By DOUGLAS W. MOTLEY
Senior Writer
Last week’s mid-winter snowstorm, fed by an atmospheric river approaching from the north, resulted in hazardous driving conditions, leading to pandemonium as several major mountain arteries were closed.
Highway 18 was closed at the 4,000-foot level at 7 p.m. on March 13 until after midnight. On Friday night, March 14, it was closed at Pali Mountain west of Running Springs, also until after midnight, due to stuck busses and dozens of storm-related collisions with unprepared motorists sliding on ice, into snow berms and into center dividers at the same time that Caltrans crews were removing fallen rocks and snow.
On Friday morning (March 14) Running Springs resident Johnny Everett commented on Facebook, “Government just gets in the way op here. They honestly make things worse. So do non-residents who are coming up here right now. We’re stuck on the 18 and have been stuck in traffic for over two hours now. No sign of let up. Heard 10-plus vehicles were slid out on the 18. Heard another person say it’s a fatality.” (According to the CHP, there were no fatalities, as of March 14)
Everett added, “This was the situation on the 18 upbound, under the Crestline bridge – about 100 cars putting chains on right here in the number two lane. Some cars even blocking the Crestline exit. Furthermore, there were about 100-plus cars gridlocked at the checkpoint at Lake Gregory Drive, then it started snowing again. Friends, there are thousands of people coming up this mountain for the weekend. It is snowing, the roads are straight sheet ice but are otherwise clear. Continue to stay home and enjoy the show.”
Noting that it took her five hours to get home to Running Springs from Crestline, Efraim Perez commented, “Once we hit Pali Mountain, it came to a complete stop There was a tour bus stuck ahead of us and a couple cars. Never had I gotten so frustrated as I did last night,” she said, adding that a SigAlert had been issued at 10 p.m. for a shutdown of Highway 18 in both directions for at least one hour due to multiple cars stuck with no chains.
According to California Highway Patrol (CHP) Public Information Officer Devin Julien-Rohman, the entire length of Highway 330, beginning at the intersection of Highway 18 in Running Springs, was closed at 2 a.m. on Thursday, March 13, due to dangerous road conditions, such as slope erosion and mud and debris flows caused by the burn scars left by last fall’s massive Line Fire. Julien-Rohman told the Alpine Mountaineer on March 14, “When the storm ends, Caltrans will continue with cleanup activities.” Caltrans officials remind the public that the closure is slated to end at the junction of Highway 330 and the 210 freeway in Highland on Friday, March 21.
Numerous storm-related traffic collisions were reported at the height of the storm on Thursday, March 13, including ones at Highway 330 and the City Creek Ranger Station and in the 27,000 block of Highway 189. At 4 p.m. on Thursday, Officer Julien-Rohman said, dozens of vehicles, including a school bus that was sliding across the highway on ice, were stuck in snow on Highway 18 at SkyPark at Santa’s Village.
The same thing occurred at 8 p.m. on Thursday, when Highway 138 at the Crestline bridge was closed for 90 minutes due to a large number of vehicles stuck in the snow. Meanwhile, at the chain control turnout below the Crestline bridge, authorities were seen redirecting hundreds of unprepared upward bound motorists, some of whom had been waiting for several hours, to turn around and head back down the mountain.
When asked on Friday, March 14 what the biggest concern was during last week’s back-to-back rain and snowstorms, Officer Julien-Rohman said it was motorists driving in hazardous weather without all-wheel-drive or snow chains. “If they are driving in R-2 conditions without chains, they are directed to turn around in the direction they came from,” he said, adding, “It’s not as crazy as yesterday, but there are still a lot of people stuck in the snow.”
Authorities warn that driving during an active snowstorm is very dangerous and should be avoided, unless absolutely necessary. The snow covers the street markings, making seeing the lanes and side of the road and driving difficult, and accidents often occur from that. Even with traction devices, such as snow tires and chains, even vehicles with AWD or 4×4 can have difficulty getting traction on ice and snow and can slip or slide into other vehicles. That is why it is encouraged by authorities to not drive during an active snowstorm.
The above scenarios requiring the road to be closed for hours and drivers stuck on the roads for hours was contributed to by drivers on the roads during active snow conditions and before the roads were completely cleared.
Due to the current closure of Highway 330 until March 21, CHP and Caltrans officials, as well as local residents, all anticipate heavy traffic on Highway 18 due to motorists heading to mountain communities and ski resorts at Snow Valley and Big Bear. It is recommended that motorists adhere to the R-1 road conditions that are currently in effect, which include always carrying chains in each vehicle on mountain roads at all times, from October through May.
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