Truckee student-athletes could soon travel regularly over Donner Summit to compete in school sports. Some parents say that raises serious safety concerns during winter weather.
Todd Winter, the father of two Truckee student-athletes, said he worries about the risks of sending students over the pass in severe conditions.
“It’s foreseeable that a bus full of kids is going to get in an accident, or stranded, or injured, or worse, because it happens all the time,” Winter said.
Winter’s concerns follow a December announcement from the Truckee Tahoe Unified School District. The district said it received a mandatory order from the California Department of Education requiring it to leave the Nevada Interscholastic Athletic Association and move into the California Interscholastic Federation
For more than 40 years, Truckee High School teams competed in Nevada’s interscholastic association. District leaders have said that alignment helped reduce dangerous winter travel through the Sierra.
Todd Killian, who also has two student-athletes in the district, said the potential increase in travel time is another concern.
“These schools are, under ideal conditions, an hour and a half one way,” Killian said. “That means double or triple the travel time each way. And that does not include snow or road closures if Interstate 80 is not open.”
Parents say students already miss class time for away games. Traveling deeper into the Sacramento region could mean longer bus rides and late-night returns.
The district said the state’s order followed a formal complaint alleging it violated California law by remaining in a league whose eligibility rules are based on biological sex rather than gender identity.
District officials said the decision is no longer under local control and warned that refusing to comply could result in legal action and financial penalties.
The transition will not happen immediately. Truckee teams are scheduled to begin competing in California’s interscholastic system in the 2028-2029 school year.
District leaders say this allows time to address safety and logistical concerns. Some parents say the risks tied to winter mountain travel remain unresolved.
