MTFCA Forum

Photo dated 1911, place: Donner Pass. Apparently this party felt the need for some serious improvement in traction. That's a heavy rope !

neat photo!

given the elderly age of the car and the more modern (?) clothing, I wonder if it was to keep rims on old fellos? Probably not, but I do think the car has some age on it in the photo.

That is the coolest photo!
The license would be a special plate. I've seen a '13 like that. They didn't officially issue plates until 1914 but passed a law requiring registration in 1905.
The rope is heavy! That OD would take more torque to turn. I would think more space between winds would work better but they look like they've done it before.
It would be fun to know more of the story.
Thanks
Rich

The first year for California state issued license plates was 1914. So this "home-made" plate could be as late as 1913.
The front fender (narrow style) and rear fender "butterfly" brackets indicate the car to be a 1910. So the car could be about three years old.

Trans-Sierra?

Looks like they pulled the springs tight with some straps around the axle to.
Bryant

I found this photo that shows a bit more of the car, seat etc. It says "...Arthur Foote and crew wrapping a large rope around the tires during the annual Tahoe Tavern Challenge. The "challenge" was to see who would be the first across the Summit in Spring. The event ended at the Tahoe Tavern in Tahoe City... Arthur and his team won the three-foot-tall silver trophy."
and "Arthur Foote was the mining engineer in charge of the Northstar mine in Grass Valley and is the subject of the Pulitzer Prize winning book ‘the Angle of Repose’ by Wallace Stegner."
https://twitter.com/pitsenberger
Rich

It's great to get "the rest of the story" ! So Arthur WAS especially accomplished at "roping" wheels for traction!