A number of Frazier Park residents are voicing concerns about what they are calling unsafe and disrespectful activities by out-of-towners traveling to the area to play in the snow, prompting California Highway Patrol officials to offer advice and safety tips to visitors.

Area residents have reported these “snow bunnies” leaving behind copious amounts of trash, blocking roads and driveways, creating traffic jams and trespassing on private property.

A photo reportedly taken by a snow plow driver who was blocked from continuing down the road by vehicles stopped for snow play activities. Photo courtesy of Kelsy Edgar, Facebook

“Anytime there’s snow up here, we’re going to get people from L.A. and Bakersfield up here to play in the snow, which is their right,” said Public Information Officer Adrian Garcia of the California Highway Patrol in Fort Tejon. “But it just creates a bad situation where we have so much traffic in such a little area… It just causes a big headache for the local residents.”

This past weekend, CHP officers had to close all the freeway exits leading into Frazier Park — forcing residents to bypass their own exits and circle back around to get home — and were only allowing area residents in by 1 p.m.

“According to one officer, it’s the worst traffic he’s ever seen in this area,” Garcia said, “and he’s been here for at least 10 years… (Local residents) had to wait about 45 minutes to drive two miles, so it can be really frustrating.”

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Area officers wrote numerous tickets throughout the weekend due to people blocking driveways and roads and double parking their vehicles. Some vehicles were even at risk of being towed due to safety hazards.

“That’s something we don’t want to do if we don’t have to,” Garcia said, “A lot of the people that come here and play, they don’t understand the rules… We get people parking on both sides of the road, and it’s harder — or impossible — to get an emergency vehicle through there.”

While CHP officials have no current plan of action other than to continue to implement road closures as needed, Garcia has some advice for Santa Clarita Valley and other L.A. County residents planning to travel to Frazier Park in the future for snow-related activities:

• Check the CHP Traffic Incident Information page for closures and traffic conditions in the area instead of calling the U.S. Forest Service, who can only comment on whether snow play areas are open for the day.
• Plan to arrive at designated snow play areas by about 8 a.m., as they will fill up quickly.
• Come prepared to bring trash back home, as there are no trash receptacles at snow play areas. Be respectful of area residents and don’t litter or leave trash behind.
• Pay attention to posted signs stating snow play areas are closed, and turn around (legally) in the case that these signs are posted.
• Never block driveways or roads, or double park vehicles. Always park on the downhill.
• Don’t trespass onto private property to play in the snow.
• Drive cautiously and obey all traffic laws, particularly when making U-turns

“If you see a long line of cars, you probably want to turn around and try some other time,” Garcia said. “Obviously, we can’t not allow people to play in the snow, and we don’t have enough manpower to have an officer stand checking IDs for hours… We are definitely open for suggestions if somebody knows a better way of doing it.”

Melanie Bernhardt, a resident of Frazier Park, says she welcomes area visitors who are respectful.

“Just be respectful of the rules,” she said, “and we will continue to be welcoming.”