Historic Snow on Upper 108

January 2021 brought historic levels of snow to our mountain community. The Pinecrest area saw more than seven feet of snow in the course of two days. For several days, roads were impassable and many were left without power. Our hardworking community members and PG&E fieldworkers worked diligently day after day to ensure our community remained safe for residents and travelers.

After last week's blizzard, we did not know what state Huckleberry House was in. Reports from Mi Wuk showed fallen trees, downed power lines, blocked road ways, and badly damaged homes. Unfortunately, due to the unpredictability of the situation, we decided to close the cabin to guests from January 29th to February 7th. It was a tough call, but in the interest of safety it was the only choice. We provided full refunds for those guests who chose to cancel and are very grateful for everyone's patience and cooperation.

Not knowing if our cabin had power or water, and unsure wether it was accessible by car, we needed to inspect the cabin first-hand to ensure it's safety before accepting new reservations.

Our first trip to inspect the cabin was unsuccessful. The roads were unplowed, piled with snow, and impassable. One lane sections of highway 108 lasted for miles to allow for PG&E and other repair trucks to get through. After driving to Strawberry Saturday morning, we turned back around.

We tried again the next day. We loaded the car with shovels, snow gear, food, and water, prepared for a day of digging. Luckily, after making it to Strawberry, we found the neighborhood roads had been plowed enough to be was passable. When we arrived, our cabin was buried in snow piling 10 feet high, well above our windows and doors. We had to dig our way in.

Huckleberry House buried in snow.

Shoveled path to the cabin door.

Our pathway dug, we were able to get inside the home. Looking out the windows we were faced with a wall of snow, giving one a truer sense of just how severe this storm was.

Looking out at a wall of snow from the dining room.

Luckily, our home sustained no exterior or interior damage. However, the power was out. For fear of suffering a burst pipe, we decided to turn off the water. This of course, meant digging through another ten feet of snow to access the water shut-off valve.

But it wasn't all hard work. The sheer amount of snow was awe inspiring to our son and ourselves. With the snow shoveling behind us, we decided to make the most of the rest of the day, competing in a family snow ball fight and digging a sled run on our property.

We enjoyed a walk along the riverside and took the time to experience the beauty of the snow filled meadow. The Stanislaus River, cold, crisp, and still, reflected the snow banks and trees like a a mirror. Ice crystals glistened in the sunlight. Beyond the reach of the busy highway and snow parks, our neighborhood was peaceful and quiet, a sanctuary of rest and calm.

The Stanislaus River, cold, crisp, and still.

To our guests, we are so very grateful for your understanding and patience during this historic winter. We want everyone who comes to Huckleberry House to have a memorable stay. But we want those memories to be for the right reasons. To ask our guests to navigate unplowed roads and risk coming upon a darkened, frozen cabin was not something we were willing to do.

Huckleberry House is known for its inviting warmth and scenic surrounds. We will always strive to ensure our guests receive the best experience possible.

With power restored to the cabin and our inspection complete we are happy to announce that we are once again accepting reservations, with our first guests arriving next weekend. For our February and March guests, we expect a few more days of snow which means fresh powder for skiing, snowboarding, and sledding. With the snow plows now working full tilt roads will continue to be safe. We are so looking forward to hosting your stay.

Check our calendar for availability and get ready for some snow!