Visitors Descend On Wrightwood After Snowstorm

WRIGHTWOOD (CBSLA.com) – Residents in the San Bernardino mountain community of Wrightwood say they are experiencing one of the biggest snowstorms they've seen in the least three years.

State Route 2 was backed up for miles Monday as families rushed to Wrightwood to get a taste of winter.

"It (the traffic) was nasty," Efrain Manriquez of Palmdale said. "We were stuck for a while, but we made it here."

Small business owners told KCAL 9's Tina Patel they were glad traffic did not stop people from coming up and enjoying their town. They said there is no business like snow business.

"It's been awesome, awesome," said Monica Bechthold with the Evergreen Café. "The snow, it came down in powder. We haven't had snow like this in years."

Michael Ramirez and his siblings don't get to play in snow like this. Their father, Miguel Ramirez, knew he had to make the drive from Norwalk when he learned about the fresh powder.

"It's awesome, it's a white Christmas," Ramirez said. "Only in California can you do this, go to the beach, go to the desert, and go to the snow."

The Mountain High Resort was so crowded that it was forced to stop ticket sales for a few hours Monday afternoon. The resort reported 12 to 16 inches of new snow Saturday and Sunday.

The roads leading up to Wrightwood were clear and dry Monday, but it is important to carry chains with you regardless in case conditions change.