This app shows cameras and public data. It is not an emergency alert system and does not issue evacuation orders. Follow local OEM / WEA / 511.

Esta aplicación muestra cámaras y datos públicos. No es un sistema de alertas de emergencia y no emite órdenes de evacuación. Siga a su OEM local / WEA / 511.

511now / Answers / Do I need chains?

Do I need chains?

Updated August 19, 2026 · Pictures refresh every few minutes

The posted rule on your state's official pass page decides. Washington posts it on WSDOT mountain passes, Oregon on TripCheck / Oregon 511, Idaho on Idaho 511.

We show the cameras so you can see the road. We never guess chain levels from a picture — and a clear picture does not cancel a posted rule.

Washington: Snoqualmie, Stevens, White, Blewett

WSDOT posts the requirement per pass, and the wording changes day to day. Washington sometimes lets AWD and 4WD (all-wheel drive and four-wheel drive) skip putting chains on while still requiring them to be carried. Read the exact wording for that day, then walk the Snoqualmie cameras west to east.

Oregon: Government Camp, Siskiyou, Santiam

Oregon can require chains on all vehicles, including AWD, and can hold traffic until you chain up. The common asks are US-26 at Government Camp for Timberline and Mt. Hood Meadows, I-5 over Siskiyou, and OR-22 / US-20 over Santiam. Check TripCheck, then the Hood cameras.

See the passes right now

Official stills. The picture shows the road; the state page shows the rule.

Idaho: Lookout Pass on I-90

Lookout Pass is the common ask for people crossing from Spokane toward Montana. Idaho 511 posts the rule; we show the Lookout Pass cameras.

AWD, 4WD, and trailers

  • AWD / 4WD: not an automatic pass. Washington often lets you drive unchained but still requires carrying chains. Oregon can require chains on everyone.
  • Trailers and towing: the trailer is part of the posted rule, and it differs by state and by weight. Read the official wording for that pass, that day.
  • Fines: ignoring a chain rule can mean a ticket and being turned around — and a blocked pass for everyone behind you.

Why the picture is not the answer

The valley can look wet when the summit is ice. Night glare can look like snow. A picture from two hours ago can be wrong. The pictures help you plan; the posted rule is the law that day.

Sources

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