In most cases highway 49 is open to traffic all year. In the winter, however, Gold Lake Highway is closed to auto traffic and becomes a popular trail for winter sports enthusiasts. The parking areas around Bassett’s Station are great staging areas that are easily accessible from the road. The Bassett’s gateway leads to snowmobiling, cross-country skiing, snow shoeing, ice fishing and hiking. Bassett’s is occasionally open on the weekend during winter months, so check out our Facebook page for the latest info. The store has a variety of winter recreational gear from snow sleds to snow shoe rentals, gloves, hats and more! The cafe is a perfect spot to end the day with a hot meal and friendly faces. We post weekend menus on Facebook as well. For more local winter recreation info check out the Sierra County Chamber of Commerce Events Page.
There is a snow pack reporting station near Gold Lake. If you’re interested in the amount of snow pack accumulation for the Lakes Basin area, check out these stats provided by the National Operational Hydrologic Remote Sensing Center (NOHRSC) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). You can also search by city and checkout the observations nearest to you.
In addition to snow pack information, you might want to take a look for yourself! Here are a few webcams for your viewing pleasure.
- Bassett’s Webcam – runs 6am to 6pm winter months only
- Sierra City Webcam – as seen from the Sierra Country Store
- ALERTCalifornia Sierra Buttes Webcam #1
- ALERTCalifornia Sierra Buttes Webcam #2
- ALERTCalifornia Babbit Peak – camera usually overlooks the valley towards Clio
- ALERTCalifornia Ruby Bluff Webcam #1
- ALERTCalifornia Ruby Bluff Webcam #2
- I-80 Webcam – the webcams on this page are arranged from west to east
