Just in time for the weekend of Labor Day, a 10 -mile section of the picturesque road of Angeles Crest is reopening to the public after being closed for years due to storm damage.
The heavy rains during the torments of consecutive winters of 2022 and 2023 triggered the slope failures and rock slides, and collapsed the pavement along the road, also known as the 2 highway, which runs next to the National Forest of Angeles.
More damage followed in September 2024, when the fire of the bridge burned sections of the National Forest of Angels and unleashed through the road.
New railings, containment walls, erosion control and drainage systems were established to address destruction. However, the stretch of road between Islip Saddle and Vincent Gulch continued closing until Friday.
The total cost of repairs was approximately $ 7.9 million, authorities said.
On a Q&A on its website, the California Department of Transportation said the closing “took so long” because the inspectors had to evaluate the area in person, and that the conditions constantly changed with the climate.
Angeles Crest Highway connects to many popular hiking routes, including Vincent Gulch and Mount Baden-Powell.
“For some, taking the long path may not have been an option for them. It could be too long walking, too much time or too expensive for gas,” said Jeff Hester, a hiker and creator of the Six Packs Socal Six Packs hiking challenge. “Many people really enjoyed that impulse and be able to explore places that they had not seen otherwise. Having that reopened gives them access to that again.”
In addition to the greatest access, some predict that reopening will help reduce garbage and overcrowding.
“The reopening of these paths is huge for the hiking community in terms of access,” said Justin Rimon, founder of the Outdoor Group based in Los Angeles, Just Trek. “In addition, this section of the Angeles Crest road that is open, not only opens more trails, but I think it will help reduce congestion in some of the most popular paths. Because for a long time, people went to the same paths due to this closure and were becoming really crowded.”
The members of the local hiking community said they felt relieved to see this section of the road, although there were some concerns around the moment.
As expected that the weekend of Labor Day will bring more visitors to the National Forest of Los Angeles, the United States forest service announced high fire warnings for the area.
On Thursday, the agency said that the National Forest of Angels is now at the level of extreme fire danger, which means that bonfires, stoves, barbecues or open flames are prohibited.
“Since it is also the weekend of Labor Day, I am concerned that people do not listen to warnings, or they will not know that it is an extreme fire level in the Los Angeles Forest, and they will cook, roast and celebrate,” Rimon said. “I wonder if the moment was correct.”
