March – April 2022 Newsletter

Ridge Route Update

Swede’s Cut in January 2022. Courtesy – Michael F Ballard

In mid-January, I took a trip over the Ridge Route to survey the damage from the recent storms. The results were very mixed. Like in December, there were many small rockslides over most of the road from Serpentine Drive to Sandberg. None of the rocks were all that large but did create problems for traversing the roadway. The CUTRR work that was done in October was also compromised, with additional material deposited on the roadway making travel nearly impossible for standard automobiles. The good news was there was no section that was heavily damaged by the storms. We seem to have gotten lucky with that, so far. This winter has certainly been a wild one, ranging from extended dry periods to heavy rain and snow.

We are working with the USFS to get these slides cleared and to get permission to use heavier equipment to do some of the work ourselves. We are also working with the County of Los Angeles to help ensure that road closures on I-5 due to storms or fires don’t impact the Ridge Route, as they have in the past. Dates will be announced soon for the next CUTRR event, though due to personal obligations, I may be unavailable to lead the events in April or May.

The gates still remain closed and will for some time. We are working to get them opened on a seasonal basis once we reach an agreement with the USFS regarding some issues with the roadway. They, of course, have the control over the road and the decision is still up to them. We just want to make sure the roadway is available to the public and kept in good order. Without that, we lose a piece of history, something we cannot allow.

Monthly Meetings via Zoom

We have been hosting monthly meetings, open to the public, to talk about the Ridge Route, what is happening, future CUTRR events, and its history. There is a lot going on and things are looking positive for the Ridge Route, more than they have in the past. These meetings will be online via Zoom. We want to get more people engaged in our continuing efforts to reopen the roadway and help keep it preserved. The schedule is still being worked out, so make sure you’re subscribed to our website to stay informed. A meeting in March will be announced soon.

Meetings

Public Forums

We invite all to join our discussion forums, which are now available using the link below. The appearance and registration are still being adjusted, so bear with us. Check it out and let us know what you think! Share your Ridge Route stories and chat with other Ridge Route enthusiasts!

https://ridgeroute.org/forums/

Membership

We are working on sending notices for our members to renew their memberships. We need your support to keep this momentum going and to reopen the roadway. Memberships such as yours help us with this effort. You can join for the first time, renew, or just submit a donation online using our secure website using the link below.

Membership

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

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

Featured Photo

Remains of the 1916 Santa Clara River Bridge

Early in the morning on March 13, 1928, the floodwaters from the collapse of the St Francis Dam reached US 99 at the Santa Clara River. The bridge, a steel through-truss span built by Los Angeles County in 1916, was quickly destroyed and sent downstream. Later, the structure was used to support a gas or oil line, which itself was later abandoned. This structure can be accessed via Feedmill Rd near Six Flags Magic Mountain.

Discussion Forums and SSL

As mentioned in our last newsletter, we have been working on adding discussion forums to our website. Doing so required changing servers and adding SSL to our site. Our site URL now begins with https, so if you have a link to the site, please make a note of it.

We invite all to join our discussion forums, which are now available using the link below. The appearance and registration are still being adjusted, so bear with us. Check it out and let us know what you think! Share your Ridge Route stories and chat with other Ridge Route enthusiasts!

https://ridgeroute.org/forums/

February 2022 Open Meeting

Our Zoom meeting series continues! On Thursday, February 10, 2022 at 6 pm, we are holding our second meeting for 2022. This meeting will focus on our plan to reopen the roadway with the USFS. We will discuss the plan, as it is currently written, and work to expand parts of the plan with your ideas. We want to hear from you! Join us and help reopen the Ridge Route!

To register for the meeting, use the link below:

https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZ0tdeGhpj8iE9PSVIigPIpmRPfZHgBvblUU

January 2022 Open Meeting

We are trying out something new this year. As stated in our last newsletter, we are starting to hold more regular meetings, albeit online via Zoom, to help keep everyone updated on the roadway, give presentations on various aspects of the history of the road or special features, and give time to share stories about the roadway.

For our January meeting, Michael Ballard will be sharing photos from the last two trips over the roadway showing the current state of the Ridge Route and giving an update on the status of upcoming events. Come join us on Thursday, January 20 at 6 pm!

To register, please use the link below:

http://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZwtde-pqTwiH9TT3Z5xjxm-nQPIO_qrZhRl

January / February 2022 Newsletter

Ridge Route Update

On December 18, 2021, we went on an inspection trip over the Ridge Route to assess what the latest storms have done to the roadway. What was saw was very mixed but encouraging overall. Small rockslides were common from Serpentine Drive all the way to Sandberg. Some were a bit larger and will require tools to remove. We did remove many smaller rocks along the way and cleared the roadway to the best of our ability. Our next CUTRR event is still in the works but will involve clearing a few drains between Kelly’s and Reservoir Summit and rock removal at Serpentine Drive.

As we are in a somewhat rainy season, use extra caution when traveling the roadway. Whether the gates are open or not, do not travel the road just after or during a storm. Rockslides could trap you, the gates could be closed behind you, and you will likely damage the roadway in the process. We appreciate your support and understanding.

Rocks covering the roadway, again, at the August worksite on Serpentine Drive. Courtesy – Michael F Ballard
Eventually, we’d like to move this boulder even further. The fact it remains the largest on the road is somewhat encouraging at least. Courtesy – Michael F Ballard
Largest rockfall on Serpentine Drive, just north of the August worksite. A few hits with a hammer should break these down for removal. Courtesy – Michael F Ballard
Swede’s Cut was passable but needed a lot of work. Courtesy – Michael F Ballard
Blocked culvert near Reservoir Summit, causing material to accumulate on the roadway. Courtesy – Michael F Ballard
Between Kelly’s and the Tumble Inn. This puddle is the result of poor drainage and must be fixed. The original pavement can’t even be seen here. Courtesy – Michael F Ballard

Monthly Meetings via Zoom

We are working on putting together monthly meetings, open to the public, to talk about the Ridge Route, what is happening, future CUTRR events, and its history. There is a lot going on and things are looking positive for the Ridge Route, more than they have in the past. These meetings will be online via Zoom. We want to get more people engaged in our continuing efforts to reopen the roadway and help keep it preserved. The schedule is still being worked out, so make sure you’re subscribed to our website to stay informed. Our first meeting is likely to be held in late January.

Public Forums

In the next few months, we are planning to start an online forum on our website for the Ridge Route where you can swap stories, learn about the roadway, and share your knowledge of the roadway. These will be open to all, with some sections being for RRPO members only. Stay tuned for more details!

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

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

Featured Photo

North of Reservoir Summit. Courtesy – Michael F Ballard

One of the many interesting features along the Ridge Route is the superelevated roadway. Between Reservoir Summit and Kelly’s Halfway Inn, this reaches a “fever pitch”, with the pavement acting like a warped ribbon across the mountain. It is one of my favorite sections of roadway. What is your favorite part of the road?