No, there is no chain control on I-80 at Donner Pass right now. Checked (Caltrans).
Read every five minutes from Caltrans chain control (cwwp2.dot.ca.gov).
The signs on the road are what you are bound by: confirm at
roads.dot.ca.gov or call 511 before you go.
when chains go up or come off on I-80 at Donner Pass
Storm alerts
A notification on this device when chain control starts, changes or lifts, or a road
closes or reopens. Pick your roads:
An alert is a heads-up that something changed, not a road report, and it can arrive a few
minutes after the change. Before you drive, check
Caltrans QuickMap or
Nevada 511 (nvroads.com), or call 511.
A few alerts a day at most; no account, no email, and you can turn them off here any time
(what we keep).
Live answer for I-80 over Donner Pass: is R-1, R-2 or R-3 chain control in effect, where and since when. From Caltrans, checked every five minutes.
Caltrans sets chain control at its control points, in three levels:
R-1
Chains, traction devices or snow tires on the drive axle of every vehicle except four-wheel and all-wheel drive, which must still carry chains.
R-2
Chains on every vehicle except four-wheel or all-wheel drive with snow tires on all four wheels. Those must still carry chains.
R-3
Chains on every vehicle, no exceptions.
Whose rules apply: Caltrans over Donner Pass and down to the state line at Verdi; NDOT from there east through Reno, Fernley and on across northern Nevada.
Carrying textile snow socks instead of chains? California counts them as chains at every level;
Nevada approves them except on its Tahoe roads. Both, with the agencies' wording:
are snow socks legal in chain controls.
Which kind to buy for your car, by clearance, fitting and wear:
cable chains, snow socks or link chains.
Roadwork eastbound between Magra (Railroad) (Exit 140) and Gold Run Rd (Exit 143), traffic getting through — tree work; until 5:59 a.m.
Roadwork westbound between Rock Spring Rd and King Rd (Exit 112), 1 mile east of Penryn, traffic getting through — fiber optic installation; until 5:01 a.m.
Cameras and chain-control points on I-80. Click a marker to open the camera.
The list above is Caltrans District 3's own chain-control feed for each checkpoint on the pass. R-0 means no controls are in effect at that point; R-1 to R-3 are the levels Caltrans sets as a storm builds.
Confirm with Caltrans or NDOT before setting out: the signs on the road and the agencies' own announcements are what you are bound by, and this page relays their feeds, it does not replace them. Motorists can inspect wider corridors on our page for all road conditions.
Tracking Sierra Winter Rules
State agencies mandate specific hardware depending on current pavement grip and storm severity. For full mechanical definitions and vehicle-class rules across both states, consult our comprehensive reference on chain control levels R1 R2 R3 explained.
Height is what changes the road surface over Donner. The highway rises 1,126 ft between I-80 at Kingvale - Eastbound at 6,095 ft and I-80 at Donner Summit at 7,221 ft.
Wet pavement at Kingvale can be packed snow at the summit. The cameras on the pass, from lowest to highest:
Further east toward Utah, high-altitude winter weather can also impact travelers crossing Pequop Summit at 6,964 ft.
Visual Monitoring and Route Verification
Still images provide immediate verification of tire spray, visibility, and snow storage on shoulders. Reviewing the view from I-80 at Castle Peak gives drivers advance notice of ridge-top snow accumulation.
Look through the I-80 webcams before you leave Reno or Sacramento. When severe blizzards stall traffic along Donner Pass, consult US 50 when I-80 is closed to compare regional options, or check overall I-80 road conditions. Ensure your vehicle carries required traction appliances, verify your route with state dispatchers, and inspect cameras frequently during winter storms.
