Yeah ... I know what you mean. I used to drive back and forth between Oregon and Texas/Oklahoma. Many times it was in the middle of Winter and going across the Rockies. Usually I would encounter some ice and snow on the roads, along the way — but one winter it was especially bad.
It was approximately 1,000 miles on solid, packed snow and ice (on a 2,100 mile trip one way). Then it was approximately another 1,000 miles of the same thing on the return route of 2,100 miles. Of course I was geared up and ready for anything. I always had those V-bar chains (and they were great). BUT, I never had to put them on — even going across the Rockies and across those 2,000 miles of packed snow and ice.
HOWEVER, about two weeks after I got back from the trip — Portland had a Silver Thaw. It didn’t worry me because I had all the gear - and I thought I would have no problem driving around. I did okay at first, until when I got ready to drive home (about an 8 mile drive, total) — I couldn’t even pull the car away from the curb, no matter how hard I tried. SO ... I had to put on the chains and got home handily after that.
I found out that I could drive across country, on 2,000 miles of packed snow and ice on the roads and never put on chains. BUT ... in Portland, I couldn’t even get away from the curb and drive 8 miles home ... LOL ...
Yes, that melting ice is difficult for traction.
“-—— about two weeks after I got back from the trip — Portland had a Silver Thaw.”
Brutal-——beautiful but brutal.
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The stuff that I’m seeing has a consistency more like sand—heavy but more slippery than sand. It’s interesting, when it gets to be about 3 feet deep in a 60-80 mph wind and temps below -20. But it’s normal here. Tonight’s low temp might approach -30. I’m over 9,000 feet elev.