Heavy snow blankets the Sierra ahead of Martin Luther King Jr. Day
SIERRA — Ahead of Martin Luther King Jr. Day on Monday, it's been a weekend packed with fun and traffic delays.
The snow snarled traffic left and right but delivered on the slopes, like at Boreal.
"Oh, there's a good amount of snow. A good amount," said snowboarder Hayden Item.
Since Friday, the Sierra has seen steady traffic delays up and down I-80 and Hwy. 50, chain controls, and standstill traffic due to spin-outs and whiteout conditions.
"The traffic's bad, road closures, yeah, it's not good out here," said Hulleman.
Some opted to cut the long weekend short, hoping to hit the interstate before too much snow covered the road.
Multiple travelers in Nyack came to play in the snow but planned for an early departure.
"We are definitely leaving soon before it gets any heavier than this," said Sydney Lavenda.
"We hope to avoid any traffic on the way down," said Ashley Welton.
But it was fun while it lasted. Kids and their parents took to sledding hills at the Nyack truck stop, building snowmen and dodging snowballs. The winter wonderland offers a pristine playground.
"It's perfect for the little ones," said Lavenda alongside her two young children.
"We were going really far out where it was super powdery, and I was just jumping in," said Arthur Ghaly, one of the many children filled with excitement.
As Hwy. 50 and I-80 remain covered in snow in the high country, snow plows work 24/7 to keep up before the next round of storms moves in Sunday night into Monday.
The busiest travel weekend for the Sierra comes to a peak, with most travelers heading home Monday. So it's a reminder to prepare for delays, pack food and water for trips home, have a full tank of gas, and bring chains.ng chains.