[sandworm101]

It is not folklore. Take it from someone who lives in the actual north. My car doesnt see bare pavement for months. A two wheel drive car, with snow tires, will run rings around a 4x4 with summer tires. Chains are great, but have speed and distance limitations. We drive at 50mph/80kph on snow, on highways even faster. (Drive on snow every day and you get used to it.) No chain set will last long at such speeds. They are tools for short term issues like getting through a mountain pass.

A less understood aspect of snow tires is their flexibility in cold. A summer tire will stiffen up below -30. Park it overnight and it will have a flat spot the next morning. It will bounce the car until enough heat builds up in the tire for it to soften. The higher silicon content of proper winter tires prevents this.

This type of driving, except whitehorse is much warmer than where i am (our rivers/lakes remain frozen): https://youtu.be/a_hmPxBUZvc