South Sounders stepped into a new world Wednesday morning

Dawn hadn’t yet arrived Wednesday when South Sounders stepped outside to measure a night’s worth of snow, then figure out what to do with it, in it, about it.

There had been plenty of warning, and people were ready to measure: 3 inches in Milton, 6 in Gig Harbor and Lakewood. The numbers rose farther south, 8 in DuPont and 11 in Olympia, where Jay Shepard measured 29 inches of old and new snow on Northill Loop.

“Not going out!” Nancy Mills decided at 9:30 a.m. in Olympia, where she measured 14 inches of snow.

And all over Pierce County, kids were of one mind, multiplying the region’s snow person population.

Traffic crews blocked off steep hills, including Wilkeson Street above South Tacoma Way.

Lake Tapps Parkway East was closed, and a good thing, too, said Joan Watson of Auburn.

“Packed snow and ice, no bare pavement,” she posted to The News Tribune website. “Drivers doing poorly. Only AWD vehicles making it down, other vehicles slipping and sliding.”

Even smaller hills stopped some drivers, such as Borgen Boulevard in the north Gig Harbor shopping area. They had to turn around or back down and take side streets to a flatter route.

Most drivers moved slowly to avoid braking and skids. Some decided it would be a good time to exceed the posted speed limit and pass more cautious motorists. They did not inspire good will in their flaky wakes.

IN THE NORTH END

Sarah Fletcher, an employee at Metro Market in Tacoma’s North End, walked to work from Old Town rather than brave the epic 30th Street hill.

Customers were sparse in the morning, but among them was retiree Spencer Sandberg, enjoying his wake-up cup of coffee. He said his all-wheel-drive Subaru took the hill easily. But then, he’s also lived in Fairbanks, Alaska.

Near Union Avenue and North 18th Street in Proctor, the snow was deep but “not that cold,” said postman Steve Boustead.

Most residents hadn’t yet cleared their walkways early Wednesday, and Boustead had to navigate through five to six inches of snow.

Does the Post Office give mail carriers extra time to complete their routes in a snowstorm?

“On a day like today, it takes what it takes,” Boustead said.

At South 12th and Proctor streets, Elaine Nelson went to get the mail and found her walkway cleared. Mail carrier Fernando Aragon had borrowed her snow shovel, done her walk, finished the job and started on the neighbors’ paths.

She thinks he’s the greatest guy ever for this and other helpful things he does.

FIRCREST

Dozens of adults and kids turned Princeton Street between Harvard and Contra Costa avenues into a giant sled run. The multiple hills offered a variety of speed levels.

While he normally snowboards at Crystal Mountain Resort for his winter fun, Oliver Egan, 9, spent most of the last two days riding down the dead-end portion of Princeton.

He was out most of the morning, and his cheeks were as red as the lenses of his goggles. His smile was wide.

“This is the first time in my life I’ve seen this much snow down here,” the Whittier Elementary third-grader said between runs.

Elsewhere in the county, dogs had mixed feelings. The shorter they were, the less likely to step into the snow without being shoved.

“The dog will not go out,” wrote Molly Swenson of Vaughn. “He’s not real sure he wants to put his paws in this white stuff, but he has to go potty. … maybe the other door?”

EATONVILLE

Snowmen stood proud in front yards of this foothills community, and the steep slope behind the library turned into an unofficial Sno-Park for sledding.

Some folks broke out cross-country skis and snowboards to use in their backyards with 6 to 8 inches of overnight accumulation.  

The early morning snow was light and powdery like laundry detergent, but by noon it was topped with a layer of crunchy ice, thanks to freezing rain showers.

Though many roads were plowed and sanded in town, several businesses closed for the day. The local hardware store stayed open, doing a buzzing business in de-icer, sleds and snow shovels.

PUYALLUP AND SOUTH HILL

Cherry Creek Hair Company manager Abigail Ennis pulled into the downtown salon’s lot and realized she wouldn’t be able to back out.

“Three guys had to help dig and push (my car) out,” she said.

Like many other downtown businesses, Cherry Creek closed Wednesday, and Ennis spent the afternoon rescheduling clients.

Around lunchtime, Alfonso Quiroz said he hoped he’d soon be able to open his Mazatlan Restaurant on South Meridian.

He had to close when the snow collapsed the awning on a neighboring business.

Several blocks away, near the Puyallup fairgrounds, Cattin’s Family Dining was busier, feeding people who braved the elements.

“The customers are all dressed warm. They’re having fun,” said manager Paulette Wills.

At South Hill Mall, Cinnabon was closed at noon. Many mall stores closed their doors earlier, if they opened at all.

Shoppers were scarce. Their footfalls echoed on the tiles.

On a bench Jordan Quinn sat, idly pushing buttons on her mobile phone. Quinn, 20, was waiting for her mother, who had an early appointment that couldn’t be broken. That meant a drive out from Eatonville.

Quinn had expected to get a ride back from friends, but it wasn’t panning out.

“I should be out building igloos or something,” she said.

A few miles west of the mall, Woodland Elementary School was closed, but scores of children came anyway.

The hill surrounding the playfield is a perfect slope for sledding. The field is fenced on every side. The slope angles steeply into the main, wide-open field, with no obstructions or hazards.

“No traffic, no danger,” said Cindy Jones.

She underlined her title: Grandma Cindy. Two granddaughters screamed down the slope and huffed up, again and again – one in purple, one in pink.

Jones lives near the school and drives a four-wheel drive. She chugged it to Fircrest early Wednesday to pick up the girls and their mother. Jones had a day off, too. She works at Cabela’s in Lacey. The outdoor outfitter, seller of rugged gear, had closed due to inclement weather.

Staff writers Kathleen Merryman, Debbie Cafazzo, Jeff Mayor, Sara Schilling and Sean Robinson contributed to this report.