The fresh powder was a welcome change from recent conditions.
SODA SPRINGS, Calif. — The Sierra is back open for business after a powerful storm dumped feet of snow and forced widespread closures across the region.
After days of closed roads and ski resorts, conditions have improved just in time for a busy weekend in the mountains. On Interstate 80, the scene looked very different from earlier in the week, with snowbanks stacked high along the shoulder and traffic moving again. Families wasted no time heading up.
At Donner Summit Snow Park, visitors were greeted with deep snow and clear skies.
“It’s perfect.” said Tony Lorenz, who was visiting from Napa. “There’s a lot of snow.”
On the slopes at Boreal Mountain Resort, drivers said the trip was worth the wait.
“Yeah it was worth it, it was an hour and a half drive for us,” said Mark Murza of Lincoln.
“It wasn’t great while it was going because you couldn’t get up here, but now that it’s after it’s pretty nice,” said Samuel Zakharchuk of Sacramento.
The fresh powder was a welcome change from recent conditions.
“Last week, it was pretty Icy, you fall on your butt and that hurts. There is a lot of powder now, if you fall, you don’t feel anything,” said David Tkachuk of Sacramento.
“I did a backflip today,” said Alex Blyshchyk of Sacramento. “You land on your head, you can’t feel it. You won’t get hurt,” Blyshchyk explains it was easier to do a backflip in the fresh powder.
While visitors played in the snow, some locals were still digging out.
“This is just straight four days of snow,” said Dylan Jolley, an employee at Boreal Mountain Resort.
Jolley, who is from Auburn, and Fuzz Fox of Rancho Cordova both work at Boreal and live nearby. They were digging out Jolley’s car after the storm.
“The only thing I should have done is put my windshield wipers up,” said Jolley. “Well, I am have to do this again. This is going to suck dude.”
Fox offered advice to others for the next storm.
“When it’s coming down hard, it’s just better to stay home and wait for it to not be coming down hard so that you can go down the mountain hard,” Jolley said.
Roads remain clear heading into the weekend, but those traveling to the Sierra are advised to come prepared.