General Conditions

Sunny mornings, temperatures reaching the low to mid-70s, clouds building up during the afternoon, and a late afternoon sprinkle have been common again during the past week.  There was measurable rain on Tuesday and Wednesday; the Tuesday rain lasted 4 hours at the Central Sierra Snow Laboratory (https://cssl.berkeley.edu) but amounted to less than a quarter inch — not enough to break the summer dryness, but good enough to keep the dust down.  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 has kept its fire danger rating at “high”; Tahoe National Forest fire danger has been reduced to “moderate”, but TNF counted 1241 lightning strikes Tuesday (https://www.sierrasun.com/news/tahoe-national-forest-responding-to-several-lighting-caused-fires/).   Find more information at https://www.truckeefire.org/fireban

Sunrise/Sunset: Today’s (September 5) sunrise was at 6:34 AM; sunset will be at 7:25 PM.  Sunrise drifted later by 7 minutes compared to a week ago. Sunset has drifted earlier by about 11 minutes. The days are getting shorter by about 2-1/2 minutes per day.

Star Gazing: The Moon is approaching full, so evening star gazing will be increasingly difficult this week even though the Moon is low on the southern horizon.   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 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.

There is a total lunar eclipse on September 7; but it’s at 8:28 AM Pacific Time, so it won’t be visible at Donner Summit.  The Moon sets about two hours earlier.  We’ll get another chance on March 3, 2026, just after midnight.

Forecast

High temperatures will be in the mid-70s today, then will drop to the high 50s by this time next week.  Overnight low predicted for next Wednesday (September 10) is a chilly 35°.  Temperatures will return to the low 70s in two weeks (September 16-18).   There is a 15% chance of showers today and 20-25% each day toward the end of next week; but actual showers have not been following predictions very closely this year, so just be prepared.

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 13-14 (Saturday-Sunday): The “Return to Gold Mountain” heritage tour leaves Sacramento, explores the foothills and Donner Summit by bus, and overnights in Auburn before returning to Sacramento.  The emphasis is on Chinese settlements and contributions to development in the Gold Country.  For more information and registration, visit https://1882foundation.org/

September 18 (Thursday) 5-6 PM: Monthly meeting of the Donner Summit Association Board of Directors in the main lodge at Soda Springs Mountain Resort.

September 20 (Saturday): South Yuba River Citizens League Annual Yuba River Clean-up.  Morning activities in Van Norden Meadow and at the Castle Peak trailhead have been canceled because coordinators have concluded they are in good condition; but SYRCL can use help at other locations downstream.  Find more information at https://www.yubariver.org

September 20 (Saturday) 12-3 PM: DSA’s annual SummitFest at Soda Springs Mountain Resort.  A benefit with live music, food, drinks, auctions, and fun.  Order tickets on-line (https://www.eventbrite.com/e/donner-summit-fest-2025-tickets-1648889285239?aff=oddtdtcreator) or pay at the door (adults $25, kids $10).  Click here for more details: poster

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 Wednesday-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 wrapped its  Summer Après Series —over Labor Day weekend.  Royal Gorge is now waiting for snow.  Watch https://www.royalgorge.com/home for the latest information.

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

For those heavily into speculation, three resorts (none on Donner Summit) have announced target opening dates for the winter season (https://epaper.sierrasun.com/html5/reader/production/default.aspx?pubname=&pubid=3ee86800-0b96-47c1-92da-da9138ad31aa): Heavenly November 21, Northstar November 21, and Kirkwood December 5.  Announcements include wording such as “based on weather and conditions”.

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.