Author: Michael Ballard

November / December 2022 Newsletter

Ridge Route Preservation Organization Accomplishments

What have we done? Why donate to us? Why join us?

The Ridge Route Preservation Organization has accomplished quite a bit so far. We can’t do it without your support. We have a lot more to do!

Here is a short list of some of those.

  • Created the 501(c)3 Non-Profit Public Benefit Ridge Route Preservation Organization in January 2001.
  • Placed the Historic Ridge Route onto the National Register with the help of Angeles National Forest Archaeologist Michael J. McIntyre September 25, 1997
  • Established a Memorandum of Understanding (Now a Volunteer Service Agreement) with the Angeles National Forest which allowed our organization to clear minor landslides and fill potholes.
  • Reservoir Summit was the mutual agreed location where we deposited dirt cleared from the road that it created a small mountain known as “Scotty’s Mountain”.
  • Initiated the CUTRR “Clean Up The Ridge Route” program that met monthly to clean out the drains on the road.
  • Identified all drains on the road and marked and numbered each one with a state approved marker.
  • Stepped in to complete posting Picture Placards on concrete monuments provided by a non-profit organization that went out of business.  Photo posted at each historic site from the Harrison I. Scott archives.
  • Contacted the Federal Highway Administration in Colorado (the nearest office) and offered to fly them out at our expense to examine the major landslides on the Ridge Route from the January 2005 “one -hundred – year rainstorm”.   The Federal Highway Administration repaired the road working with Angeles National Forest.
  • Replaced the steps at the Tumble Inn historic site that were being damaged by off road motorcyclists in cooperation with late Ranger Bob Blount.
  • Former President, Harrison I. Scott brought further attention to the historic Ridge Route by doing two over the road television programs.  First, a one – hour program going over the road with Huell Howser in a 1915 Model T.  A one – half hour program going over the road in Jay Leno’s 1915 Franklin.

There is a lot more we need to do. We are still working, albeit slowly, on getting the roadway reopened. We need your help with our Ridge Route Management Plan, which we will submit to the Angeles National Forest as a part of the opening plan. We will be holding Zoom meetings again soon regarding this plan and more. Make sure to subscribe to our website to learn more.

RRPO Board Update – Treasurer Needed

Our current Treasurer, Richard Valot, will be resigning by the end of the 2022. We wish to thank him for his many years of service and wish him well! We are looking for a new person to fill the position and help us move forward. If you are interested in learning more about the position or are interested in applying, please contact us!

Ridge Route Mapping Update

Our mapping project is nearly complete! Our base map is done and now we are working on adding other features. Once it is available, we will make an announcement on the site where it can be viewed.

RRPO YouTube Channel

Did you know we have a YouTube channel with videos on the history of the Ridge Route and various aspects of the current status of the roadway? We’ve posted a few videos recently showcasing some of the unique history of the roadway. Check it out and subscribe!

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSVYTEajHIx-G4jewzHlvxg

Upcoming Articles – We Want to Hear from You!

Would you like to write an article for our newsletter? We are looking for stories about the road, experiences you’ve had, or information about the history. Perhaps something about the things you can see alongside the roadway, such as the plants and geology. Let us know! We’d love to hear about it!

Featured Photo

From our archives – a 1921 Automobile Club of Southern California strip map showing the Ridge Route from Los Angeles to State 138. Some things to note are modern Quail Lake being named Crane Lake, Castaic being shown further south (train station was located at current Castaic Junction), the Newhall Tunnel still in place, and the option of going via Cahuenga Pass instead of along current San Fernando Road.

Ridge Route Alternate Presentation

On September 13, 2022, I will be giving a Zoom presentation for the Historic Highway 99 Association of California on the Ridge Route Alternate between Castaic and Tejon Pass. Come join the Association for the presentation! See the link below for details and to learn how to sign up.

https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZIkf-2hrzsiH904SqBi5hu0v6BAHfBEuTSC

September-October 2022 Newsletter

Ridge Route Update

Fallen tree along the north Reservoir Summit grade

It has been a while since our last update. I’ve been busy with a move and house remodeling, which has taken me away from things. Unfortunately, we don’t have a lot to report. We are still working with the USFS to get the roadway open and develop a management plan for the roadway.

Over the weekend of August 20, I was able to take a trip over the Ridge Route to survey the roadway. For the most part, there was good news. The roadway is still in pretty good shape. Earlier this year, utility crews cleared large portions of the road from Serpentine Drive to near Sandberg. That work has helped to keep the roadway in better shape over the summer and hopefully into the coming winter. Only small rockslides were found at Swede’s Cut and below Reservoir Summit on the north side of the summit.

