In the video above, Tommy Lynch reports from Lewistown, where residents are still digging out from a big dumping of snow over the weekend. The town officially received two feet of snow.
Lewistown Public Schools will again be closed on Tuesday: "Lewistown Public Schools will be closed on Tuesday, January 14, 2025 as we are not able to provide bus service and safe access to our school buildings. We want to give the city and school more time to deal with snow removal. We plan to resume normal classes on Wednesday, January 15, 2025."
School in Geyser has also been canceled for Tuesday.
Donald Bren has been living in Lewistown for 40 years, and this weekend’s snow is some of the most he has seen.
Bren said, “Well, there's only one other one that really matches that, I think.”
He has been shoveling since Sunday to get his car out of the driveway. On Monday, he is trying to get over the berm the city plowed for his doctor’s appointment tomorrow.
Bren said, “That's the bugger I gotta get there. I can't figure out how I'm going to get through that.”
On the side streets, it’s even worse.
Steven Hamilton said, “I think I was glad I got groceries on Friday before the storm came.”
Jeanette Miller and Hamilton expected some snow, but nothing like this.
Hamilton said, “When I got home Friday night, my sidewalk was clear and there was nothing on my car. And now it's a lot.”
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The progress people have made is a community effort. It’s neighbors helping neighbors.
Miller said, “It feels good. It's a[n] accomplishment of the town. And who lives here.”
While some dig out their homes, others are making the most of the situation. Casey Butcher couldn’t get her car out from the snow, but found the snowed-over roads were perfect for winter memories.
Butcher said, “Well, this was a childhood sled of my own, so I wanted to take my son, who just turned one in our… sled and pull him around.”
For Billy, the freshly one year old child, the conditions were a little too good.
Butcher said, “I think when we go, when we go downhill a little too fast, he gets a little freaked out. But I think he's having a good time.”
Downtown Lewistown is quiet, but businesses like Rising Trout Coffee are still open, offering warm beverages to those out and about.
Jon Milhon, Co-Owner of Rising Trout said, “For people who want to be here, this is an important time to be open. I mean, you want a cup of coffee, you need some breakfast… And we had travelers who were, whose flights were canceled, who couldn't travel, who came and sat down and had breakfast this morning.”
It’s a slow day, but Milhon never considered taking the day off.
Milhon said, “If they're getting out, they're getting out, to help people. You know, the bank across the street is closed. And so the normal traffic we get from local people is, is not here. And, yeah, the people are working on getting out of the snow.”
Montanans are resourceful, and two feet of snow isn’t going to stop them.
Butcher said, “We're just having a good time out in the snow. That's what Montanans do. They make the most of their weather.”
