The State - News from March 22, 1988

Despite the shallow snow level in the Sierra, the Department of Transportation has no plans for early opening of mountain passes on roads that link eastern California to the San Joaquin Valley. Caltrans spokesman Darrell Merritt said that Ebbet, Sonora and Tioga passes probably will remain closed until Memorial Day. “There’s not a lot of snow on them now, but melting snow freezes at night and creates sheet ice on the roads,” Merritt said. “That makes for very dangerous conditions. If it were just a question of plowing the snow, it would be a piece of cake this year.” A 250-mile stretch of the Sierra is closed to traffic six months every year, testifying to the ferocity of Sierra weather and the ruggedness of the terrain.