Pack for a breakdown or long delay in freezing weather, not just for the hours you expect to spend driving. Your vehicle should carry warm insulation, light, food, water, traction equipment, signaling supplies, first aid and phone power. Before leaving, check live conditions on Idaho 511 because the weather, pavement, closures and controls on State Highway 55 can change after any general forecast or packing list was published.
The July 2025 Idaho Driver’s Handbook supplies the core emergency-kit list. Idaho Transportation Department (ITD) winter guidance adds vehicle checks, route planning and techniques for snowplows, ice and a stranded car.
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Why a McCall winter trip needs a delay-ready kit
State Highway 55 can be maintained during a storm without being bare or dry. ITD’s operations manual says winter maintenance aims to provide a passable route within available resources; it does not guarantee bare pavement. A crash, spinout, storm or disabled vehicle can therefore turn a normal drive into hours of exposure.
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ITD reported more than 16,000 crashes during inclement weather statewide from October 1, 2021, through April 30, 2022. That historical Idaho total is not a prediction for SH-55, but it illustrates why a winter kit belongs in the vehicle even when the trip looks routine.
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Pack so every occupant can stay warm, hydrated, visible and able to communicate while waiting for help. Keep the supplies in the passenger compartment rather than buried under luggage, and tell someone your route and expected arrival.
The complete winter packing checklist
| Category | Pack | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Warmth | Blanket or sleeping bag; extra gloves; spare socks; wool cap; additional warm clothing | Prevents rapid heat loss if the cabin becomes cold or you must wait outside briefly. |
| Light and signaling | Flashlights with spare batteries; emergency flares; brightly colored scarf | Helps rescuers locate you and lets you work outside the vehicle after dark. |
| Food and water | Bottled water; energy bars or other nonperishable food | Provides basic hydration and calories during an unplanned delay. |
| Vehicle recovery | Small shovel; small sack of sand or cat litter; booster cables; tow rope or other traction material | Can improve traction, clear snow and support a restart or recovery when conditions permit. |
| Communication and navigation | Phone charger; local map | Preserves battery power and provides a backup when cellular service is weak. |
| Safety and fire | First aid kit; pocket knife; waterproof matches or a lighter | Covers minor injuries and basic emergency tasks. |
This list follows the handbook’s recommended winter driving kit and ITD’s preparation advice. Add supplies for the people actually traveling: prescription medicines, required medical equipment, infant needs and pet provisions are personal necessities even though they are not part of the state checklist.
Warmth that works when the heater does not
Use layers that can be put on without leaving the car. A blanket or sleeping bag, hat, gloves and dry socks are more useful than relying on the vehicle heater alone. Keep at least one dry pair of socks in a sealed bag; wet footwear quickly becomes a cold-weather problem. Do not count a coat worn at departure as the whole emergency plan, since a stranded vehicle may require one person to step out to inspect the exhaust or place traction material.
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Test each flashlight and carry fresh spare batteries. Flares and a brightly colored scarf provide visual contrast in blowing snow or darkness; use them only where they can be deployed safely and legally. A pocket knife, first aid kit and lighter or waterproof matches round out the handbook’s basic tools. Store small items together so a passenger can find them without unloading the vehicle.
Food, water and charging
Choose sealed, nonperishable food that can be eaten without cooking. Freeze-resistant storage is preferable for water, and check bottles for leaks after each trip. A phone charger is essential, but it cannot create coverage where none exists; a local map remains useful in areas with poor cellular service. ITD recommends accounting for those coverage gaps when you share your travel plan.
Prepare the vehicle before you leave
Complete this sequence on departure day, then repeat the live-condition check shortly before entering SH-55.
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- Check Idaho 511. Review current highway conditions, cameras, incidents and closures on the ITD Winter Driving page, which links to Idaho 511. The state also lists 511 by phone and (208) 334-8000 as a road-information contact. Treat this as a time-sensitive check, not a permanent statement about the route.
- Check the weather forecast. Look at the full route and timing, not only McCall. Share your route, departure time and expected arrival with someone who can notice if you do not check in.
- Inspect tires. Confirm that tires are in suitable condition and that any traction devices you carry match the tire size and vehicle instructions.
- Check the battery and fluids. ITD specifically calls out the battery and windshield-washer fluid. Fill the washer reservoir with a winter-rated fluid appropriate for freezing temperatures.
