I-80 Snowline (Sacramento, Vista, Folsom: smog, travel, price)

[fostoria]

Looking at Placer County and wondering where the typical snowline is at traveling up I-80. I would like to be somewhere out of the oppressive heat and smog yet not forced to eat my family in a snowstorm. Ideally commutable to Auburn. Thanks in advance.

[volleyballer]

Originally Posted by fostoria

Looking at Placer County and wondering where the typical snowline is at traveling up I-80. I would like to be somewhere out of the oppressive heat and smog yet not forced to eat my family in a snowstorm. Ideally commutable to Auburn. Thanks in advance.

Auburn's great. Why not just live there? Much cooler in the summer and may get some snow in the winter, but not bad at all. If I had to commute there, I'd just live there. It's pricey though.

[cityx]

Originally Posted by fostoria

Looking at Placer County and wondering where the typical snowline is at traveling up I-80. I would like to be somewhere out of the oppressive heat and smog yet not forced to eat my family in a snowstorm. Ideally commutable to Auburn. Thanks in advance.

Grass Valley or Nevada City sits at about 3,500 feet which is right at or slightly above the snowline. However, you would need to get on HWY 49 west from 80 in Auburn and travel 10 -12 miles. When there is a freak snow event, 49 could become difficult to travel - one year it was closed for several hours. Generally, snowfall is very light, summers are cooler, and both those communities are very charming - especially the more progressive Nevada City. The air quality is "iffy" in the summer because the pollution usually caps off at the inversion layer which is right around Grass Valley level - but overall, much better than Auburn and the lower lying foothill towns.
Hope this helps a little.

[Idunn]

At 1,359 feet in elevation, you are not going to see much snow in Auburn, CA.

If you are talking absolutely none you should be pretty safe somewhere like Sacramento, CA. While it varies from storm to storm, I'd say the general snow line, of any significant amount, to be between 4,000 and 5,000 feet in the Sierra Nevada mountains. Anything below 3,000 feet you will only see snow on rare occasion, and briefly.

By this measure, one might consider Emigrant Gap (elevation 5,190) to be a dividing line of sorts on I-80.

[DMenscha]

Below 3000 feet you're only going to get "polite" snow storms. The snow falls, you run out and take pictures and 3 hours later it's gone.

[AlongTheI-5]

The snow line elevations mentioned here are about the same as the mountains near L.A., yet we are 400 mi. to the north. Interesting.

[ColfaxTeri]

Fostoria,
From Colfax west on I-80 to about Applegate, you may get some snow, usually gone fairly quickly except in severe winters. Below Applegate to Auburn usually no snow, except those odd storms once in a great while.
The elevation rises quickly just east of Colfax and the snow accumulates more and stays longer, and starts to be measured in feet not inches. I would not go past Colfax if you don't like snow.
Colfax is 14 miles to Auburn. Meadow Vista, Christian Valley, Weimar, Applegate all closer.
Here are a couple of photos from last winter, it was gone the next day.
We've been up here over 8 years only 1 winter did we get a big snow dump lasting more than a few days. They do clear the roads quickly and there are alternate routes.

[ButterflyUK]

I grew up in Auburn and it is very hot in the summer. Rare snow in the winter. I lived in Nevada City and Grass Valley. Cooler in summer and you get some snow in the winter. It is a bit more isolated. You have a bit of a drive down Hwy 49 and through Auburn to I-80 to get to Sacramento. Colfax and Applegate is the snowline. With I-80 right there you have easy access to Sacramento and easier to get to malls and shopping.

[w1ngzer0]

All posts are good recommendations, but when i thought snow line, I was thinking the El Dorado Hills and Folsom border

[ButterflyUK]

Originally Posted by w1ngzer0

All posts are good recommendations, but when i thought snow line, I was thinking the El Dorado Hills and Folsom border

You are right, but that is El Dorado county not Placer county.