HD Open Road

By Megan O’Neil

Angeles Crest Highway (State Highway 2), which has been closed between La Cañada Flintridge and Wrightwood since late August due to damage sustained during the Station fire, reopened to traffic on Monday morning.

The fire, which burned more than 160,000 acres in the Angeles National Forest, damaged thousands of feet of guard rail and pavement, rendering the highway impassable. Dan Freeman, director of maintenance for Caltrans District 7, said Caltrans and Los Angeles County Public Works crews labored for two months to clear debris basins and storm drains, re-strip roads and replaced guardrails, road signs and road markers The crews also implemented some mitigating measure to try and protect Angeles Crest Highway from landslides, he added.

“Caltrans has been working in collaboration with the Los Angeles County Department of Public Works, U.S. Forest Service, California High Patrol and several other entities to ensure that the repairs to the Angeles Crest Highway are safe and seamless,” Freeman said.

The reopening of the highway, however, is tentative at best. Geological experts at the U.S. Forest Service and the U.S. Geological Survey have warned repeatedly that the conditions in the Angeles National Forest — namely charred soil and steep slopes — are ripe for massive and dangerous mudslides.

A brief but intense rainstorm on Nov. 12 sent mud and water pouring down into the Paradise Valley neighborhood of La Cañada Flintridge, seriously damaging six homes.

On Monday, the reopening of Angeles Crest was delayed slightly while crews cleared debris from the roadway, the result of a small rock slide. Motorcyclists, eager to visit a favorite local route, described having to slowly weave their way through debris.

Tony Nieves, who took the day off from work to ride his motorcycle up to Wrightwood, said he had to stop at several spots where road crews continued to work to clear the highway and install guard rails.

“They’re still stopping traffic.” Nieves said. “There is still gravel, it could be dangerous.”

Patrick Chandler, spokesperson for Caltrans, said that the various agencies will continually monitor safety conditions in the Angeles National Forest and on Angeles Crest Highway.

“It is very steep up there and there is no vegetation due to the Station fire,” Chandler said. “If there is mud on the road, no one will be able to get up there. If the road is not safe, it will be closed.”

Nevertheless, businesses located up and down the twisting mountain pass welcomed the reopening. Traditionally, the highway is trafficked by motorcyclists, hikers, campers and other day trippers. It is also a commuter route for motorists traveling from Palmdale to Los Angeles.

According to a 2008 traffic count conducted by the California Department of Transportation, Angeles Crest Highway typically carried 4,500 vehicles per day north of the city. Within La Cañada, Angeles Crest Highway carried 10,000 to 12,000 vehicles per day. City traffic engineer Erik Zandvliet said the road closure has resulted in a 55% reduction in traffic.

Mark Kim, co-owner of the Hill Street Cafe, which is located at the south terminus of Angeles Crest Highway in La Cañada, estimated that his business dropped 15% during the three months of closure.

“You can’t imagine how many motorcycles come here, and how many cars come to go up Angeles Crest and then come here to eat,” Kim said.

Sabir Enabi, manager of a Shell gas station located on Angeles Crest Highway just north of Foothill Boulevard, said that before the Station fire, hundreds of motorcyclists would stop by each weekend to fill their tanks, buy snacks and hang out. In the wake of the fire, he said, he has lost about 40% of his business.

“We struggled mostly on the weekends because of the motorcyclists,” Enabi said.

Newcomb’s Ranch, a popular dining spot located 27 miles up Angeles Crest Highway from La Cañada, had a steady stream of customers on Monday. The restaurant, like Mt. Waterman Ski Resort, was protected by dozens of firefighters during the Station fire and survived untouched.

Rick and Brien Metcalf, brothers who grew up in La Cañada and purchased Mt. Waterman in 2006, said the highway reopened just in time for their employee orientation on Sunday. The resort will open for business as soon as a weather conditions create a solid snow base for skiing, they said.

“We are all ready to go,” Rick Metcalf said. “We are just waiting for some of that first snow to come down and we will be ready to open.”

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