Category: Angeles National Forest

New Ridge Route Video – February 2024

In early and mid-February 2024, we went on a field survey trip over the Ridge Route to assess damage. We took a lot of videos and put together an overview of what we saw.

Come join us on our journey over the Ridge Route.

Pothole Project Approved!

The Ridge Route Preservation Organization was cleared by the Angeles National Forest to repair potholes along the north section of the Old Ridge Route from the 138 to the Tumble Inn.

The intent is to preserve the road and make it more accessible to the public as well as emergency services. Filling the potholes can reinforce crumbling sections of the road as well as prevent further damage to the original road surface.

The Ridge Route Pothole Project will begin in spring of 2024.

These improvements don’t only serve to protect the history of the Ridge Route, the repairs will also serve everyone who passes through the area. It’s a large stretch of open land that provides recreation for hikers, cyclists and hunters as well as being a heavy fire danger area. It’s important that emergency vehicles have quick and easy access when mere seconds matter.

A donation of $15 buys a 50 pound bag of asphalt cold patch.

For volunteer and donation info visit our Project website at https://ridgeroute.org/pothole-project.

RRPO Updates

From Michael F Ballard – RRPO President

Greetings All!

Some good news for the road. It looks like we will be getting approval for our pothole repair project from the USFS in the very near future. As winter is approaching, we intend to do this project when weather permits, likely early next year. We are also working with the USFS on gate repair and landslide mitigation. The latter, regarding the landslide on the south end of the roadway, will take a while but we will prevail as we have in the past. More updates will be posted soon, so make sure to subscribe to our site if you haven’t already. We need your support to keep these projects going!

On another note, we will be needing a new RRPO Board Secretary. Our current secretary, Richard Schwartz, is retiring from his position and has served the RRPO well during his tenure. If you’d like to apply for this position, please contact us and we can talk. We can use your help!

Thank you all for your help and support.

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.