Nokian has started to list a Hakkapeliitta LT in 265/70-17 for a fall intro. It's one of their studdable winter tires, with a decently siped directional tread. It's listed as having a load index of 118, which I guess will make it a load range D, although possibly an E.

The Nokian and the Cooper Discoverer ST are the only studded 17in load range D or E tires that I've seen so far.

 

now if they'd make it in 285/70/17 i'd get some of them for winter. my pop has them in 265/75/16 on his chevy 1/2ton for winter. good grip with no studs

 

I had the Nokian studless on a Subaru Outback a few years ago - those tires blew away the Firestone's in both summer and winter. If they made them for my truck, I'd own them in a heartbeat...that thing was a tank in the snow.

 

Studless tires do as well as studded tires on ice when it's real cold, but don't do much better than all season tires when it gets close to freezing, especially on a grade. I've seen the BFG A/T on a 4wd Jeep, which has a severe snow rating, stall and start sliding backwards in front of my house on ice. My Michelin Arctic Alpins, decent studless snow tires, still break loose kind of easily on ice close to freezing. I never had problems with studded tires on a Honda Civic, except in deep slushy snow.

I'm leaning towards the Nokians but would prefer a bit more voiding for deeper snow.

http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/winter/studtire/default.htm