mrchad9, would that be ALWAYS, usually, or sometimes that your experience would hold true? I have seen it completely closed more than once. Are you just trolling now for more fun?
It is pretty fun, but I think I gotta say Out and Over for awhile after this post.
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Yep, Chief, I-5 complete closure, or extremely long chain control checks due to snow/ice/crashes in both directions, happens most winters there, sometimes starting at Redding, at about 500 feet elevation.
So, then the people who feel like they have to get somewhere try to take the mountain highways to get around the controls (less enforcement on those highways), taking them to higher elevations, and more severe curves + grades.
...then this sort of situation happens, and the CHP + CalTrans + tow trucks risk themselves to get people out of being stuck for hours/days, in a storm, unprepared:
more than 40 big rigs and cars stuck on Highway 299 near Round Mountain.
http://www.redding.com/news/2012/jan/19/wet-weather-woes/.
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I'm not surprised, but I heard that the closure date for Tioga Pass this winter was one for the record books, and that HWY 120 coming into Yosemite from the west was closed for a period due to rocks/debris recently. Luckily for me, HWY 140 (the all weather route) is the fastest way to get there anyway (was not fun when that was completely closed for awhile).
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BTW, if anyone really cares, is inexperienced with Yosemite in winter, and still want to read more, there is this thread with some tips, rumors, and stories:
http://www.yosemite.ca.us/forum/viewtopic.php?t=59
Posted: Fri Jan 27, 2012 8:46 pm
