General Conditions

We had showery weather at the end of October, and daytime highs were in the low 40s.  More showers (sometimes mixed with snow) followed on November 3.  Relative humidity has been at or close to 100% for the past week; but precipitation has moved out and temperatures have warmed in the past couple days.  Find more details on the Central Sierra Snow Lab web site at https://cssl.berkeley.edu/.

Purple Air AQI around the Summit is in single digits — excellent air quality.  There are no active wildfires in the area.  USFS has lifted all seasonal fire restrictions, and Truckee Fire rates the fire danger as “low”.

Sunrise/Sunset: Today’s (November 5) sunrise was at 6:33 AM, about 7 minutes later than a week ago.  Sunset will be at 4:55 PM, about 8 minutes earlier than last week.  The days are getting shorter — by about 2-1/2 minutes each day.

Star Gazing: The Moon will be new Sunday (November 8) at 11:02 PM, so the next 7 days will be good for evening stargazing (clouds permitting).  Saturn is the only planet easily visible in the evening ski.  Look for it south of overhead before midnight. Saturn is brighter than most stars, but it doesn’t compare with Venus, Mars, or Jupiter at their brightest.  With a pair of good binoculars, you may be able to make out Saturn’s rings.  Venus passed between Earth and the Sun on October 24; it will become visible as a “morning star” over the next couple weeks.  Jupiter and Mars are already in the morning sky.  The constellation Cassiopeia looks like an upside down “W” slightly northeast of overhead at 10-11 PM.  The Milky Way is a faint band extending from Cassiopeia toward the west.  The Big Dipper is very low to the northwest and oriented just about right to hold water at 10 PM.

Forecast

The next week looks reasonably good — daytime highs in the upper 50s, lows around freezing, and a mix of sun and clouds.  Chances of precipitation are small.  Starting at the end of next week, expect 10° colder and showery weather.  In two weeks highs will be in the upper 30s with snow as likely as rain; but there are no big storms gathering (yet).

Summit News (date unspecific)

Measure T Oversight Committee: Truckee Fire seek two volunteers to fill positions on its Measure T Citizens’ Oversight Committee, which oversees use of Measure T funds.  Applications are due November 6, and terms begin January 1, 2027.  For more details and the application, go to https://form.jotform.com/252864844745066

Cannabis Dispensary: Nevada County’s Board of Supervisors (BoS) approved solicitation of proposals for a cannabis dispensary in the Soda Springs or North San Juan areas at their meeting on October 6.  They then considered amendments to the proposal at their meeting on October 20.  More information, as of October 16, is contained in this memo 261016_cannabis_update.  The cannabis discussion on October 20 is at Item 38 in the BoS agenda, which is linked (indirectly) from the memo.

DSA is Looking for an Administrative Assistant: This person would support the Donner Summit Association Board of Directors in day-to-day operations.  Expected average work load is 10 hours per month.  Pay is $25-40 per hour depending on experience and skills.  For more information see 260725a_duties

Placer County General Plan Update: The General Plan covers many important topics, including where housing and businesses get built, how we travel around Placer County, protecting the natural environment, and providing parks and community services.  Half of Donner Summit is in Placer County.  For more information on update activities visit https://www.placer.ca.gov/10433/General-Plan-2050

Summit Calendar

November 6 (Friday) 5 PM: Application deadline for the Measure T Oversight Committee (see above under “Summit News”).

November 7 (Saturday) 11 AM – 4 PM: The 43rd Annual Truckee Ski & Snowboard Swap takes place at the Community Recreation Center in Truckee.  Admission is free.  There will be a silent auction and volunteer opportunities.  Debit or credit card transactions only.  For more information, including instructions for sellers, go to https://www.tdrpd.org/221/Truckee-Ski-Swap

November 8 (Sunday): Community Celebration Day and Winter Gear Swap at Donner Trail Elementary School — a 2026 substitution for the annual Thanksgiving benefit dinner while Sugar Bowl renovates. Campus tours showcasing student programs and community-funded achievements, local food trucks, family games, and a winter gear swap to prepare for the upcoming snow season.  More info at https://www.sierrasun.com/news/donner-trail-elementary-announces-community-celebration-day-nov-8/

November 13 (7:30-9:00 AM): Manufacturer’s Meet-up in Grass Valley, sponsored by Nevada County’s Economic Resource Council.  Designed for owners, executives, managers, and key team members of Nevada County manufacturing businesses who want to stay informed, address challenges, strengthen connections, and identify opportunities for growth.  For more information, see 261113_manufacturers2

