Mt. Rainier regulations

Chains? Damn. What I need to put chains on for when I still gotta wait til noon for the road to be perfectly plowed? Good snowtires and a bucket of common sense is all it takes especially on a perfectly plowed road.

But you still have to have them in the Park--it's the rules

Mt. Rainier is only one of several places where all drivers, regardless of vehicle, have to carry chains. Highway 410 to Crystal, for example. As well, one time on Hwy 2, WSP was checking all cars to see if they were carrying chains. Those without were being turned back.

Shortly after buying my Subaru, I called WSP to discuss the dilemma of the chain requirement vs the owner's manual advice to not use chains. Basically, the answer was "them's the rules".

Went out and bought some low-clearance chains specifically designed for low-clearance wheel wells, like a Suby has. I think the risk of damaging a Suby is greater with regular chains, but I'm no mechanic.

For the literal minded, the requirement is to only carry chains, not that they have to fit your vehicle. However, there is the rare occasion when chains are required on all vehicles, when it would be useful to have the right chains for your tires.