reporter: a winter weather punch pounding parts of country with storm systems making a mess of the roads. in eastern north dakota, blowing snow blanketing the region, coating the roads in dangerous ice, causing dozens of spin outs and accidents as holiday travelers brave bad conditions. in utah, some areas calling for up to 36 inches of snow, turning the hillsides into a skier s paradi paradise. sara doesn t mind doing digging out on a suddenly white christmas. it s seriously a christmas miracle. we went to bed and it was green and woke up to this. reporter: in flagstaff, arizona, car wrecks all over the roads, forcing a number of closures with the heaviest snow still on the way. at the grand canyon, karen kline rescued after wandering 26 miles in the snow to find help when the family car got stuck off a forest road. she ended up in very deep
celebrities calling michael a brilliant talent and miley cyrus thanking michael for his activism in the lgbt community. wham tweeted heart broken at the loss of my beloved friend. yours only, george. me, his loved ones, his friends, the world of music, the world at large forever loved. elton john posted, i am in deep shock. i have lost a beloved friend. the kindest, most generous soul and brilliant artist. my heart goes out to his family, friends, and all of his fans. george michael dead at the age of 53. an ugly end to the holiday weekend with blizzards and freezing rain slamming parts of the country. the severe weather not only closed roads, but also put one family in harm s way, leading to a harrowing survival story near the grand canyon. here s nbc s steve paterson with the details. reporter: a winter weather punch pounding parts of country