Bozeman Pass: Why I’m Packing Snacks & Boots Now

I wasn't there, thank goodness, but I saw a zillion pictures of everybody stranded on Bozeman Hill from Tuesday night into Wednesday morning.

First off, I don't know if it was too slick or if somebody in a car spun out. Or if a semi jackknifed. But it was fun to see the comments blaming others for starting the whole mess.

So, a couple of thoughts occurred to me. Am I as prepared for something like this as I thought I was? I mean, I carry a hydraulic jack, a 4-way lug wrench, a tow strap, a kit with tire plugs, and an air compressor that plugs into the cigarette lighter. Which is all great. Until you're stuck in a snowy traffic jam for double-digit hours.

Fortunately for those folks, it wasn't colder. One thing this event has done for me is make me keep a sleeping bag and a bunch of candy bars in the pickup at all times. I should also toss in some long pants and maybe a set of snow boots. I generally just wear tennis shoes.

Something that's important when driving is looking ahead. Some of those motorists should have looked ahead and seen traffic stopped and flipped around. I would have headed back to Livingston and hit the Rib & Chop House.

But. I realize for most of those folks who got stuck, that by the time you ran into the jam, there wasn't anything that you could do. So that's why it's so smart to be prepared.