Lots of snow should be good for Tahoe City, right? Here's why businesses say no and are struggling

Businesses are battling feet of snow, ongoing roadway closures and power outages.

Businesses are battling feet of snow, ongoing roadway closures and power outages.

SAYING TODAY? >> THEY SAY IT IS QUIET OUT HERE IN THIS BIG WALL OF SNOW NEXT TO ME AS ONE OF THE MANY EXAMPLES OF WHY. I AM 5’5", THAT IS ALMOST DOUBLE MY HEIGHT. THERE ARE FEET OF SNOW, POWER OUTAGES, AND A LOT OF THE TIME I 80 AND 50 ARE SHUT DOWN, SO THEY SAY THEY ARE PRAYING FOR SUNSHINE. JUST BEFORE OUR 5:00 NEWSCAST SOME SUN CAME OUT, MANY ARE SEEING BLUE SKIES TODAY AND THEY SAY THEY ARE EXCITED. >> WHEN I WALKED IN THIS MORNING MY FIRST QUESTION WAS -- AS THE MANAGER WAS GOING OVER THE SCHEDULE, HOW BUSY ARE WE GOING TO BE IN APRIL? I WAS LIKE I DON’T KNOW. >> UNPREDICTABLE CONDITIONS FOR AN EXPERT. >> THIS PATTERN IS UNIQUE. >> TAHOE DAVE HAS BEEN IN THE TAHOE BASIN FOR 45 YEARS. HE OWNS SKI REPAIR AND GEAR SHOPS. >> THAT HAS IMPACTED BUSINESS IN THAT’S INTERESTING BECAUSE WE ARE IN THE SNOW BUSINESS BUT IF YOU CAN’T GET HERE AND THEN YOU CAN’T GET TO THE SLOPES OR THEY ARE CLOSED BECAUSE THERE IS SO MUCH WIND, SO MUCH SNOW, IT’S LIKE OH NO. >> WHETHER IT’S CLOSURES ON INTERSTATE 80. OR PILING SNOW. BUSINESSES IN TAHOE CITY SAY THEY ARE LOSING BIG BUSINESS THIS WINTER. >> THIS HAS BEEN WORSE THAN COVID FOR US. >> IN FACT, OWNER JONNY ROSCHER SAYS IT’S BEEN HIS WORST WINTER SO FAR, FOR HIS RESTAURANT ZA’S LAKE FRONT, THAT’S BEEN IN THE AREA SINCE 88. >> THE SNOW HAS BEEN COMING A LOT ON THE WEEKENDS WHICH REALLY HURTS US. IT’S JUST THAT PEOPLE ARE NOT COMING UP BECAUSE THEY CAN’T MAKE IT UP OR THEY ARE AFRAID WITH SO MUCH SNOW THAT THEY’RE GOING TO GET STUCK. >> LOOK AT THIS WALL OF SNOW IN HIS PARKING LOT. OTHER BUSINESSES ARE TRAPPED IN FEET. PATHS HAVE BEEN DUGOUT. >> IT HAS BEEN HARD ON US DEFINITELY. ESPECIALLY WHEN THERE ARE THREE FEET OF SNOW THAT DUMPS IN ONE DAY AND I 80 IS CLOSED. >> LOUIE AND PIP, A CLOTHING BOUTIQUE, HOPES CHANGE, OR SUN,, IS ON THE HORIZON. >> WE ARE HOPING AND PRAYING THAT NEXT WEEKEND AND THE FOLLOWING WEEKENDS, PEOPLE COME UP AND SKI AND SHOP. >> JUST TO SHOW YOU WHAT IT’S LIKE HERE IN TAHOE CITY ON THE BEACH, THERE IS THIS WALL OF SNOW AND IF I HIT IT IT IS ROCKHARD. IT IS FROZEN SOLID. THIS IS MAYBE UNDER FIVE FEET TALL AND THIS IS WHAT THE BEACHES ALL ACROSS TAIL -- LAKE TAHOE LOOK LIKE RIGHT NOW. IT SHOULD BE SPRING BREAK WITH A TON OF PEOPLE HERE, THEY SHOULD BE FILLED WITH PEOPLE AND IT IS NOT. THEY ARE HOPING FOR CONDITIONS TO IMPROVE SOMETIME SOON. THEY SAY THERE CAN BE SUCH THING AS TOO MUCH SNOW AND THEY ARE SEEING IT APPEAR

Lots of snow should be good for Tahoe City, right? Here's why businesses say no and are struggling

Businesses are battling feet of snow, ongoing roadway closures and power outages.

