Highway 89 Closed Near Truckee Due to Avalanche
The road closures throughout the Sierra have put Holiday travelers in a standstill with more than a 100 inches of snow falling on the region this week. Now, Highway 89 between Truckee and Tahoe City is closed due to a large avalanche that fell on the road. According to reports, no one was injured in the event.
The avalanche occurred at 6:45 a.m. Monday near Palisades Tahoe. Promptly afterwards, the ski resort announced it would close for the day with limited entry available into the mountain.
“For safety reasons, we will not be open for skiing/riding today,†resort officials posted on Twitter. “Thank you for your understanding.â€
Videos show locals searching the avalanche area to make sure no one was stuck under the snow:
State Route 89 is closed from Tahoe City to Squaw Valley Road due to an avalanche, Caltrans says. No injuries are reported. Viewer Alexandra Oetzell sent us this video. pic.twitter.com/M9c5AGbvg1
— kcranews (@kcranews) December 27, 2021
The avalanche was no surprise as Sierra Avalanche Center in Truckee had warned of significant avalanche danger during the large series of storms.
“Heavy snowfall and extremely strong winds have created unstable avalanche conditions in the mountains,†the center warned. “Large natural avalanches and human-triggered avalanches are expected.â€
The closure of Highway 89 adds to the long list of roads closures surrounding the Tahoe Basin. Interstate 80, Highway 88 and U.S. Route 50 remain closed, making it impossible to travel into Tahoe from California. Many backroads also remain closed during the storm.
‼ï¸ATTENTIONâ€¼ï¸ We are asking anyone and everyone to please stay home today. I-80 closed in BOTH directions at Applegate due to trees down. Foresthill Rd remains closed and anything off that rd is unplowed. @cawx #snow #PlacerCounty #PCSO pic.twitter.com/eBQjbzrM5X
— Placer Sheriff (@PlacerSheriff) December 27, 2021
The new overnight snow made this month the snowiest December on record with 193.7 inches, surpassing the previous record of 179 inches in 1970. With more snow in the forecast, that new record could surpass 200 inches.
