Bay Area skiers head to Tahoe for a white Christmas

BERKELEY, Calif. (KGO) -- Many in the Bay Area may be dreaming of a White Christmas for their families. And that dream has many packing-up the car bound for snowy Tahoe.

Traffic on Interstate 80 eastbound was slow much of Christmas Eve afternoon.

At Sports Basement in Walnut Creek, there was a lot of ski boot fittings going on. Skis and poles too.

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"We're going to Tahoe and skiing at Squaw," said Brandon Buhmann from Walnut Creek.

Buhmann is ready for a snowy adventure. He's taking his three daughters who have a lot of energy.

"The two older ones got to go last year, the younger one, first time out," Buhmann added.

The ski rental department has been slammed this week with reservations.

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"We've been super busy. Everybody's getting excited for the season. Power's up, we've got all the good stuff," said Sports Basement employee Jeremy Schachter.

There is a payoff when you get to the Sierra, a winter-wonderland. Northstar resort near Truckee has seen snowfall most of the week.

Near perfect conditions for skiing and snowboarding.

"So everyone's excited about the fresh powder. The 13 inches we got Monday night adding to 11 feet of snow, and we're excited," said Kayla Elias from Northstar.

If you are headed to the mountains, the California Highway Patrol advises travelers to take it slow and carry chains.