Some I-80 Drivers Caught In Snow Due To Weather Conditions
KINGVALE (CBS13) — As rain continued to hit the valley, some drivers were caught by surprise up in the foothills.
One family was all loaded up in a new car, ready for a new experience on their way to Idaho. Sophia Fellman and her crew from the Bay Area decided to bail on chain installation.
Chain Controls were still in place along I-80 and Highway 50 in the Sierra Thursday evening.
"This is my first time even getting chains on the car, so def going to have somebody else do it," she said.
And they weren't alone.
"You just don't want to do this. No, too difficult to do it. That's why," Juan Lopez said.
Lopez and his family were on their way from Santa Rosa to Reno to see his wife's sister when snow started to fall at a furious pace.
Some in their car weren't prepared.
"I am not a snow person," one driver said. "I grew up in the city. I hate the snow."
That's not a mistake to make during this Christmas storm, according to veteran chain installer Chris Lotito.
"Make sure you have chains, [definitely] have a full tank of gas, make sure you have a blanket, something to stay warm in case the road closes, and bring some food or water with you because it's going to be about a 6-7 hour trip," Lotito said.
If you want to play in the snow, you're going to have to pay, especially if you're a big rig driver and you left your chains back in the garage.
It's a cost early on that Fellman says will pay off as they hit more snow along the way.