Bull and a peanut butter snickers.

If your company policy is to only chain up to get out of trouble, at the point that you hit that sign, you’ve reached critical mass. You get your ### over that pass at all costs. Your life is in danger.

 

Not a good idea at all! It's usually posted, chain installation only and can cause problems ranging from, being in the way to waking up with a 6' snow berm packed around your rig!
I see this all the time, several trucks pull up to the nice wide chain on area, say #!*#! this, and crawl in the sleeper to wait it out.
It starts snowing like a SOB and the pullout turns in one big CF in no time! The driver who hopes to find a spot close to the chain inspection to throw em on gets screwed. Then here comes some idiot who instead of taking the exit to backtrack they often block live lanes while they try to figure out how to install their chains!
In the meantime, the guy sleeping is totally clueless to the "snowball effect" of his decision. It might snow for several hours with plows making lap after lap pushing tons of snow which eventually reaches your truck! Now what? Probably gonna have to get a tow!
So please.... if you aren't chaining up, turn around! Go far enough if the snow level drops you are out of the way!

 

First. It's a free country. You can do anything you want.

Second. I wish bear would fine everyone MASSIVELY for just sitting in the chain up spots.

Put that #### chains on and go. Make room for others.

 

I KNOW that place. It's the Catatonic Spa.

 

You ask a good question for all new drivers. The answer is, as others have noted, NO. Don't take a 10 in a chain up area. I have done a 30 minute break in chain up areas on I-70 in Colorado, but NEVER EVER done that if other truckers need to use it for chaining or unchaining.

Another person earlier in this thread noted correctly that there is a rest area at the top of Cabbage, just before you start the descent to Pendleton. As a new driver you must be on e-logs and have a truck GPS as part of the unit, like Quallcom or Rand McNally. If so you should be able to tell how many miles to the next parking area or truck stop.

Trip planning often MUST be done "on the fly". Sometimes your truck e-logs/ GPS doesn't have current information about parking. Brand new truck stops aren't in the database. Rest area that are permanently closed are still included.

Download "Trucker's Path". It's an app that can let you know if there is parking available ahead.

Last thing: don't try to maximize out your 11 or 14 hour clocks. I try to find parking for my 10 with no less than 30 minutes to go.

Yes, SOME companies do allow company drivers to use PC (personal conveyance) to find a place to park. If YOUR company allows it, don't abuse the privilege. Don't run another hour to get to a truck stop. That gets flagged and is a wide open running sore on your logs for any DOT inspection. That's why I stay well within my 11/14 and use Trucker's Path to determine where I take my 10 whenever I am on an unfamiliar route.

Sometimes you will KNOW there is a "hidey hole" parking spot X miles ahead. That's about the only time I run right up to the limits of my clocks.