Snow, ice lead to multiple spinouts, pileup on northern California highway

Where did the 10+ vehicle pileup occur on Christmas Day?

How did the snowstorm affect post-Christmas travel in California and the Northeast?

What are the R-2 chain control requirements for I-80 in California?

There were snowy shutdowns, spinouts and collisions on a northeastern California highway during Christmas and Christmas Eve, and part of the aftermath was captured on camera.

The California Highway Patrol shared on social media footage of vehicles stuck in traffic near Castle Peak in California's Sierra Nevada Mountains the night of Christmas.

“Eastbound traffic is now being held at Castle Peak due to a 10+ vehicle pileup over Donner Summit,” the California Highway Patrol wrote just before 8:00 p.m. on Christmas Day. “It’s going to take some time to clean up the scene.”

USA TODAY has contacted the California Highway Patrol to inquire about injuries.

The summit the pileup happened over, Donner Summit, stands 7,240 feet high. Before the pileup, the patrol had shared numerous updates on weather conditions.

By 8:30 p.m. on Christmas Day, the patrol began to get traffic moving again and escorted vehicles down the summit, urging drivers to slow down.

‘Dozens of stranded motorists’ were out on highway on Christmas Eve

The California Highway Patrol first cautioned motorists about a winter storm advisory three days before Christmas, warning them that a winter storm was on its way and would continue through Christmas and Christmas Eve.

“Heavy snow, strong winds, and periods of near-zero visibility will cause rapidly deteriorating road conditions,” the patrol wrote. “We love holiday traditions, but getting stuck on I-80 shouldn’t be one of them.”

By Christmas Eve, the California Highway Patrol had issued another warning about "slick and icy” roads, warning drivers to “take it slow.” 

According to the patrol, there had already been multiple spinouts by 11:15 a.m. on Christmas Eve. The patrol reminded drivers not to gamble with their lives for the sake of the holiday season.

“We want you to make it safely to your destination this Christmas,” the patrol wrote. “Because ‘making memories’ shouldn’t include us pulling you out of a snowbank.”

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By the evening of Christmas Eve, footage was captured of dozens of vehicles waiting in traffic as snow fell on Interstate 80. Calling the conditions “extremely difficult,” the patrol said tow trucks were working to reach “dozens of stranded motorists.”

Throughout the holiday week, officials implemented chain control on and off. The patrol announced early on Christmas Day that I-80 and three state routes were on R-2 chain control.

According to California officials, R-2 chain control means any vehicles traveling on the highway need chains or traction devices, except 4-wheel drives or all-wheel drives with snow tread tires on all four wheels.

“Please continue to slow it down, leave extra space between vehicles, and expect delays as we work through the remaining congestion,” the patrol wrote online around 8:30 p.m. on Christmas Day. “Thank you for your patience as we help everyone get where they’re going safely.”