KUNR Youth Media

A look into the challenges snow plow crews faced this winter

KUNR Public Radio | By Adam Schifferdecker, KUNR Youth Media

Published July 6, 2023 at 11:30 AM PDT

A picture of four large, yellow CAT loaders parked in a parking lot with rocks and snow behind them. — CAT loaders used for snow plowing sit in Mt. Rose Ski Tahoe’s parking lot as the ski season comes to an end taken on May 8th, 2023 in Washoe County, Nev.

Due to a mix of heavy, wet snow and a shortage of staff, roads were a challenge for crews to plow this winter in Incline Village.

It is no surprise that this year’s winter was awfully longer than the typical Northern Nevada winter. With that came many annoyances, such as cold temperatures, shipping delays, and poor driving conditions.

A picture of a yellow CAT machine used for snowplowing with chains on the back tires parked outside in a forested area, with a building on one side and a stone wall on the other.

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An NDOT snowplow vehicle stored outdoors at the Mt. Rose Maintenance Station taken on May 8th, 2023 in Washoe County, Nev.

Adam Schifferdecker / KUNR Public Radio

A picture of a yellow snowplow sitting in a dark garage labeled “Building 3” in a forest.

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An NDOT snowplow that is used to clear Mt. Rose Highway stored at the Mt. Rose Maintenance Station taken on May 8th, 2023 in Washoe County, Nev.

Adam Schifferdecker / KUNR Public Radio

A picture of buildings scattered throughout a forest with a lake, mountains, and clouds in the background.

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A view of Incline Village from above taken at the Mt. Rose Highway Scenic Overlook taken on May 8th, 2023, in Washoe County, Nev.

Adam Schifferdecker / KUNR Public Radio

Some people also complained about a lack of snow plowing, especially in Incline Village. In an interview with Meg Ragonese, a media contact for the Nevada Department of Transportation, it became clear why NDOT had a hard time plowing this winter.

“Of the approximately 100 permanent highway maintenance staff across northwestern Nevada, 41 of those positions are vacant, and 55 out of 60 of the temporary winter highway maintenance positions are currently vacant,” Ragonese said.

A picture of a white building with blue trim in a forest with a sign that reads “Nevada DOT. Mt. Rose Maintenance Station. 20975 Mt. Rose Highway.” — NDOT’s Mt. Rose Maintenance Station on Mt. Rose Highway, which can be seen when traveling between Incline Village and Reno. Taken on May 8th, 2023 in Washoe County, Nev.

However, NDOT is only responsible for major highways in the county. For example, Washoe County is responsible for some residential roads. Eric Crump, the operations director for Washoe County’s snow plow crew, said the county did not experience any staffing issues this winter.

“This year we were fully staffed up in Incline all season long. We use permanent, full-time employees for our snow removal,” Crump said. “We don’t rely on temporary or seasonal employees.”

A picture of four cars driving along a road with trees in the background and a yellow “Slippery When Wet” warning sign. — Cars drive with ease along Tahoe Boulevard in Incline Village, Nev. as temperatures began to rise in late spring taken on May 7th, 2023.

Incline Village resident Emma Montgomery said she felt as though the snow plowers did a great job.

“The roads are pretty rough right now with all the potholes,” Montgomery said. “But overall, I think they did pretty good.”

Both agencies also encouraged locals to check out their online resources. For example, Washoe County’s live snow plowing map displays information such as road priorities, the location of snowplows, and when each road was last plowed. NDOT also shared that it is continuing to ramp up its hiring efforts and is prepared for whatever may happen next winter.

Adam Schifferdecker is a 2023 graduate of Damonte Ranch High School and a participant in KUNR’s Youth Media program, a special partnership with the Washoe County School District to train the next generation of journalists.

Learn more about the KUNR Youth Media program

Each fall and spring semester, our dedicated program coordinator partners with the WCSD educator to mentor a select group of high school interns. The internship classes are typically from 2:15 to 4:15 p.m. at the high school, providing a structured environment where students receive comprehensive instruction.

The students are taught radio journalism, broadcast journalism, and media production, gaining real-world professional experience that helps them develop career skills. Students work with media professionals to produce creative audio stories and elevate voices from our region.

As part of the program, students are offered the opportunity to tour KUNR’s facilities and the Reynolds School of Journalism at the University of Nevada, Reno, where they will have the chance to record their broadcasts under the guidance of the WCSD educator and the program coordinator.

This semester-long project is designed to facilitate the airing of the students' stories on KUNR and the publication of their work on KUNR.org. Through this experiential learning approach, students gain valuable insights into public media and develop practical skills using industry-standard equipment.

The KUNR Youth Media Coordinator plays a crucial role in ensuring that students receive scholarly guidance on the standards and practices associated with audio journalism production.

Our program is committed to fostering a safe and constructive learning environment for all participants. KUNR is dedicated to nurturing the creative ideas of students in the program and, prior to publication, KUNR’s Managing Editor reviews all submitted work to ensure that it aligns with KUNR’s established media standards and expectations.

This program was formerly known as Reno Youth Radio.