Crews gaining ground against outages, toppled trees
Roads impassable as crews battle snow, trees, downed power lines
Originally published December 18, 2012 at 3:13 p.m., updated December 18, 2012 at 6:59 p.m.
UPDATE: 6:45 p.m. -- Power back on to 1,000 of the 3,200 Chelan County PUD customers in the Lake Wenatchee area affected by a heavy snowstorm Sunday and Monday. Crews will work through the night and into Wednesday. Some customers may be out of power for several more days. Cedar Brae and Chiwawa Loop roads are back open to local traffic only. Braeburn Road and Cottonwood Lane, both remain impassable.
Highway 207, from the Chumstick Highway to Highway 2 was open to local traffic, but a reader board warned: “Locals only, and at your own risk.”
After using a chainsaw to cut a downed tree, Joran Mynatt of Lake Wenatchee, at right, watches as a truck pulls the tree off the road. The tree had fallen just minutes earlier across the Chumstick Highway, north of Plain.
A Kemp West employee tries to dislodge a tree from utility lines near Lake Wenatchee.
Vehicles make their way along the Chumstick Highway north of Plain on Monday, passing under drooping lines and downed trees, en route to the Lake Wenatchee area.
LAKE WENATCHEE-PLAIN — Downed power lines and trees have closed four roads near Lake Wenatchee and Plain as crews work just ahead of an incoming storm to restore power, clear routes and set up an emergency shelter.
About 3,200 PUD customers in the Lake Wenatchee and Plain areas have been without power since as early as Monday afternoon.
It may be days before power is restored, PUD spokesman Steve Lachowicz said.
Braeburn, Cedar Brae and Chiwawa Loop roads and Cottonwood Lane are all impassable, said Lauren Loebsack, spokeswoman for a joint command set up today for Chelan County, the county sheriff’s office and the PUD.
She said that all county crews not needed to clear snow elsewhere have been reassigned to the area to clear many trees that have toppled under the weight of about 15 inches of snow deposited by a storm Sunday and Monday.
The Red Cross will open an emergency shelter at 4 p.m. Tuesday at Icicle River Middle School, 10195 Titus Rd., Leavenworth, where affected area residents can spend the night and get meals. Pets aren't allowed in the shelter.
Another storm on its way is expected to dump as much as 20 inches of snow in the affected area over the next few days.
Loebsack said the next update is set for 4 p.m.
Christine Pratt: 665-1173
pratt@wenatcheeworld.com
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UPCOMING EVENTS
Friday, May 24
BNI Wenatchee Valley Friday
Smitty's Pancake House, 7 a.m.
Monday, May 27
Conquer Your Fear of Public Speaking - Toastmasters Meeting
First United Methodist Church, 5:30 p.m.
Tuesday, May 28
Toastmasters
Chelan County PUD Auditorium, 327 N. Wenatchee Ave., 7 a.m.
Tuesday, May 28
Alzheimer's Association Caregiver Support Group
Lake Chelan Community Hospital, 1:30 p.m.
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