Schools, businesses and government offices all were mostly shuttered Monday across the Upper Peninsula and northeastern Wisconsin to let the region ride out the massive storm system that dropped 2 to 4 feet of snow.

Jim Harris, superintendent of the Dickinson County Road Commission, said he had roughly 30 people and 25 truck-graders working into the night Sunday and again early Monday, concentrating on the highways and primary routes.

By Monday afternoon the county’s main routes were in “passable condition,” though the high winds made it difficult to keep some roadways open for long, Harris said.

Many side roads, however, still had not been plowed. But Harris said he was hopeful they would finish all but the more remote roads by this evening.

A deck on Hamilton Lakes as Blizzard Elsa moves through. (Contributed photo)

Harris also advised that plows would be available if someone had an emergency on a road that had yet to be cleared.

It helped Monday that residents were heeding the warnings to stay home, he said. Sunday had far too many people trying to navigate through dangerous road conditions and poor visibility, Harris said, adding he saw a couple of near-crashes.

“Stay home, be patient for another day — we’re going to get to everyone as soon as possible,” Harris said, calling Blizzard Elsa the most significant storm he’s seen in at least a quarter-century.

Schools and a number of businesses, including The Daily News, were remaining closed today while road crews continued their work.

In Iron County, Road Commission Superintendent/Manager Bradley Toivonen had 15 operators out at 4 a.m. Monday after breaking off at 7 p.m. Sunday night.

A road in Faithorn that has yet to be plowed. (Contributed photo)

“We’re doing good, for what we’re going through,” he said, adding only one truck has broken down so far and he was confident that could be repaired today.

The western county didn’t get hit as hard as other parts of the Upper Peninsula but still has received roughly 2 to 3 feet of snow in the past week, Toivonen said.

From what he heard Monday morning, the more eastern U.P. counties — Menominee, Delta, Schoolcraft — got more snow from the system.

The National Weather Service had 36 inches in Hermansville by 7 a.m. Monday, 35 inches in Spalding by 11 a.m. and 31 inches in Menominee, all in Menominee County. Other area communities on the list included 22.4 inches at 7 a.m. in Spread Eagle, Wis.; 21.6 inches at 7 a.m. in Iron Mountain; 21.3 inches at 12:30 p.m. in Florence, Wis.; and 21 inches at 6 a.m. in Kingsford.

The snow stopped falling and the sun peeked through by late afternoon Monday, but winds with gusts into the 30s to 40s mph range — and the 50s along Lake Superior — still severely limiting visibility.

Photo by Missy Dierkens in Vulcan.

The final blizzard warnings in the region were set to expire early this morning.

Betsy Bloom can be reached at 906-774-2772, ext. 85240, or bbloom@ironmountaindailynews.com.

Natasha Cronick of Norway Township posted this photo of the view from a doorway, saying, "These horses may never go out again."

Cars were buried by Blizzard Elsa at the Kim and George McGillivray home at Six Mile Lake in north Dickinson County. (Kim McGillivray photo)

George McGillivray begins to dig out at the McGillivray home at Six Mile Lake in north Dickinson County. (Kim McGillivray photo)