Car Rentals -- Chain Of Sorrows: Know The Rules On Snowy Trips

Few car-rental outlets routinely provide tire chains, including those that serve the nation's major ski destinations and snow-prone cities, even though at least seven mountain states and a national park sometimes require chains when a blizzard hits. And if you are stopped by police, you - not the car-rental agency - will be ticketed for driving without chains when weather conditions warrant.

For example: You fly to Denver and rent a car to drive for a ski trip in the Rockies - straight into a raging snowstorm.

Colorado State Patrol spokeswoman Betty Will says she gets numerous calls from safety-conscious travelers who don't want to end up in a snow drift but can't find a rental-car company that provides chains. It is a quandary that, unfortunately, motorists must resolve for themselves. Car-rental firms aren't required to issue chains.

Will's advice, if you expect to encounter heavy snow, is to rent a four-wheel-drive vehicle, although they typically are more expensive than an ordinary sedan. In Denver, Avis is quoting a rate of $239.99 for a one-week rental of a midsize sedan with all-season tires; the week rate for a four-wheel-drive vehicle is $509.99.

The seven states that may require chains when weather conditions warrant are Colorado, California, Washington, Oregon, Nevada, Montana and South Dakota, according to a survey made by the National Association of Chain Manufacturers in York, Pa.

In addition, rangers at Yosemite National Park in California, a popular all-season destination, also sometimes close roads in a snowstorm to all motorists except those in vehicles equipped with chains or four-wheel drive.

Among the major car rental companies, Hertz as a matter of policy does not supply chains, says spokeswoman Annalise McKean-Marcus. Instead, it equips its snow-country vehicles with all-season tires, which should be adequate for most winter driving. Hertz does not prohibit the use of chains, but it holds customers responsible if chains cause damage to the rented vehicle. Budget has much the same policy.

Avis does make chains available on a rental basis at some locations, usually at a rate of $6 a day or $30 a week. Alamo provides rentals only in Reno, Nev., primarily for skiers bound for the often snowy mountain roads around Lake Tahoe just across the California border. National does not have chains at any of its rental outlets and, indeed, bans their use on its cars, says spokeswoman Gail Spratt. It advises against driving in areas where chains are mandatory.

All of this leaves snow-country drivers with alternatives that are either costly, inconvenient or chancy. You may:

-- Rent a four-wheel-drive vehicle - probably the best option for safety-conscious travelers who are willing to pay extra to make sure they get to the slopes on time.

-- Stick with a sedan, which can be chancy in a bad storm. But be sure it is equipped with all-season or snow tires.

-- Buy or rent chains for your rental car from an auto supply, tire or other shop before you enter an area where chains may be required. A set of chains can cost $60 or more. In Yosemite, the Yosemite Valley service station carries chains for unprepared motorists who are trapped there by heavy snows.