'Everything Is Closed At One Point Or Another': Heavy Snow Makes A Mess Of Sierra Highways
DONNER SUMMIT (CBS13) -- Sierra snow has shut down Interstate 80 from Colfax to the Nevada State Line, prompting mile-long delays.
It took a half a dozen men to try and get one driver out of the snow
"That's my bad luck," said the driver.
A California Highway Patrol officer manned steering wheel to help get him out of harm's way, only to inform him that I-80 was shut down.
"I was behind him and he got stuck and I decided to help him, and so I get stuck too," said a man who was helping push the car on the Applegate Boulevard offramp.
Near-whiteout conditions made it difficult to even take a detour.
One tractor-trailer got stuck on the offramp while trying to turn around. A crew of guys from Vallejo who were trying to head up the slopes decided to chill.
"If they can't get through, we're definitely not getting through!" one said.
After seeing others trying to pull around on the shoulder, only to get stuck, a man working for a truck driving company had to put it in park.
"Because there is an ice lip and I dropped off the side of it. And now I'm stuck until I can get a pull-out," he said.
A tow truck driver was called in on his day off to help the stranded big rig.
"I am just letting everybody know [that] if they don't come prepared, bring your checkbook. It's expensive: $450 per hour, two-hour minimum ... so it will be at least $1,000 - and no different for cars," the tow truck driver said.
To make matters worse, a power outage had a nearby gas station idled.
Tamara Burbridge was on her way back home to Portola after visiting her daughter for Christmas in the Bay.
"We looked up about every route we could possibly find ... everything is closed at one point or another to get where we need to go," Burbridge said.
Locals were prepared with their pup in the back.
"We live right over here. There's trees down all over the road; we had to use a chainsaw to get here," the local said.
They've seen these types of complete closures before.
"It's going to be a long haul for the next three or four day, but we'll have fun. We'll make it," he said.
Travelers were trying to keep it all in perspective.
"Best case scenario, if we can't get through, we just play in the snow for a litle bit and then head home to Vallejo," one man said.