While the South Coast won’t be hosting the Winter Olympics
anytime soon, accumulating snowfall did blanket much of the Santa
Ynez Range last weekend. A particularly strong winter storm hit
early Saturday and Sunday mornings, raining hail on the Santa
Barbara foothills and dropping as many as four inches of snow in
elevations above 3,000 feet. Dozens of local residents braved the
twists and turns of Highway 154 and East Camino Cielo Road to go
sledding, throw snowballs, and build snowmen in coastal
California’s version of a winter wonderland. Despite sunny skies
and daytime temperatures in the 60s, one particularly intrepid
snowman made it all the way to Leadbetter Beach, where he melted
his life away at the water’s edge Saturday afternoon.
