Record snowfall closes mountain roads, strands dozens with Caltrans, CHP on scene
Record breaking snowfall last week brought the California Highway Patrol to closing many of the surrounding mountain highways while Caltrans crews worked feverishly to clear the highways.The snowfall that was seen as low as in suburban Hemet, Menifee, Murrieta and Temecula also created highway traffic hazards not usually occurring in the valleys. Some of the record-breaking heavy snow was up to the rooftops of homes in Big Bear, Wrightwood and Arrowhead, causing their occupants to call for help through the week as food and other supplies were running low.The heavy snowfall brought many of the Caltrans crews to halt their work on local state highways and freeways to lend a hand to the stranded mountain residents and clear the highways. A snow avalanche was seen atop Mt. San Jacinto