“It’s serious weather, but when it’s wet and then it gets cold, you got ice instead of snow. I’d rather be on snow.”
NORDEN, Calif. — It’s only mid-October, but parts of the Sierra are already seeing the first snow of the season.
Light rain in the valley turned into dark clouds and snow over the Sierra Monday evening. The California Highway Patrol in Truckee shared photos showing a light dusting near Donner Summit, just enough to cause a vehicle to slide into a ditch.
Truck driver Jonathan Shelton said he and his crew had just finished tearing down the Breakaway Music Festival in Sacramento and were trying to make it to Reno before the storm intensified.
“We are trying to make it to Reno before that,” Shelton said. “Got 39,000 pounds. I need to get to the bottom of the mountain.”
Shelton said he’s used to tough weather but prefers snow over ice.
“It’s serious weather, but when it’s wet and then it gets cold, you got ice instead of snow,” he said. “I’d rather be on snow.”
While some drivers hustled to get ahead of the storm, others took the early snowfall in stride.
“I like it, just don’t like driving in it,” said Ivan Vera, who was traveling through the Sierra with his wife. and kids.
“(Sierra) Nevada plays by her own rules,” his wife added. “She doesn’t follow whatever the forecast says. She just likes to do whatever she wants to do. And we just got to roll with it.”
Truck driver Raymond Remo said after nearly two decades on the road, he’s learned to respect Sierra weather.
“It’s going to get worse, but it’s nice. Good view,” Remo said. “Just drive safe, take it slow. The roads will get slick.”
Caltrans officials said crews are on standby for whatever Mother Nature brings. They are on a 24-hour watch, but some seasonal employees are still in training, so help has been brought in from the valley to handle the storm.
For some, the snowfall is a welcome sign of what’s to come.
“Cool to see some snow up high for sure,” said Reno resident and skier Jeremy Thom. “Definitely excited for the winter to come. It’d be awesome to maybe get a bit more — see some resorts open early would be super sick.”
Drivers are reminded to expect chain controls and slick conditions as more snow moves through the Sierra this week.