December 31, 2005

By LEE JUILLERAT

H&N Regional Editor

Roads in and out of the Klamath Basin were filling with slush and standing water Friday night, and motels were filling with waylaid travelers.

“In the last few hours it's been crazy,” said Joan Bielby, a desk clerk at the Best Western Klamath Inn Friday evening. “They're being rerouted because of Interstate 5 being closed, and by closures and delays on Highways 140 and 58.”

Bielby said more than 20 rooms were filled by unexpected travelers Friday afternoon, including the few that allow pets.

“Our phones are ringing off the hook and rooms are filling fast,” said Randi, a desk clerk at the Holiday Inn Express Hotel and Suites. “Most of them came back because of closures on Highway 140.”

“We've had like 30 extra rooms filled that we hadn't counted on,” said Susan Smith at the Shilo Inn. “We've heard lots of stories about people driving on the mountain passes. ... Can you call back later? We've had a lot of people just come in.”

“Oh, yeah, we're busy,” said Megan Fari at the Klamath Falls Motel 6. “Some of them just couldn't go any farther.”

Sylvia Cook at the Great Basin Visitor Association said that office stayed open later than usual Friday night because of the volume of calls and people stopping and asking for information.

“We've had a lot of people stopping who are trying to get one direction or another,” Cook said. “We've heard a lot of anecdotal information from travelers about accidents and delays.”

Cook said she and others at the office were relying on road reports from the Oregon Department of Transportation's Trip Check site on the Internet and ODOT cameras set up along main highways.

“It started in mid-afternoon with people asking about road conditions,” she said, noting some travelers returned to Klamath Falls after being frustrated on attempts to leave town.

“I've had a few calls from people who say they're being delayed or diverted,” said Dixie Meola at the Maverick Motel. “We're expecting to see some people.”

“We've got a lot of people passing though,” said the Running Y Ranch Resort's Tara Tuter. “All the guests are telling about how horrible it is (on the highways) and the accidents.”

While Klamath Falls area motels were busy, Barbara Kings of the Lakeview Lodge Motel said the weather had not caused highway related problems that left travelers stranded in Lakeview.

“Not so far,” Kings said Friday night. “It's been snowing and raining, but everybody I've got so far is here for a reason.”