Help with tire good for ice/snow

[EC99SS]

I just sold my 4WD truck and have an '04 quattro A4. I'm in So*Cal and go to the mountains for snowboarding once or twice a week. The mountain roads aren't necessarily covered in snow but more ice (after a good rain spell).

I was curious if anyone can recommend good tires that handle ice and snow fairly well. I make constant trips to Big Bear and Mammoth etc.

Thanks much. I intend to swap these out once summer hits and use summer tires at that time.

Thanks much!

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I did a bunch of research on it and my top 3 picks in order are:

Nokian Hakkapeliitta R or Rsi
Michelin X-Ice2
Blizzak WS-60

If you can run a studded tire then the Nokian Hakkapeliitta 5 is the best on the market.

I ended up getting a set of Nokian Hakkapeliitta Rsi and I noticed the difference in grip immediately compared to my 5 season old Pirelli's when I was driving the same ice and sluch covered roads after our last snowstorm.

[EC99SS]

Awesome. Thanks!

I'll check out those tires!

[Doc@tirerack]

Our "hockey rink" testing had the Bridgestone and Michelin do better in ice traction. Studs can hlep with traction on gravel or unpaved roads however.

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tests/...ay.jsp?ttid=94

[CALL AAA]

Let me throw this into the discussion. I live in San Diego, and I don't ski anywhere as often as EC99SS. I have Capitol Negotiators, and they do pretty well on snow. Although I put my snow tires on in November and take them off "once or twice" might work out to several weeks up in Tahoe. (saves the tread on my summer tires) So I don't really need snow tires, but I'm wondering I could do better than the Capitols, and still not hate the handling the other 99% of the time.
By the way, I'm talking about the S6.
Thanks!