Why are snow chains used in the mountains in the west, but not in the eastern snow areas of the U.S.?

Question

I know salt is used in the East so that might be a factor. Just curious.

Answer 1

Two words ....

Donner Party.

Answer 2

Another factor is that the snowfall in the mountains over here puts the east coast snowstorms to shame. The sheer volume of snow is unbelievable when you get up to the continental divide. It's not that uncommon to see 5 feet of snow on the ground. Salt just doesn't fix that.

The main reason is probably the slope of the terrain, though. If you're in Buffalo and you start sliding, you eventually just stop. If you're on I-70 around Vail and you start sliding, you keep sliding for the next 80 miles.

Answer 3

I wondered the same thing when i first visited Michigan.

Chains provide traction on slopes of Mountains. Midwest and east coast don't have many steep hills/ mtns. Chains do more damage to roads and with better plowing, snow and ice removal outside of the western mtns, chains really are not needed.