The big snow made its debut on January 12, 1952. Three days later Susanville was covered with a blanket of five feet of snow. On the other side the mountain, at Westwood eight feet had fallen. The storm was followed by unusually strong gusty winds. Not only did the winds disrupt electric power but drifting snow created highway blockades. These drifts ranged between seven and nine feet. They. were no match for regular snow removal equipment. Clearing them necessitated use of rotary snowplows. While they were efficient, it was a slow process. To clear a single highway lane of thirteen miles between Chester and Westwood took the rotary plow three days, working around the clock.
The “big snow” showed how much life had changed. The residents were no longer self sufficient like the pioneers before them. Many relied grocery stores. After three days of the highway blockade, the grocery stores were depleted of their stock. In Susanville. a shipment of yeast was dropped by plane for the Sunrise Bakery so there would be a supply bread. Officials at Westwood and Chester made arrangements for an air drop of food and medical supplies. It was cancelled on January 18th, when the snowplows made it to Mineral. There a convoy of trucks laden with food, fuel and other supplies made its way along the one-lane highway. While the worst over, traffic was limited to emergency vehicles until two lanes were cleared. On January 31st balmy temperatures arrived in Susanville, with a morning low of 42 and a daytime high of 50.
