Stay warm
Heat for you and the shop
Cold hands make slow, unsafe work. This is the heat that matters from the first frost to the last spring storm.
Ten picks for a Truckee winter: heat, batteries, light, traction and a radio for when the storm takes the power. DeWalt first, because it is the brand I prefer on the job. Every pick was checked on Amazon the night this was written.
By Errol Kerr · Excavation Foreman, Ruppert Inc. · 2010 Olympian, Jamaica ski cross · Updated October 31, 2026
How I picked
Winter up here means wet heavy snow, hard refreeze overnight and mornings in the single digits. Each pick here is in stock, sold or shipped by Amazon, well reviewed by a real pool of buyers, and does a job I actually face from November to April. Prices change daily, so the price on each card comes live from Amazon.
Stay warm
Cold hands make slow, unsafe work. This is the heat that matters from the first frost to the last spring storm.
Batteries and light
Below about 20 F a tired truck battery quits. Daylight is short. Fix both before the first storm, not during it.
Snow, ice and storms
Moving snow is half the job. Staying on your feet and knowing what is coming is the other half.
Plan around the weather
The free forecast tools on this site tell you when the snow starts, how much sticks and when the refreeze hits.
Truckee forecast →
Station-checked forecast, hourly snow and rain timing, 16-day outlook.
Sierra Storm Tracker →
Radar and the storms on the way over Donner Pass.
Crew GO / NO-GO →
Wind, cold and visibility calls for crews working through weather.
Snow removal in Truckee →
The parking ban, where the snow can legally go, and the plows.
Heater safety: fuel burning heaters need fresh air and a working carbon monoxide alarm. Never run one in a closed room, tent or vehicle. Jump starters and chargers: follow the clamp order in the manual.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Links on this page go to Amazon with my affiliate tag, at no extra cost to you.
