IT ARRIVES AT THEIR >>> IT IS THE FIRST DAY OF WINTER WHEN PEOPLE IN THE NORTH CAROLINA MOUNTAINS OFTEN BRACE FOR SNOW. IT WON'T BE ANYWHERE CHOSE TO WHAT HAPPENED 60 YEARS AGO. HE REMEMBERS THE SNOWSTORM OF 1960. >> Reporter: SUNNY SKIES AND MILD TEMPERATURES. THE ABSOLUTE OPPOSITE OF THAT WILD WINTERTIME IN 1960. EVERY WEDNESDAY, IT WOULD SNOW ANYWHERE FROM 14 TO 18 INCHES. >> EVERY WEDNESDAY FOR WEEKS. >> THERE WERE DRIFTS THAT WERE 15, 20 FEET HIGH. >> THEY CAN WALK ON TOP OF THE DRIFTS. >> IT JUST PILED UP. >> SNOWPLOWS CAME THROUGH BUT ALL THE SNOW PILED UP IN THE CENTER OF THE STREET. >> SNOW DRIFTS KEPT MOMENTING UP. >> Reporter: THIS IS WRAL FILM FOOTAGE FROM BACK THEN IN WEST JEFFERSON. THE SNOW WAS EVEN NATIONAL NEWS. >> THE TOWN WAS KIND OF THE HUB FOR THE NATIONAL GUARD. THEY CAME IN. >> AND THEY LANDED THE HELICOPTERS HERE. >> Reporter: WHAT HAD BEEN THE BALL FIELD. >> IN THE FIRST HELICOPTER THEY CAME OVER, THE COW WAS IN THE BARN. SHE KNOCKED THE DOOR DOWN. >> THE SPOOKED COW BOLTED FOR THE HOUSE. >> TRIED TO GET IN THE HOUSE. >> THEY WERE DROPPING BAILS OF HAY ON PEOPLE'S CATTLE AND ON ONE MAN'S CHERRY TREE. >> A SPACE PRIZED CHERRY TREE AND BUSTED IT UP. >> ALL YOU NEED TO DO IS THROW SOMETHING RED ON THE SNOW. HIS DAD DESPERATE FOR COFFEE, THREW A PAIR OF RED UNDERWEAR ON THE SNOW AND THE HELICOPTER UNLOADED THE COFFEE. >> I BET YOUR DAD LOVED THAT PAIR AFTER THAT? >> Reporter: THE RESCUE TEAMS TOLD PEOPLE TO WRITE IN THE SNOW AND SOME GUY WROTE NEED HOOCH IN THE SNOW. >> THEY LABORED THROUGH TO REACH AN ELDERLY WOMAN. >> THEY WENT AND KNOCKED ON THE DOOR TO SEE IF SHE WAS OKAY AND SHE OPENED THE DOOR JUST A CRACK AND A FIERCE WIND AND THEY INTRODUCED THEMSELVES AS BEING FROM THE RED CROSS AND SHE INTERRUPTS BEFORE THEY HAVE A CHANCE TO SAY ANYTHING ELSE AND SAID I GIVE ALREADY AND CLOSED THE DOOR. >> IT WAS A SNOWY TIME. >> THERE WAS SNOW STILL ON THE GROUND IN MAY. >> AFTER AWHILE, IT JUST BEAT YOU DOWN. SO EVERY SNOW NOW COMPARED, WELL, IT WASN'T ANYTHING LIKE 1960. >> FOLKS ARE RIGHT WHEN THEY SAY IT DOESN'T SNOW UP HERE ANYMORE. >> WOW. WHAT PEOPLE WILL GO THROUGH FOR COFFEE. IN 1960 IT SNOWED FOR SIX WEEKS