Swede’s Cut prior to being cleared.

In early August, a small fire occurred at the north end of the Ridge Route where it meets State 138. The fire, known as the Sam Fire, was held at 150 acres and didn’t cause any damage to the Ridge Route. It did burn along State 138 from the Ridge Route to the California Aqueduct and partially up Bald Mountain. An additional fire started on August 31, known as the Route Fire, near the southern end of the Ridge Route along northbound I-5. It is not known at this time if the Ridge Route is affected though it has progressed to the Callahan Line Change site as of 1600 on August 31.

The roadway is still closed at this time even though there have been reports of the gates being left open. Keep in mind, the gates can be closed and locked behind you, so please do not travel beyond them by motor vehicle. Travel is still allowed via walking, horseback, and bicycling.

RRPO Update

Our current Treasurer, Richard Valot, will be resigning by the end of the 2022. We wish to thank him for his many years of service and wish him well! We are looking for a new person to fill the position and help us move forward. If you are interested in learning more about the position or are interested in applying, please contact us!

Ridge Route Mapping Update

We are working on a comprehensive map of the Historic Ridge Route using the Google API. We are hoping to have this available in the near future. If you are interested in learning more or would like to help contribute, let us know.

RRPO YouTube Channel

Did you know we have a YouTube channel with videos on the history of the Ridge Route and various aspects of the current status of the roadway? We’ve posted a few videos recently showcasing some of the unique history of the roadway. Check it out and subscribe!

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSVYTEajHIx-G4jewzHlvxg

Reporting Problems on the Ridge Route

With all the recent fire activity as well as other events such as January 26 when big rigs tried to travel the Ridge Route, we thought it was a good idea to have a place to report things. If you see something wrong on the Ridge Route, be it a developing washout, large vehicles traversing the roadway, or things out-of-the-ordinary, we have have set up a web page to help you report things on the road. We will pass the information along to the appropriate agencies as needed.

To Report Problems or other issues on the Ridge Route, please use the website below. The web page is also located under our “Current Roadway Conditions” page in the menu.

Reporting Problems on the Ridge Route

Upcoming Articles

Would you like to write an article for our newsletter? We are looking for stories about the road, experiences you’ve had, or information about the history. Perhaps something about the things you can see alongside the roadway, such as the plants and geology. Let us know! We’d love to hear about it!

Featured Photo

Gorman in 1958. Courtesy – Caltrans

This month’s photo comes to us from Caltrans and shows the town of Gorman as it was in 1958. The Ridge Route proper can be seen in the distance to the right. In the foreground near the bottom of the photo, a short section of original 1917 paving can be seen as a small diagonal roadway ending near the Gorman Motel site. This was realigned in June 1933 when the Ridge Route Alternate was under construction. While gated, the roadway remains today and can still be seen off of Gorman Post Road just south of Gorman School Road.

Route Fire – Updated 1730

Another wildfire has started at the south end of the Ridge Route in Marple Canyon along the 5. This fire, known as the Route Fire, has so far burned 250 acres and is not contained. The fire has burned across the old Ridge Route at the Callahan Line Change location, about 2 miles north of Castaic. Evacuations are underway as far north as Templin Highway. The fire has burned as far north as Martin’s, south of Templin Highway. It is not known if the structure survived.

At this time, I-5 is closed from State 138 to Castaic. The Ridge Route is also closed to through travel from Castaic to State 138 as the gates are closed. Do not use any portion of the Ridge Route as a bypass for I-5 at any time as it is not built for heavy traffic. Big rigs have attempted this in the past and got stuck, blocking others in.

For further information regarding road closures and detours, we strongly recommend Caltrans Quickmap at https://quickmap.dot.ca.gov/ which has detailed information and updated traffic conditions.

We will post updates, as needed, if the Ridge Route itself or historic structures are damaged or in danger. After the fire is out and things have settled down, we will assess any damage to the roadway and post a report.

Sam Fire – 8/10/2022

There was a fire today at the north end of the Ridge Route. It burned along State 138 south of Quail Lake to the Ridge Route. So far, it seems to be contained at around 150 acres and hasn’t affected any historical features along the roadway. State 138 was closed through the area between Gorman Post Road and 170th St West. The Ridge Route is closed from State 138 to at least Pine Canyon Road at this time. Further details will be posted if more develop.

https://www.kget.com/news/sam-fire-burns-in-la-county-closes-parts-of-hwy-138/