Generations of residents have passed through Coast Hardware Store, a family-owned shop that remains one of the few businesses operating during storms.
Manager Heidi Dulcich said staying open matters, even when foot traffic slows.
"We think it's important that in this kind of weather, even if it is really quiet, we are here when they really need us," she said.
The store is filled with decades of memories and continues adding more, especially on days when school closures bring in families with children looking for ways to stay busy.
One young visitor, five-year-old Hudson, summed up his day simply: "I don't like school, but I do like being out of school."
Hudson and his family were visiting from out of town, taking advantage of a break in the weather to get outside.
His father, Chris Savcak, said the snow offers kids a chance to burn off energy.
"It's nice to be able to get out in the snow and get their wiggles out, get their energy out of their system," he said.
While families found ways to enjoy the day, Mariposa County school buses sat idle in district parking lots.
The Mariposa County School District canceled classes out of caution, citing dangerous road conditions in higher elevations.
Superintendent Jeff Aranguena said the county's wide range of elevations, including campuses inside Yosemite National Park, makes weather decisions complex.
"We have a very geographically diverse county, so we have eight campuses across the entire county, some campuses at Yosemite National Park, so at 4,000 ft and all the way down, we have campuses that are 1,000 ft in elevation," he said.
That variation can lead to vastly different conditions for families across the district.
"So there may be some families that don't have snow at their house, and you may have some families that are completely snowed in today, so we try to make the best decision based on safety," Aranguena said.
Despite the closures, businesses like Coast Hardware continued serving the community, offering a warm place to stop and sometimes, a moment of fun amid the storm.
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