Over the weekend, L.A. Times blogger Steve Hyman was surprised to find a locked gate and a Road Closed sign at Islip Saddle, preventing him from getting from La Canada Flintridge to Wrightwood. That in and of itself is not news — the road closed down in winter four years ago, and there are signs up all along the Angeles Crest Highway clearly saying you can’t drive through.
But Hyman phoned CalTrans and discovered the road may be on schedule to open as early as this Thanksgiving if the current pace of construction continues. If not, it should be ready for traffic by Spring of 2009 — finally letting hikers get into the central High Country of the San Gabriels without having to tack on a long distance hike or drive around to the other side of the 2.
… at least until the next big storm.
Now, if we can just get that CA-39 open to Crystal Lake again, we’ll be all set!
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Great news!
Have not been up that way in several years (gas prices and all): Is the reference to CA 39 to the long-closed cliff-side stretch of CA 39 between the 2 (near Islip Saddle) and Crystal Lake, or has CA 39 also been closed between Crystal Lake and Azusa?
CA-39’s been closed from just above West Fork since the Curve Fire, I believe. I don’t think CalTrans is ever going to fully open the 39 to its connection with the Angeles Crest Highway, but I sure would like to get into the Crystal Lake Campground to tackle some of those nearby peaks.
Caltrans has been working on the bridge footing of the first long bridge past the current highway 39 closure ad after they complete that they must work on the bridge railing along the 6 miles of section that burned.
http://www.crystallake.name/ contains information about the region.