GROVELAND, Calif. — It’s the start of a weekend in Groveland and while it's usually a time when Highway 120 is packed with tourists headed to Yosemite National Park, things were a little quieter Friday — except for the sound of constantly pouring rain.
Groveland resident Nikki Bartholomew says that lately, people haven't been taking the long and windy road from the Central Valley to the National Park which announced Thursday it would close from noon Friday through at least Sunday afternoon.
"When it’s closed, they’re very proactive in making sure that’s communicated forward so that people don’t waste their time coming up for no reason," said Bartholomew. “People are hunkering down for sure.”
The park closure and storm that caused it have been keeping business away from local shops and restaurants like Ranch Revived Decor.
"It impacts reservations for lodging, restaurants, the whole tourism industry that relies on the Yosemite tourists," said the store's owner, Joanie Gisler.
Meanwhile, at grocery stores like Mar-Val, business has been booming with locals gearing up.
"We’re going to go gas up our car, we’re going to get more groceries," said Groveland resident Dawna Dougherty before walking into Mar-Val to stock up. "All of our flashlights are ready to go.”
A resident of Groveland for 20 years, David Danberger stays prepared.
“I know people come up and they haven’t been up here much and what happens is they’re like, ‘oh my gosh,’ people get freaked out. It’s like, no it’s normal," said Danberger.
The conditions Friday were normal for locals, but a possible safety hazard for people from out of town. This is why Gisler is telling tourists to simply come back another time.
"There’s plenty of wonderful days that you can explore," said Gisler. "When the snow comes, it will be passable but we want people to be safe also."
Watch more from ABC10: Amador County braces for low-elevation snow
