General Conditions

The past week has been warm and sunny with high temperatures in the 80s and overnight lows ranging from the mid-40s to near 60°.  Trails are becoming dusty and most wildflowers are well past their prime.  But it’s good weather to be outside and visibility has been excellent.  PurpleAir air quality index is in single digits around the Summit, and visibility is 10+ miles.  Protect yourself against sun by wearing a hat and glasses; and use sun block.

For weather details, visit the Central Sierra Snow Laboratory web site (https://cssl.berkeley.edu); click on the “Weather Condition Plots” and select “week”.   It takes a couple minutes for the data to load; be patient.  Webcams at Sugar Bowl (http://www.sugarbowl.com/home) and Donner Ski Ranch (http://webcams.donnerskiranch.com/) provide an up-to-the-minute views of current conditions.

Wildfire: The seasonal campfire ban has been in effect since late June.  No open fires — including campfires, charcoal grills, etc.  Gas grills are OK.  Truckee Fire and Tahoe National Forest have returned their fire danger levels to “high”.   Be careful.  Find more information at https://www.truckeefire.org/fireban

Sunrise/Sunset: Today’s (August 14) sunrise was at 6:13 AM; sunset will be at 7:57 PM.  Sunrise drifted later by 6 minutes compared to a week ago. Sunset has drifted earlier by about 9 minutes. The days are getting shorter now by more than 2 minutes per day.

Star Gazing: The Moon was full last weekend; now it’s approaching last quarter, so scattered moonlight only affects stargazing in the early morning hours — when you might still catch a shooting star from the annual Perseids meteor shower.   In the evening look for constellations Scorpio to the south (it resembles an anchor) and Sagittarius (a five-pointed star; some imagine a teapot) more toward the southeast.  The Big Dipper is easily visible to the northwest.  Follow the arc of its handle to Arcturus, the only bright star in that part of the sky.  The easiest planet to spot is Venus — very bright  in the east at 4-5 AM.  With good viewing, you’ll be able to see Jupiter before sunrise in the east.

Forecast

Today’s high temperature will be in the mid-70s, tomorrow’s will be a couple degrees cooler.  Then we have a summer cold front for the weekend with highs Saturday-Monday only in the upper 60s.  There could be an overnight low under 40°.  Watch for afternoon cloud buildup and possible showers (5% Sunday).  As next week gets into full gear, expect midday temperature to rise again; by this time next week, highs will be back near 80° before dropping back to 70° in two weeks (August 28).

Summit Calendar

August 16 (Saturday) Noon – 3 PM: Tri-tip BBQ at the Soda Springs General Store from noon until supplies run out.  Live. music and wine tasting 1-3 PM.

August 23-24 (Saturday-Sunday): Join the Sacramento Pacific International Trials Society for its Cookie Crumble/Hard Head Trial event at Donner Ski Ranch.  For more information, visit https://www.sactopits.org/event-details/cookie-crumble-hard-head-at-donner-ski-ranch-august-23-24-2025

August 26 – October 15 (approx): Reconstruction of Van Norden Dam Road near Sheep Pens.  Road will be closed for 3 weeks starting about September 8.

September 20 (Saturday): DSA’s annual Summit Fest at Soda Springs Mountain Resort.  A benefit with live music, food, drinks, auctions, and fun.  Details soon.

September 20 (Saturday): South Yuba River Citizens League Annual Yuba River Clean-up.  There will be activities in Van Norden Meadow and at the Castle Peak trailhead.  Find more information at https://www.yubariver.org

October 4 and 5 (Saturday and Sunday): Donner Party Hikes.  Choose from among eight Saturday hikes with a guide who provides historical commentary.   Distances range from 2 to 6 miles.  There will be a Sunday tour at Alder Creek and an exploration at Donner Memorial State Park.  For more information and registration, go to https://donnerpartyhike.com/general-information/

Resorts

Boreal/Woodward (indoors) is open Monday-Friday 1-8 PM and weekends 10 AM – 8 PM.   There are a number of other possibilities ranging from 2-hour sessions to 5-day action camps.  Check https://www.rideboreal.com

Sugar Bowl winter operations are closed for the season.  For summer activities, check  https://www.sugarbowl.com.  Sugar Bowl is making major upgrades to its main lodge.  For a 3-minute video about the project, go to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zL7imGrXCt0

Donner Ski Ranch is closed for the season.   DSR’s Old 40 Bar and Grill is open daily 8 AM – 9 PM. Disk golf is also open at DSR.  Check the DSR web site at https://www.donnerskiranch.com

Auburn Ski Club is closed for the season.   Check their web site — https://www.asctrainingcenter.org — for more information.

Soda Springs Mountain Resort is closed for the season.  For more information, visit https://www.skisodasprings.com/

Royal Gorge brings back its Summer Après Series —bigger, tastier, and more vibrant than ever.  Join Fridays (plus a few select Saturdays) at Summit Station for golden-hour mountain views, seasonal eats, craft cocktails, and live music. Après runs 3-9 PM, with music 6-8 PM.  Go to https://www.royalgorge.com/home for more information.

Kingvale Resort (on the south side of I-80 at exit 171) is closed for the season.

Other Activities

If you’re looking for things to do in the foothills and mountains, Nevada County has some suggestions.  These are spread more broadly but some specifically include the Summit area.  Some link to other parts of this web site.

https://gonevadacounty.com/ways-to-beat-heat-that-arent-swimming/ (like ice cream)

Roads

I-80: The forecast is generally favorable for the next two weeks, but be alert to construction and lane closures.  There are at least three possible choke points eastbound — Crystal Springs to Drum Forebay, at the I-80/CA20 split, and between Rainbow Road and Soda Springs.  You can avoid the third by exiting at Cisco Grove and driving at a more leisurely pace on Hampshire Rocks Road, which parallels the freeway on the north side.   Continue onto Donner Pass Road all the way to Truckee.  Note that several ramps between Gold Run and Donner Summit are closed while being reconstructed.  Plan ahead by following CalTrans road reports at https://roads.dot.ca.gov.

General: Paved secondary roads around the Summit should be open but be prepared for repair work and occasional delays.  Forestry along Soda Springs Road between the railroad tracks and Serene Lakes is scheduled, but the impact on travel is not yet clear.  Off-highway vehicle routes (unpaved) are mostly open, but watch for pot holes, rocks, and ruts.  Forest Road 85 north from Cisco Grove is closed (for several years) while the Lake Fordyce Dam Seepage Mitigation Project is completed.