General Conditions

Sunny mornings, temperatures reaching the mid-70s, clouds building up during the afternoon, and an evening sprinkle have been common during the past week.  In fact, Donner Summit got an hour of rain mixed with thunder and lightning last Sunday.  That’s knocked the dust down and reduced the fire danger.  Visibility has been excellent; but the PurpleAir air quality index is around 30 this morning, which is higher than it has been.  But these are still great conditions for being outside.

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.  In spite of the recent showers, Truckee Fire and Tahoe National Forest fire danger levels are “high”.   Be careful.  Find more information at https://www.truckeefire.org/fireban

Sunrise/Sunset: Today’s (August 28) sunrise was at 6:26 AM; sunset will be at 7:37 PM.  Sunrise drifted later by 6 minutes compared to a week ago. Sunset has drifted earlier by about 10 minutes. The days are getting shorter by about 2-1/2 minutes per day.

Star Gazing: The Moon is a waxing crescent, so evening star gazing will be increasingly difficult this week.   Look for constellations Scorpio (it resembles an anchor) and Sagittarius (a five-pointed star; some imagine a teapot) toward the south.  The Big Dipper is easily visible to the northwest; it rests on the western horizon in the correct position to hold water around midnight.  A little earlier in the evening, 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.  You’ll also be able to see Jupiter before sunrise in the east.

Forecast

High temperature will be in the mid-70s for the next few days, rising to near 80° a week from today.  Chances of showers this weekend are low, but they rise to about 20% next week.

Summit Calendar

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

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

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.   The Castle Peak chair and MTB trails are open Friday (1-5 PM) and Saturday-Sunday (10-5).  Check https://www.rideboreal.com for details

Sugar Bowl summer activities are winding down; 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; but Disk Golf is open.   DSR’s Old 40 Bar and Grill is open daily 8 AM – 9 PM. 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 wraps up its Summer Après Series —bigger, tastier, and more vibrant than ever — this weekend.  Friday August 29 there will be golden-hour mountain views, seasonal eats, craft cocktails, and live music. Après runs 3-9 PM, with music 6-8 PM.  There will be a special bluegrass dinner with music on Saturday August 30.  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 across I-80 on Donner Pass Road, then go all the way to Donner Lake and 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 in progress; impact on travel is minimal, but be prepared for occasional holds.  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.