Among those caught in the snow and freezing temperatures were Marc and Gloria Kreidler of Sunnyvale, who shivered through 20 hours stuck in their car with little food, light or gasoline.

The Kreidlers and their 13-year-old son, Johnathan, left family in the gold-country town of Copperopolis on Dec. 29, intending to drive to Washington to visit with Marc's mother in Tacoma. "We don't make the trip very often because she's afraid of the snow," Marc says, referring to his wife. But Gloria had checked the weather forecast and wasn't worried about this trip. "They said that everything was going to be clear and wonderful," she says.

About 4:30 that afternoon, the Kreidlers' Toyota Siena was stopped going north on I-5 near the summit due to two jackknifed semis blocking the road. Highway patrol officers said traffic could start moving again once they cleared the trucks, but as Marc sais. They never did.

Blizzard conditions settled on the area, dropping 2 feet of snow in a matter of hours, according to the National Weather Service, with drifts accumulating at depths much higher than that. "The windows frosted over, and the snow was a foot deep on the car," Gloria says.

The snow fell so quickly that there was no opportunity for plows to clear the way before dark. Cars outfitted with chains and four-wheel drive couldn't escape the snow. Around 9 p.m. that night, the temperature had fallen so low that road crews and those attempting to free their own vehicles had to retreat inside their vehicles for warmth.

However, warmth was not easy to find. The Kreidlers bunkered down with their jackets and the few blankets they had in the car, turning on the ignition every so often to generate heat. They depended on a supply of bananas and biscotti cookies they took along by chance, as well as the case of water they keep in the car. "My mother always said to be prepared," Gloria says.

Son Johnathan was delighted to play in the snow for a time, but his parents grew increasingly concerned, given the lack of information about road conditions. "After midnight, we decided no one was coming," Marc says. "There was nothing on the radio, not even on those stations reserved for road reports. All it said was 'chains are required.' Duh!"

The night hours were the most difficult. With no streetlights and everyone huddled in their cars for warmth, a freeway packed with cars seemed very desolate. "We just felt like the world had forgotten about us," Gloria says. "You always hear about this sort of thing, but you never know how it feels." The Kreidlers used their rapidly depleting cell-phone batteries to call family and friends and ask them to pray, and since it was difficult to sleep, they passed the time by talking and reading the Bible.

Gloria says their faith pulled them through the ordeal. "Praying really calmed me down," she says. "I felt that peace come upon me, like I knew that everything was going to be OK."

Though it snowed until 8 a.m. the following morning, daybreak was a signal that their prayers had been answered. "It was wonderful to see the sun come up," Gloria says. Snowplows finally came by, piling more snow onto the marooned cars but clearing the way for search-and-rescue teams to bring supplies for those in need.

Once the temperatures rose, people were able to venture out of their cars to check on others. The Kreidlers knew the Chrysler PT Cruiser in front of them had no food and no gasoline, but the inhabitants of that car had a case of microwave popcorn that they were able to pop with the aid of a trucker's makeshift kitchen. "It was kind of like what happens when an earthquake hits. Everyone went outside to check if everyone else was OK," Marc says.

The same spirit prevailed when it came to digging out of the snow. Marc and Johnathan used a piece of fiberglass borrowed from another driver to help dig out their minivan. "We knew that if we didn't do it ourselves, we weren't getting out of there," Marc says. They were finally able to drive away at 1:30 p.m. on Dec. 30.

Conditions were still dicey; roads were still blocked and icy, but thanks to an understanding highway patrol officer and slushy snow, the Kreidlers were able to make it to the Oregon town of Ashland before they ran out of gasoline. Other cars weren't so lucky and had to spend another night on the summit.

After a big meal and hot showers in an Ashland hotel room, the Kreidlers set off for home the next day when they heard reports that conditions were just as bad near Portland. One night was enough.

"My son said that now we know how the homeless feel," Gloria says. "We had absolutely no control over the situation. Everyone was in survival mode."

But they haven't lost their sense of humor. "Now we can laugh about it," Gloria says. And will they be venturing to Washington anytime soon? "By air only."