It gets icy. Any good mtb bike tire works for snow until the snow is too deep. Studs are for ice. Period. Icy ice or snow on ice if the stud can bite the ice. Once it's icy the studs are the only safe way to ride. I have a Pugsley for snow trails and a bike with Nokia 294's for icy roads. A few inches of snow on slippery ice is something that neither tire works for. The studs won't bite into the ice and the snow can slip over the ice. You can still ride on it but stopping and turning has to be very, very careful. Bottom line is studs for any ice.