San Bernardino Mountain residents frustrated after being trapped for more than a week

Mounting frustration for mountain locals trapped under snow

More than a week after a devastating storm that blanketed the San Bernardino Mountains, residents face concerns like not being able to go to work or have their streets plowed.

SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY, Calif. - While officials in San Bernardino County are reporting that 80% of the roads the county services have been plowed — more than a week after a massive storm trapped mountain residents beneath as much as up to 10 feet of snow — many residents are increasingly frustrated.

Janelle Hendrickson lives in Running Springs. She has been trying to get to work off the mountain to earn money to feed her family. But, "I was told if I do go down to work, most likely I won't be able to come home for a couple days, up to two weeks," she said. Hendrickson added that roads in the area are "iffy… but they're drivable."

The County and other organizations have worked to gather supplies for those stuck in the snow, some of whom are running out of essentials, but Lake Arrowhead resident Carol Kulvicki said that for her and her neighbors, all of whom are elderly, it's not easy.

"Food dropoffs that they have had are in certain areas, and we're actually six miles away from that," she said.

Making things more difficult, is the fact that Kulvicki lives on an access road. She said the County told her it's not responsible for plowing her road. During a typical snowstorm, her and her neighbors would chip in together to pay a private contractor to plow, "but it was too much for the regular guy to get through, and we have been told by the County that we would not be plowed. The only help we are getting are our mountain neighbors. They're our heroes."

Kulvicki said she's also concerned about her adult son Ryan, a stage four cancer patient. She said that his deck collapsed under the weight of the snow, and his roof is compromised.

"Luckily with the mountain volunteers, they helicoptered his medication up to him, and delivered it to his door," Kulvicki said.

Ryan's fiancée Audrey said there urgently needs to be a new system to get people in and out of the mountain roads.

"You could do blocks of people, make it ‘it’s only these 40 at this hour and that's it,'" she said. "But not allowing any up at all is just maddening."

San Bernardino County has set up a hotline for people who are trapped who need help for non-life-threatening emergencies. Residents can call 909-387-3911.