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Idaho City residents carry on as snow buries vehicles, shuts down schools

The Boise County Sheriff urges anyone who plans on passing through the city to be prepared for the wintry weather.

IDAHO CITY, Idaho — There are some adverse conditions affecting travel north of Idaho City. 

So, if you’re planning on driving through the city, the Boise County sheriff said it’s best to be prepared. On Thursday, piles of snow lined the roads of Idaho City as some folks spent the day clearing snow off of roofs. While on the roads, some cars sat buried under the snow.

“Some people are excited about it, people around here are used to the snow, but other people are grumpy,” Idaho City Grocery owner Bobby Mathews said. “We’ve been plowing constantly; this town is a phenomenal town, everyone wants to help everyone.” 

Mathews moved from San Diego to Idaho City last August. This is his first real snow-filled winter in Idaho City. 

“We like it, it’s different for us to be here with the snow,” Mathews said. 

He told KTVB that residents have been stocking up on supplies.

“This past weekend with the storm coming in, we’ve had record numbers as far as sales go,” Mathews said. “So, we actually had to go to town a couple of times to get stock and keep up.”

Backcountry Survival Guide: What to bring with you on a winter excursion in Idaho

Just down the road from Idaho City Grocery, Boise County Sheriff Jim Kaczmarek cleared parking lots as schools and county offices were closed Thursday. 

“Road conditions in Boise County are pretty horrible, we’ve had a lot of snow in the last three days and now it’s compounded by rain falling on that,” Kaczmarek said. 

His message for people passing through: Be prepared. 

“Have appropriate vehicles, have appropriate clothing and survival gear in the car, sleeping bags, water, food,” Kaczmarek said. “ If they’re coming out here to recreate they need to have proper survival gear with them.” 

MORE: How to survive an avalanche in Idaho's backcountry

On Wednesday, the county saw seven crashes.

“We see an increased number of wrecks and slide-offs, and rollovers and the resources are already low, so there’s not a lot of tow trucks to come out and get them,” the sheriff said.

Once the weather clears up, Kaczmarek said they will bring in tow trucks to remove any cars that may have slid off the road. Drivers are encouraged to check the latest road reports before heading out.

Meanwhile, all that snow isn't putting a damper on plans for a popular annual event. The town's 33rd annual Chili Cook-Off is set for Saturday from 11 a.m. to  2 p.m.

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