- Fill the fuel tank. ITD’s winter-preparation recommendation is to start with a full tank, giving you more flexibility if traffic stops or a detour adds time.
- Practice with chains before the trip. Fit them in a dry, safe place, following the chain and vehicle manuals. Put them where they can be reached without unpacking the entire car.
- Load the emergency kit within reach. Put warmth, light, food, water and the charger in the passenger area; keep the shovel, traction material and booster cables accessible in the cargo area.
Chains, traction material and shovel: what to carry
Carry chains only when they are compatible with your vehicle and tires. Vehicle clearance, tire dimensions, drive configuration and manufacturer restrictions all matter. Read the vehicle owner’s manual and the chain maker’s fitment instructions, and practice installation before snow is blowing around your hands.
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A small shovel can clear packed snow around tires or the exhaust outlet. Sand or cat litter can add limited traction under a slipping tire. A tow rope may help only when a safe, capable vehicle and appropriate attachment points are available; never stand between moving vehicles or improvise a connection that the manufacturer does not permit.
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How to drive the route in winter conditions
Reduce speed and increase space
Allow substantially more following distance than on dry pavement and brake smoothly. Ice can form first on bridges and overpasses, so approach those surfaces gently even when nearby pavement appears merely wet. Avoid abrupt steering, acceleration and braking.
Do not use cruise control on ice
ITD advises avoiding cruise control on icy roads. Keeping direct control of the accelerator makes it easier to respond to changing grip.
Share the road with snowplows
Snowplows may conceal hazards, throw snow and need room to operate. ITD’s guidance is clear: “The safest place is behind the plow.” Stay well back, do not pass in a cloud of blowing snow and do not drive beside a plow longer than necessary.
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Recover from a skid without overcorrecting
If the vehicle begins to slide, do not slam on the brakes or jerk the steering wheel. ITD advises steering gently into the skid and correcting smoothly as traction returns. Sudden inputs can turn a small loss of control into a larger one.
If you become stranded
- Call for help while you have a signal. Give your location, direction of travel, vehicle description and the number of people aboard. If coverage is poor, send a text when possible and conserve battery power.
- Stay with the vehicle unless remaining there is more dangerous. The car is easier for rescuers to see than a person walking in a storm, and it provides shelter from wind.
- Make the vehicle visible. Use the brightly colored scarf or other high-visibility item and, where safe, emergency flares. Keep occupants away from traffic.
- Run the engine only for controlled heat. Before starting, inspect the exhaust pipe and clear away snow. A blocked pipe can allow carbon monoxide into the cabin. Ventilate according to the vehicle manual and never leave the engine running unattended in an enclosed space.
- Use supplies deliberately. Put on dry layers, ration food and water, and keep the phone charger connected only as needed. Do not burn fuel or materials inside the cabin.
- Attempt traction work only when conditions are safe. Use the shovel and traction material around the drive tires if you can do so away from moving traffic. Install chains only as directed and never work beneath a vehicle supported only by a jack.
Check and refresh the kit after every season
ITD advises inspecting emergency supplies because food expires and batteries lose charge. Replace stale food, test flashlights, refresh water and confirm that gloves, socks and blankets are dry. Recheck the phone charger, jumper cables, shovel and traction material for damage. Review chain fit whenever tires or vehicle configuration changes.
A ready-made winter car kit is optional. If you buy one, compare its contents against the handbook checklist rather than assuming the label means it is complete. Verify that it includes warmth, light and spare batteries, first aid, traction, a shovel, water, food, visibility or signaling equipment and phone charging. No particular commercial kit or model has been established as tested for this route.
A final departure checklist for SH-55
- Idaho 511 checked for current conditions, cameras, incidents, closures and controls.
- Weather checked for the entire route and someone informed of the plan.
- Fuel tank full; tires, battery and washer fluid inspected.
- Blanket or sleeping bag, warm layers, gloves, spare socks and wool cap loaded.
- Flashlights with fresh spare batteries, flares and a high-visibility scarf packed.
- Water, nonperishable food, first aid, pocket knife, map and phone charger accessible.
- Shovel, sand or cat litter, booster cables and tow or traction equipment secured.
- Vehicle-compatible chains carried only if permitted, with installation practiced.
- Extra time allowed for ice, reduced visibility, traffic and plow operations.
Road conditions can change well before a forecast or packing guide is updated. Check the live state information again immediately before departure, and postpone the drive if the current conditions or your equipment are not adequate for the trip.
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