Snowed-in Wrightwood residents lean on neighbors as storm limits access to key roads

WRIGHTWOOD, Calif. (KABC) -- Residents living in communities in the San Gabriel Mountains went out of their way Monday to help each other through another day of brutal winter weather as the area saw more rain and snow.

Forecasters said the mountains could expect moderate snow through Tuesday afternoon, becoming heavy at times late Tuesday afternoon through Wednesday. Snow totals of 8 to 16 inches are anticipated with local amounts to 24 inches, highest in the eastern San Gabriel mountains.

Highway 2, which takes you into Wrightwood, remained closed for most of Monday. Only residents and emergency personnel were allowed to go through.

"It's been a couple days ... they can't get out," said Moni Plank of Phelan, who was helping out a friend in need of food and supplies for her newborn and toddler. "It's not something you didn't prepare for. They prepared for it but it's just more snow than was expected - way more snow."

Plank picked up the supplies for her friend and waited for a relative with an SUV, who then was able to transport the needed supplies.

The relative said it was simply neighbors helping neighbors.

"There's only a small plow going, one car can go up and down at a time," said Alexander Plank. "So if one person gets out and then they get stuck, everyone's shoveling them up to get out."

Down the road in Phelan and Piñon Hills, the high desert communities were blanketed with at least a foot of snow, forcing schools to close.

Meanwhile, business owners like Ronald Patterson, who runs a plumbing company, said the snow day stopped his workers from answering all of their service calls.

The roads are mostly clear, but road closures are a problem for Ronald Patterson. He runs a plumbing company and his crews couldn't get into Wrightwood Monday to answer all the calls for service.

"For us, a lot of our calls are elderly people, we try to get to them," he said. "This area has got quite a few people that are 60 and above, so you have a concern of them not having no water. The bad part is there's a lot you can't do because once it's frozen, it's frozen, and we're probably talking, if we get sunshine ... three or four days before all of that will start thawing out."

According to the weather service, snow levels will initially be between 3,000 and 4,500 feet, but the level could drop as low as 1,500 feet by Wednesday.

City News Service, Inc. contributed to this report.