Classes were canceled Monday at four school districts in San Diego's East County due to the El Nino-fueled storm but the San Diego County of Education's sixth-grade camp went on as scheduled.
Instructors at the Cuyamaca Outdoor School woke up to find about a half inch of snow at the camp located on State Route 79 north of Interstate 8.
Principal Greg Schuett has worked with the program for 25 years and only canceled once.
On Monday, even with the snow on the ground and windy conditions, he and his staff decided conditions were safe for sixth graders to make the trip east.
Even so, there were delays. California Highway Patrol officers closed Interstate 8 for a few hours afer a light dusting of snow fell. There were more than two dozen spin-outs in just two hours, CHP officers said.
A high wind advisory was in effect for travelers on Interstate 8 from Alpine to the San Diego, Imperial County line. Travel was not recommended for campers or trailers, according to Caltrans.
In Pine Valley, Sunday brought the second snow storm to hit town in the last month and even locals said the slippery roads should be taken seriously.
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One driver who crashed near Pine Valley told NBC 7 that he believes guardian angels were with him and his wife. Only guardrails kept them from spinning off the road, Julius Aglupos said.
Several school districts canceled class Monday due to snow and wind. They include Julian Union Elementary School District, Julian Union High School District, Mountain Empire School District and Spencer Valley School District.
Classes were scheduled to resume Tuesday.
Meanwhile, Schuett said his campers arrived soon after I-8 was reopened to traffic.
“We have almost 300 happy students up here enjoying the weather on this first day of February,” the principal said.
Cuyamaca Outdoor School teaches science to thousands of students annually through four- or five-day excursions in the mountains of Cuyamaca Rancho State Park.
