Giant acorns falling and trees turning brilliant yellows and reds are sure signs that winter is not far off. With winter will come snow, and with snow will come the usual snow-play crowds from off the Hill. These folks may not realize that our narrow two-lane roads are not a safe place for parking and that residential lots are not suitable for play.
In 2017, the Idyllwild Snow Group formed with the purpose of making our area safer for both residents and our snow-play visitors. The snow group consulted both California Highway Patrol (CHP) Captain Mike Alvarez and Riverside County Sheriff’s Department (RCSD) Captain Leonard Purvis about what residents should do concerning visitors displaying dangerous or illegal behavior. Both Alvarez and Purvis cautioned to avoid confrontations but rather call 911 or the non-emergency phone number for their agencies.
The volume of calls to the sheriff is recorded and helps determine the severity of the Hill’s snow-play problems and deputy coverage during snow events. For illegal parking and matters pertaining to road safety, the CHP number is the one to call.
Snow group members will be outside the Idyllwild post office handing out free refrigerator magnets with CHP and RCSD non-emergency phone numbers from 1:30-3:30 p.m. on Oct. 25. The snow group also has two types of “No Trespassing” yard signs to offer for a cost — one can be stuck into a snow berm and a second for mounting on a post.
For more information, visit idyllwildsnow.com and Idyllwild Snow For Locals on Facebook. To contact RCSD’s Hemet station non-emergency line, dial 951-791-3400. To contact CHP’s non-emergency line, dial 951-769-2000.