November 15 (Sunday) 5:45 PM – : Screening of the documentary “Standing Dead: Overstocked, Overgrown, Overdue” followed by a panel discussion about the devastating 2020 North Complex Fire (Butte County) and how dense forests and heavy fuels contribute to extreme wildfire behavior.  Doors open at 5:45; screening starts at 6.  Alibi Ale Works, Truckee.  More info at https://alibialeworks.com/events/standing-dead-documentary-panel-discussion/

November 18 (Wednesday) 5:30-7:30 PM: Join the Climate Transformation Alliance for an informative evening exploring the relationships among wildfire risk, climate change, insurance, and community resilience.  Truckee Town Council Chambers and live stream.  For more information and registration, go to https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd8tzbdlyR0fBRCxotkOGu81TbQk1s070dGrIpYyhfxfp36QQ/viewform

November 19 (Thursday) 5-6 PM: DSA’s monthly Board of Directors meeting at the Engel & Volkers office in Truckee.  An agenda (including directions to the location) will be posted a few days before the meeting at  https://www.donnersummitca.com/dsa-meetings-info

December 5 (Saturday) 7-9 PM: Join Cody Townsend for the premiere of his new film Norman’s 13 at Clair Tappaan Lodge.  The film documents Cody’s and Tommy Caldwell’s WINTER traverse of Norman’s 13 — a route that connects twelve 14,000-foot peaks in the Sierra Nevada Range.  All proceeds support JMT Wilderness Conservation work to restore watersheds, wilderness, and wildlife in the High Sierra. Get tickets at  https://givebutter.com/support-the-restoration-of-211-miles-of-trail-o6ejtg or use the QR code in JMT FlyerpdfV2

Resorts

Boreal/Woodward: Woodward Tahoe is open Wednesday-Friday 1-8 PM, Saturdays and Sundays 10 AM – 8 PM; it is closed Monday-Tuesday.  Check https://www.rideboreal.com/explore/community/all-events/  for special events.

Sugar Bowl: Activities are limited while the new gondola is being installed.  It’s Sugar Bowl’s fourth gondola.  For a gondola history see https://www.sugarbowl.com/gondola-history.  Winter opening day November 27 (conditions permitting) has been announced.  For other news go to https://www.sugarbowl.com/home

Donner Ski Ranch: DSR’s Old 40 Bar and Grill remains open 7 days a week.  DSR offers beds, showers, and laundry to PCT thru-hikers and disc golf to anyone interested.  Thru-hikers 21 years and older can claim a 40 oz beer.  Check the DSR web site at https://www.donnerskiranch.com for more information.

Soda Springs Mountain Resort is closed for the season.  Watch  https://www.skisodasprings.com/ for news.

Royal Gorge is closed for the season.  The resort is planning a Royal Gorge XC Ski Team for winter 2026-27; for more information, see https://www.sugarbowl.com/nordic-team.  Check https://www.royalgorge.com/home for other updates.

ASC Training Center (formerly Auburn Ski Club) specializes in training for competition and sponsors events.  The ASC Training Center is closed for the season.  Check their web site — https://www.asctrainingcenter.org — for more information.

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

Avalanche Report

The Sierra Avalanche Center has posted general comments about avalanches on its website  https://www.sierraavalanchecenter.org/

A short report on the February 17 Perry Peak avalanche near Frog Lake has been posted at https://www.sierraavalanchecenter.org/observations/#/view/avalanches/83ba330a-5eb4-446e-95b0-495c26faf06b.  It points to a more in-depth report on avalanche.org.

Roads

I-80: The freeway is open and in good condition, but there are lane restrictions and ramp closures (both day and night, both east and west) that cause backups between Colfax and Truckee.  The Hwy 20 interchange with I-80 remains dynamic; for a recent report, visit https://yubanet.com/regional/next-eastbound-hwy-20-closure-scheduled/

Also, follow CalTrans reports at https://roads.dot.ca.gov and check I-80 webcams at https://caltranscameras.app/cameras/route/I-80

livetrafficcam.com provides pages with integrated camera feeds, which may be easier to navigate.  For Donner Summit visit  https://livetrafficcam.com/traffic-cameras/california/donner-pass/

General: Paved secondary roads around the Summit should be in good condition.  Rattlesnake Canyon Road (FR85) north from Cisco Grove was closed for four years starting in 2024 for construction at Fordyce Dam.