Snoqualmie Pass snowfall challenges drivers Sunday
SNOQUALMIE PASS, Wash. - The snow falling around Snoqualmie Pass made for slippery travel conditions Sunday.
At the Traveler's Rest stop off I-90, DeAnna Reynolds got to work shoveling early Sunday afternoon. She cleared a path for weary travelers who stopped on their way through Snoqualmie Pass.
"There was 8 inches of snow on the ground this morning," said DeAnna Reynolds, a rest area worker. "It was fairly light and fluffy."
Later in the day, she said conditions changed.
"I need to make sure I take smaller shovelfuls of the wet stuff, it’s so much heavier," she said.
DeAnna says that it's not so much the amount of snow, but the speed at which it's falling.
"It’s just coming down so fast, it’s hard to see," she said. "That’s my biggest complaint. But, I just take it slow and get here in one piece."
A group of 10, made up of family and friends, stopped to take pictures near the summit and take it all in.
"It’s the first time I saw snow, and it was amazing to me," said Angellica Maza, traveling from Mexico.
Angellica and her family members live near Mexico City where she says snowfall is rare.
"It’s like I was dreaming or something like that," said Angellica.
"It’s a dream. I’m happy and grateful for that experience," said Dulce Maza.
Christian Ruiz, from Chicago, was also driving over the pass. He said that while he's used to snow, he said driving the pass was a new experience.
"It’s much flatter than it is here. So, going up and down is something new," he said. "Up until now it’s been okay, but there’s been a little more snowfall, but we’ll see on our way to Leavenworth."
Christian says, fortunately, he had an all-wheel drive vehicle.
"When we rented one of the trucks. It was advised it would be snowing, but we didn’t expect it to be this much," he said.
We also caught up with Jess Leon, who was traveling to the Grand Canyon.
"We got into the slow lane and slowed down, and then a snow plow went past us," Jess said. "We just slipped right in behind that and that made it easier."
Jess said she was traveling from her home on Whidbey Island, along with her dog Snowball, when she ran into slick conditions.
"Whidbey was just a little drizzle, and it was fine. We did the 405 and it was fine. Then, just down the road from here, and then it got real thick."
While Jess does her best to navigate the roads, she says Snowball is taking it all in stride.
"Snowball was just born into the snow. When he runs around he becomes an actual snowball," Jess said.
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