There is such a thing as "too much snow." Just ask businesses in Tahoe City.Restaurants, ski shops and boutiques say they are struggling with a lack of traffic and travelers into the Sierra this winter season.The issues began on New Year's Eve weekend for many when the season's endless rounds of winter storms began.Watch storm coverage from Dec. 31 in the video belowSince then, road officials have had to shut down or hold traffic on Interstate 80 and Highway 50 many times due to whiteout conditions, spinouts and dangerous roads. Some storm systems have knocked out power to thousands, and many homes and businesses are digging out from under feet of snow. Some structures in the area have collapsed due to the weight of the snow.| RELATED | Photos show cabins engulfed by massive snow piles at Wrights LakeMarch is usually prime time for Tahoe businesses, with people enjoying spring break making their way to the Sierra. This year, that isn't the case."We were down 25% in January; we were down like 33% in February, and so far this month, we're down about 38%," Jonny Roscher, the owner of Za's Lakefront restaurant in Tahoe City, said. "March is usually one of the biggest months of the year. When you look at the numbers, it's really hard."Za's has been in Tahoe City since 1988 and moved to its location on the lake in 2018. Roscher says this has been his worst winter so far."This has actually been worse than COVID for us," he said.Ski gear and repair shops agree. "It's affected our business because we can't predict it," Dave Wilderotter, the owner of multiple Tahoe Dave's locations across the Lake Tahoe area, said. "We don't know how many people to put on our schedule," he said. "We don't know if I-80's open, and that's for both directions."Employees with Louie and Pip, a local clothing boutique, said they need some fair weather."We're hoping and praying that this next weekend and the following weekend people will come up and ski and shop," Sally Hisey said.| MORE | Excessive rainfall hurts California farmworkers' wallets as crops impacted

TAHOE CITY, Calif. —

There is such a thing as "too much snow." Just ask businesses in Tahoe City.

Restaurants, ski shops and boutiques say they are struggling with a lack of traffic and travelers into the Sierra this winter season.

The issues began on New Year's Eve weekend for many when the season's endless rounds of winter storms began.

Watch storm coverage from Dec. 31 in the video below

Since then, road officials have had to shut down or hold traffic on Interstate 80 and Highway 50 many times due to whiteout conditions, spinouts and dangerous roads.

Some storm systems have knocked out power to thousands, and many homes and businesses are digging out from under feet of snow. Some structures in the area have collapsed due to the weight of the snow.

March is usually prime time for Tahoe businesses, with people enjoying spring break making their way to the Sierra. This year, that isn't the case.

"We were down 25% in January; we were down like 33% in February, and so far this month, we're down about 38%," Jonny Roscher, the owner of Za's Lakefront restaurant in Tahoe City, said. "March is usually one of the biggest months of the year. When you look at the numbers, it's really hard."

Za's has been in Tahoe City since 1988 and moved to its location on the lake in 2018. Roscher says this has been his worst winter so far.

"This has actually been worse than COVID for us," he said.

Ski gear and repair shops agree.

"It's affected our business because we can't predict it," Dave Wilderotter, the owner of multiple Tahoe Dave's locations across the Lake Tahoe area, said. "We don't know how many people to put on our schedule," he said. "We don't know if I-80's open, and that's for both directions."

Employees with Louie and Pip, a local clothing boutique, said they need some fair weather.

"We're hoping and praying that this next weekend and the following weekend people will come up and ski and shop," Sally Hisey said.

| MORE | Excessive rainfall hurts California farmworkers' wallets as crops impacted

Lots of snow should be good for Tahoe City, right? Here's why businesses say no and are struggling

Businesses are battling feet of snow, ongoing roadway closures and power outages.

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