Pulling a Trailer on Ice / Snow

[jlandry@domain.elided (John A. Landry)]

Hey Gang,

Does anyone on the Digest have any experience pulling a loaded travel trailer
on ice and snow?  If so, can you share any tips with me?

I'm leaving Saturday morning on a hunting trip pulling an 18 foot tandem axle
travel trailer... possibly over stretches of icy and snow packed roads.  The
trailer has new radial tires and electric brakes on only the front axle.  I'll
be pulling it with my Traveler and have chains if needed (never have yet).

I feel comfortable with my driving abilities on ice and snow in my Traveler,
but I've simply never tried it before when pulling a trailer.  I assume the
biggest danger (after I get moving) is stopping.  Obviously I'll allow for
*huge* stopping distances and will drive at low speeds when on ice.

But some questions that come to mind... 

1. What causes a trailer to jack knife?  Is it the tow vehicle stopping faster
than the trailer and then being pushed sideways by the trailer?

2. What do you do when you start to jack knife... ease off the brakes (if you
can) and turn into the skid like without a trailer?

3. What happens if the tires on the front trailer axle lock up?  The rear axle
is free to turn (no brakes) so won't that assist in preventing skidding of the
trailer?

Thanks in advance,

John
-------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
jlandry AT halcyon DOT com       |"If I could have gotten 51 votes in the
Conservative Libertarian         |Senate...for an outright ban, picking up
Life Member of the NRA           |every one of them, Mr. and Mrs. America
WA Arms Collectors               |turn them all in, I would have done it."
Commercial Helicopter - Inst.    | - Senator Feinstein on banning firearms
http://www.halcyon.com/jlandry/  |   in America, CBS's 60 Minutes in 1995