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/

May – June 2022 Newsletter

Superelevated curves heading down the north Reservoir Summit grade

Roadway Update

We have some good news regarding the condition of the roadway. Southern California Edison and other contractors recently completed a project to replace some of the wires on their power lines. To make sure the vehicles they used could traverse the roadway and not do any damage, they cleared the roadway. The large rockslides in Swede’s Cut and Serpentine Drive reported in January have been removed. The large boulder that was moved during our August 2021 CUTRR was broken down yet more and moved further from the roadway. The gates still remain closed and the roadway between the gates is only open to non-motorized travel.

CUTRR Events and Online Meetings

Our CUTRR events are currently on hold due to personal obligations. They will resume as soon as possible. We are also working with the USFS to get permission to use heavier equipment / mechanized tools to increase our efficiency. Thank you all for your patience and continued support.

Our online meetings should resume soon. I am working on a date for May at this time. Previous meetings have been quite successful, and I would like to keep that going. Your input has been very helpful. Future meetings will be recorded, as requested through our recent poll. If you miss a meeting, it will be posted on our YouTube channel.

Website Subscription

Make sure to subscribe to our site to get updates on upcoming CUTRR events and Ridge Route news.

Reporting Problems on the Ridge Route

Events such as January 26, 2021 when big rigs tried to travel the Ridge Route and past fires, 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 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!

Featured Photo

Swede’s Cut, shortly after opening of the Ridge Route in 1915

Swede’s Cut, is the largest and most famous cut along the Ridge Route. It slices through a ridge at 110 feet in depth. The cut is also the source of many rockslides, due to the steep sides and easily broken sedimentary layers within. We do hope to see it as clear as it was in 1915 someday. With your help, we will make that happen.

New Poll

Greetings All! We are adding a poll to our site to determine if there is interest in recording our future online meetings. Currently, the meeting materials are made online after it is over. If you would like to see meetings recorded, let us know! Poll is also available on the right side of our website.

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Do you want our meetings recorded?
Do you want our meetings recorded?