Mountain communities warn visitors of conditions
UPDATE 2/6/18 – 12:08 p.m. – Indian Canyon Drive has reopened, according to the Palm Springs Police Department.
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ORIGINAL STORY
Some people in the local mountain communities, near Idyllwild, are looking forward to getting snow out of the third storm to hit the Inland Empire and are warning visitors to come prepared.
“We’ve gone out just to rescue people, because we know sometimes people will get stranded in the snow,” said Phyllis Mueller, the Chief of Staff for the Mayor of Idyllwild.
She’s reminding visitors to bring chains for the drive up the mountain, in the event roads become iced over or snow accumulates on the roadways.
“Don’t feel pressured to drive fast. When you got a snow condition, just go really slowly, and if you feel like your holding up traffic cause you got five cars behind you, then just pullover,” said Mueller.
Other idyllwild locals are warning travelers of the dangers associated with black ice.
“The roads can be treacherous. If it’s freezing, you won’t see the ice on the road and it’s probably not a good idea to drive up unless you have four wheel drive or chains,” said Holly Parsons of Idyllwild.
Some people are advising visitors to play with snow at Humber Park in Idyllwild or Thousand Trails in Pine Cove.
“If you’re sledding on the side of the road, odds are you’re going to end up on the road and that’s dangerous, so these are safe places,” said Mimi, who works and lives in Idyllwild.
In the Coachella Valley communities on the west side of the desert are seeing the most rainfall from the third storm. Mud and debris accumulating at N. Indian Canyon at the wash has been closed for three days in a row, causing longer commutes for some drivers.
“So I have to go down to the next off ramp. I had to do that twice today and then make my way back,” said Allan Valenscia of Morongo Valley.
Recent wet and windy road conditions are dangerous for some drivers.
“People don’t slow down. I almost got hit a couple times today. They (drivers) just cut over, you know, and it’s worse in the rain, So you’ll have the ones that do go slower and the ones that go faster,” said Ted Yates of Desert Hot Springs.
According to AAA, bad weather is a factor in at least 2,000 fatal crashes each winter season across the United States.
