EISPIRATEN

There's much more on up the road, too. Many washouts, slides, sinkholes, cleaved lanes.

Here's a shot from today (below). There is an obvious 'leak' in the middle of the slide, and it looks like they are doing something, vehicle on a mound. The wall from the previous repair is missing/buried. The water tank reference point is upper left. The drainage to the right and above the slide is the 'north fork' of Valley Forge Canyon. The canyon left of the slide is the first 'recess' of the 'west fork' of Valley Forge Canyon.

Still closed between Red Box and Vincent Gap. I predict that by 2030 we'll be back to 1930 road conditions.

Some reopening has happened 2023-10-31...Happy Halloween!!!

https://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/loca ... e/3256756/

Here's an update from Caltrans.

• State Route 2 is open from the Foothill (210) Freeway to just north of Mt. Wilson Red Box Road.
• State Route 2 is closed from just north of Mt. Wilson Red Box Road to just south of Upper Big Tujunga Canyon Road. Ongoing work includes clearing a slide and installing cable mesh on a slope to prevent future slides at post mile 40.3.
• State Route 2 is open from just south of Upper Big Tujunga Canyon Road to Islip Saddle. This section is more than 20 miles of reopened highway, Caltrans reported. The repaired section of roadway has been repaved.
• State Route 2 is closed from Islip Saddle to Vincent Gulch. Ongoing work includes slope reconstruction and installation of retaining walls at two separate locations. This section of SR-2 is generally closed to the public during the winter anyway due to hazardous road conditions.

The detour to access Angeles Crest Highway north of Upper Big Tujunga is Angeles Crest Highway to Angeles Forest Highway to Upper Big Tujunga Canyon Road back to Angeles Crest Highway.

*Angeles Crest Hwy in Angeles Forest*
Great news! State Route 2 is now OPEN from just south of Upper Big Tujunga Cyn Rd. to Islip Saddle. SR-2 remains CLOSED from north of Mount Wilson Red Box Rd. to Upper Big Tujunga & from Islip Saddle to Vincent Gulch for emergency repairs. pic.twitter.com/UjQoA4rJK6
— Caltrans District 7 (@CaltransDist7) October 31, 2023

*State Route 2 - Angeles National Forest*
Angeles Crest Highway remains CLOSED from north of Mt. Wilson Red Box Rd. to Vincent Gulch Rd. until further notice to repair last winter's storm damage. Photo: Clearing loose dirt & rocks at a retaining wall at post mile 40.6. pic.twitter.com/yj5pkY5KIH
— Caltrans District 7 (@CaltransDist7) October 24, 2023

Pretty sure that last twat is inaccurate.

Taking Big Tujunga Canyon Rd is a bit of a detour, but from that intersection to Islip Saddle is a big and important chunk of ACH to open back up for campgrounds and lots of trail access, obviously the most important of all being THE CENTROID. Great news. Now lets hope our El Niño Winter doesn't wipe it out all over again. Knowing the Gabes, it probably will...

Nate U wrote: ↑......THE CENTROID. Great news. Now lets hope our El Niño Winter doesn't wipe it out all over again. Knowing the Gabes, it probably will...

Don't jinx things!

JeffH wrote: ↑

Nate U wrote: ↑......THE CENTROID. Great news. Now lets hope our El Niño Winter doesn't wipe it out all over again. Knowing the Gabes, it probably will...

Don't jinx things!

Quick, someone drive to Islip Saddle and burn some sage to remove the jinx.

I made it up there today, but thought it unwise to burn anything. Jeepers, that's a long drive! I'm 818-based, so used Big Tujunga -> Angeles Forest Hwy -> Upper Big T -> CA-2 to Islip.

The road has been resurfaced from (at least) Upper Big Tujunga junction to the easternmost of the Sally Saddles. Closed at Islip for the year, and still damaged. About 200m west of Little Jimmy Access Rd, both lanes have completely collapsed. I don't know about anything from there to Dawson Saddle, but there are some similar 'holes' on the Dawson-Vincent leg that I saw on a previous journey.

It's peaceful right now, no race cars, no guns, barely any air traffic. All water sources in the area seem to be fine, but Cortelyou Spring had a dome of ice forming at the base.

re: snow

I did the long, long, loooooong drive to Islip Saddle on Saturday (4-MAY). Snow is the theme. Cloudburst Summit to Islip Saddle, snow is 40%-70% coverage from 7000-8000 ft/2100-2500 m on north slopes, and above that it looks continuous. I altered plans and doubled back to Chilao, which is very meadowy and sometimes soggy. Campgrounds are all full, including Bandido.

I saw a med-large bear cross the road in front of me between Three Points and Cloudburst Summit, at the PCT parking. Bear appeared to be headed west, following PCT roughly. Lots of thru-hikers are out already, so easy pickins I guess.

I'm just waiting for it to melt enough for a road bike to do all of the 2.