Travelers get stuck in Colfax for hours waiting for I-80 to reopen: "So inconvenient"

COLFAX -- The sudden change in weather had a lot of people unprepared for snow and caused Caltrans to close off the interstate for hours.

"It just came out of nowhere. When I went to sleep last night I was hot," said Montaje Lewis who was trying to get to Reno.

Cars parked waiting around all up and down the streets of Colfax, waiting for I-80 to open back up.

"It's looking like it's not safe to be out driving tonight one of those days," said Gabe Diaz also trying to travel to Reno.

Several spin-outs and collisions in the Baxter area had Caltrans close off I-80 east in Colfax Saturday.

"I don't really mind because I got out of the car to play in the snow," said one kid traveling to Tahoe.

One family got caught in the storm for hours so they turned back to find a bite to eat, only to then get stuck again.

"I knew there was going to be a storm but I didn't know there would be a closure and we expected it to be a little later," said Diana Berruecos.

Berruecos' son said he thought he would be stuck in the snow forever.

"I thought I was going to die," he said.

"He was really scared. He thought we were going to be stuck there forever without food," Diana said.

They weren't stuck forever but it did take five hours for the freeway to reopen.

"Aw man, so inconvenient. I have to turn around and go home," said Lewis.

Colfax saw rain, thunderstorms and hail.