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First winter snowstorm makes holiday white
By Jim Cornelius

Among the multitude of things folks in Sisters could give thanks for over the past holiday weekend was a major winter snowstorm that brought badly needed precipitation to the thirsty area.

At least eight inches of snow fell on Sisters during Thanksgiving weekend, according to Forest Service roadside measurments.

Not surprisingly, the folks who plowed the streets thought there was more.

Sisters Public Works Director Gary Frazee estimated that a foot of snow blanketed the city when he and sewer technician Paul Bertagna fired up the snowplows Saturday night.

The pair started plowing Saturday night at 10 p.m. and finished at about 8:30 a.m. Sunday morning.

Bertagna was on call for plowing duty this weekend and, though he has a commercial license and lots of experience with dump trucks, it was his first run on a snow plow.

"Anymore, it's a two man job," Frazee said. "There's a lot more streets than there used to be."

The City of Sisters is responsible for plowing all of the streets in the annexed area of the city, now including Buck Run and Creekside subdivisions, the streets near the churches and the extension of Hood Avenue.

By special agreement, the development at Pine Meadow Ranch is respsonsible for plowing its own streets.

"We have about 15 miles of roads," Frazee said.

Several limbs broke off trees due to the weight of the snow, but Frazee did not report any other damage.

The snowstorm bodes well for an easing of the drought --though it is early in the season and the region has a long way to got to catch up.

Skiers were happy to see the white stuff. Mt. Bachelor opened on Saturday.

Hoodoo representatives at the Sisters Christmas Parade indicated that the local ski area would likely open later this week.

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