Third Winter Storm In Three Weeks On Its Way To Sierra
POLLOCK PINES (CBS13) — Another winter storm is on the way and they are running out of places to put the snow in Pollock Pines. It's fun to play in but becomes work living in it, especially with a third storm coming in less than two weeks.
"It's like ice cream," said 73-year-old Ralph Ahles as he shoveled snow off his neighbor's roof
"He just had a triple bypass a year ago and I told him, 'Don't come out here to shovel. Let the old man do it,'" he said.
Ahles is watching his neighbor's place while they are away. He's helping out by shoveling and even feeding his tropical goldfish.
He's also watching the weather.
"It's never snowed like this. Even when I was in Minnesota it didn't snow like this," Ahles said.
The Pollock Pines area has seen five feet of snow in seven days. And more is on the way.
Sgt. Moke Auwae with the El Dorado County Sheriff's deputy said the snow they've had is light so rain may not melt it away right away. In fact, the snow may hold water and become very heavy.
"I am kinda concerned about the weight of that-especially over this part of the house because it's open beam and it might collapse," Ahles said.
Terry Burke is already seeing the damage that much snow can do.
"You see that column there, it started to snap, so I had to buttress it on my porch," Burke said.
He was out checking his property, including his propane tanks, as crews cleared roads all across the area. Trees are toppling like dominoes because of the weight of the snow, which has caused tens of thousands to be in the dark, some for as long as a week.
READ ALSO: Thousands Still Without Power In El Dorado County Ahead Of Next Storms
Burke has put up with it for two decades, but the process of prepping wears thin.
"If we get a lot more snow and a lot more rain, we'll be moving down the hill to you," Burke said.
Ahles agreed as he shoveled.
"My property does not have a big transmission line. I am only one house and if that goes down it may be weeks before they get in here," Ahles said.