AWD:
This feature held the road like it was glued to it. I never saw the RPM gauge race with excess RPMs. Every bit of touque was delivered to the wheels seemlessly. Around corners, uphill and downhill, it seem to track on its own.

Breaking:
Nothing but straight line braking. I even used the breaks, gingerly in turns. Never even got close to other cars or swayed from the direction the vehicle was tracking.

Descent Control System:
I guess it worked. I went down hill pointing in the proper direction. The front in front and the rear in back.

Xenon Lights:
Xenon, Xenon, Xenon. This option is a god saving miracle. GET IT!!!!!

19" wheels:
Michelon 4X4 Diamaris 285/45 R19. These are not mud and snow rated, but you could have fooled me. Perhaps the 5000 lb vehicle weight helps keep these wide tires firmly planted.

Windshield Wiper/Defrosters:
My only bitch. Ice froze on the wipers leaving a good part of my visabilty obscured with frozen water on the windshield. The climate control system defroster would not heat the windshield enough to melt the ice on the windshield nor the defroster. The washer sprayers were buried under 2 inches of show and ice on the hood, and would not deliver the juice. It was not safe for me to stop the vehicle, get out and rattle the ice off from the wipers.(This was the 1st time in 3 1/2 months that I've driven the X5 in inclement weather. It was a tough decission to turn on the wipers. Finally I caved. I may have waited too long, thus my problem.)

Engine/Trans/Drivetrain:
All of these vital components seemed tuned for adverse conditions, except off-roading. My previous car, a 4Runner was a pig on the freeway , but would not get stuck. I though I gave this up. However the gearing ratio and power delivery seemed well tuned in the X5. I hope this is not lost on the 4.6 when available. Also, I used the economical Automatic feature of the Steptronic. Never went into Sport of Manual modes.

Milage:
about 9.13 MPG. For this trip gas milage wasn't in the equation.

Effects of Elevation:
None noticed. Carberation seemed normal.

Disclaimer:
After reading this append I would not expect anyone to drive in conditions that they are not thoroughly familar with. Driving in mountainious areas under winter conditions can be very perilous.

Vehicle Information:
2001 X5 4.4 Sports Package with 19" tires, no snow chains.

Route:
California Highway 50 from Sacramento to South Lake Tahoe via Echo Summit, elev: 7,300 ft.
The pass begins 10 miles east of Placerville roughly 3,000 feet to 7,300 ft. in 68 miles. Approxamately 20 miles east of Placerville the route narrows to one lane per direction with no center barrier. The pass offers upgrades, downgrades, and several 90 to 45 degree switch backs.

Date:
Friday through Sunday 2/9-2/11

Conditions:
2" packed snow and ice with 4-6 inches of new snow fall. Winds blowing from Northeast with 20 - 30 MPH gusts. Left Placerville at 18:30 and completed the summit run by 21:30. Nightime driving with visibility reduced to 25 yards, and times near zero due to wind gusts and minor avalanche falls. Total 24 hour snow fall was 12 - 27 inches. Observed several vehicles, including tour busses and tractor trailers that had veered off into roadside ravines. This was at a point called two bridges, where the road is quite simply dowelled to the granite cliff. At three occasions the tree limbs overhanging the road dropped large powder bombs unto the vehicle in front of me. This results in 0 visibility, I couldn't see the road, the vehicle in front, nor his brake lights. I even had two drop on my X5. My maximum speed was 25MPH. Drivers that began thier summit runs from Placerville and started after 21:00, it took them 9 hours to travel the 68 miles. By 05:00 they shut the whole road down for avalanche control. Upon return on Sunday, with simular conditions except daylight, speed was 45MPH.

Chain Controls:
I was cleared through 4 chain control checkpoints. CalTrans was limiting traffic to chains or 4X4 with snow tires. I guess they haven't heard about the X5 19" tires yet, cause they looked and just waved me through. I wonder if they think the 4.4 emblem on the front fender means 4X4.