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Volume 172 • Issue 11 | $1.00
mtdemocrat.com
Monday, January 30, 2023
Sierra snowpack climbing to peak levels Odin Rasco Staff writer Following the series of storms that slammed into the Sierra this month, the Lake Tahoe Basin may be poised to break snowfall records for the winter. Though exact snowfall numbers will vary across the basin depending on storm patterns, a Jan. 19 social media post from the UC Berkeley Central Sierra Snow Lab states that 175 inches of snow has fallen since the start of the month. The CSSL, located at Donner Pass, also reports that 356.5 inches of snow Photo courtesy of Caltrans has fallen since Oct. 1, only .5 inches short of Caltrans District 3 crews clear snow from Highway 89 near Emerald Bay. The the average snowfall for the season. With the snowfall season only 39% of the highway reopened as of Thursday night, according to Caltrans officials.
way through, the snowfall numbers for this year are impressive but not near what you’ll see at the end of particularly snowy seasons. Jeff Anderson, a hydrologist who monitors precipitation data for the USDA, is impressed by the amount of snow that has already fallen. “We’re at record territory for this time of the winter, not compared to the end of the biggest winters, but we’re definitely on the trajectory if the storms continue to register one of the biggest winters ever,” Anderson said. When measuring snowpack levels, water content within the snow is the main measurement used. Rain that falls onto the n
See Snowpack, page A6
Snow is big business for Lake Tahoe Miranda Jacobson Tahoe Daily Tribune
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Lift lines are long and businesses are reaping the benefits of abundant snowfall at Lake Tahoe. With plenty of snow in the basin resorts are seeing tons of skiers and riders while dealing head-on with difficulties. Palisades Tahoe is reporting great business and is trying to push people to come up midweek in order to avoid long lines and delayed wait times. “Now that the storms have kind of calmed down, people are able to get up here,” said Palisades PR Manager Patrick Lacey. “We really want to push people to be skiing midweek. Take a sick day here and there, because obviously, parking can be an issue here… or, if they do come on the weekend, come early and stay late. Stay in the Village, come early,
grab breakfast here, you know, you’re going to have a much more enjoyable day if you do that.” Heavenly Mountain Resort Director of Communications Sara Roston reported that Vail Resorts staff is working tirelessly to bring a great experience to every guest on the mountain, while they faced challenges throughout the heavy snowfall periods. “The Heavenly team has been working day and night to recover from the challenges caused by the weather,” said Roston. “In particular, we experienced a power outage on the Nevada side of the mountain, which created some unusual operational difficulties this holiday period.” The outage took out three lifts, leaving California Main Lodge as the only access point throughout the holiday weekend and led to massive traffic and parking issues, the Tahoe Daily Tribune previously reported. Fortunately power was restored and services continued on the mountain. The number of people visiting the basin comes in waves and depends on the weather and advisories from agencies around the Tahoe Basin. “When a storm is coming most travelers have heeded the advice of Caltrans, (Nevada Department n
See Snow business, page A5
Mountain Democrat photo by Eric Jaramishian
The El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office public safety facility at 200 Industrial Drive in Placerville opened in 2019.
EDSO headquarters to be named for D’Agostini Eric Jaramishian Staff writer
T
he El Dorado County Sheriff ’s Office headquarters will be named in honor of the former
Sheriff John D’Agostini and his 28 years of law enforcement service. District 2 Supervisor George Turnboo brought the discussion of naming the facility the Sheriff John D’Agostini Public
Safety Facility to the Board of Supervisors meeting Jan. 24, which proved to be split in reception among county leaders. The vote to rename the $68 n
See edso headquarters, page A3
Elections office to move Noel Stack Managing editor The El Dorado County Board of Supervisors approved the purchase of an office building in Shingle Springs as part of the county’s Facilities Capital Workplan. The supervisors unanimously approved a $6 million transfer from the Capital Designation Fund to the Accumulative Capital Outlay Fund as part of the Jan. 24 consent calendar. The funds cover the building’s purchase and tentative improvements needed. The Carlton Building at 3883 Ponderosa Road currently houses Child Support Services and, once a remodel is complete, will be the Elections Department’s new home, thereby freeing up space in the El Dorado County Government Center’s Building C basement in Placerville (where Elections currently resides) for a new juvenile court facility. Juvenile court is being moved out of its current
Mountain Democrat photo by Eric Jaramishian
The Carlton Building at 3883 Ponderosa Road, which currently houses Child Supper Services, is set to become the El Dorado County Elections Department’s new home once remodeling is complete. space at 299 Fair Lane in Placerville to make room for the county’s temporary homeless navigation center, which is now expected to open some time next month.
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