Why is angeles crest highway closed

From my home in Altadena, I could be on the trail by 7 a. A Pacific Crest Trail marker not too far from the road. Hiking the PCT in sections can be as rewarding as making it all the way to Canada—with much less worrying about the weather. I tackled a typically hot and dry hike into the western arm of the Mojave Desert on cool January weekends, then backtracked to the San Gabriel Mountains on summer weekends, when temperatures there were at least 10 degrees cooler than the L.

On those summer weekends, my early-morning drives on Angeles Crest lifted me high above the fog that still blanketed the metropolis.

I got to know every hairpin turn, every pullout, and the exact point where the temperature starts to drop and brittle chaparral gives way to pine and fir forests before the two-lane highway ends outside Wrightwood. I got better at navigating the curves over time, but I still veer into a pullout anytime a Porsche or motorcycle comes up fast behind me.

Seeing roadside shrines in the days and weeks following an especially bad accident, I often slowed down and wondered what exactly happened—did the car crash into a tree or jump a berm and plunge into the canyon below?

There were always scads of motorcycles in the lot and people snapping photos of the vintage sign out front, but I usually managed to find a seat on the shaded patio or at the long bar. The roadhouse opened in , 10 years after construction of Angeles Crest started and 17 years before it completed in As the story goes, Louie Newcomb, a trailblazer and early forest ranger, sold the land to his cousin Lynn Newcomb Sr. The acre property was put up for sale this June, after a month closure due to the pandemic.

Let the parking lots and trash cans stay empty for a while; let the trees resprout and the bears and frogs have the creeks to themselves. My time away from the road only tends to strengthen my awareness and understanding of its fragility and flaws, and to make me realize anew how lucky we are to have it in our backyard.

Please tell us your thoughts. We may edit your letter for length and clarity and publish it on our site. By continuing to use our website, you agree to our privacy and cookie policy. No paywall. Time Out magazine. Photograph: Michael Juliano All national forests in California will be closed for most of September due to fire danger That means Angeles National Forest will be closed to hiking, camping and driving. Written by Michael Juliano Tuesday August 31 However, all other national forests in California will now reopen on September 15 at pm.

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