Category Archives: Ridge Route

Highways, Ridge Route, Roads, Updates, US 99

Ridge Route Update

From the Ridge Route Preservation Organization:

Finally, some good news! While it is not finalized at the time of this writing, our Volunteer Service Agreement is nearing completion. We got a copy today to review and so far, things look quite promising. We will also be getting a key to the gate, which means we will have access to the road. Our first act, after getting the key, is to do a preliminary survey of the road to assess the general condition of the roadway and determine what needs to be worked on prior to the upcoming rainy season.

What this means is that we are planning to do work on the Ridge Route in late Spring 2020, after the rains have subsided. Details on this event will be posted once we get a bit more information together and work out what the event will entail. The agreement does have a few stipulations, mostly regarding how our events will be held and what we can do during them. One of those is that we need to give a list of all attendees prior to an event, as such we will be expecting all persons attending to let us know before they attend.

So, things are looking up for the Ridge Route. Work is still in progress regarding Forest Service maintenance, right-of-way, and land ownership issues. Those will take a while but I have confidence they will be resolved in due time. In the mean time, plan on going on the road in late Spring 2020 and prepare to work!

District 6, District 7, Highways, History, I-5, Los Angeles County, Ridge Route, Snow

The Grapevine?

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Current Roadway Conditions and Detours

I-5 between Santa Clarita and the San Joaquin Valley is commonly referred to as “The Grapevine” by locals and traffic reporters. Most assume the name derives from the twisty nature of the original roadway – the Ridge Route. That road was indeed very twisty, much like a grapevine. However, that is still not the reason. The name Grapevine actually comes from Grapevine Canyon, where old US 99 and I-5 come down from the mountains and into the San Joaquin Valley. The canyon is called such as wild grapes grow along the canyon walls. It was formerly known as Canada De Las Uvas which is Spanish for Canyon of the Grapes. The name Tejon Pass is also a “new” addition to the area. The current Tejon Pass was known as Grapevine Pass or Badger Pass until the 1850’s. Old Tejon Pass, much farther to the east, was a very treacherous route. That pass was eventually abandoned in favor of the current Tejon Pass. The name was just shifted to the new route.

After the 1933 bypass of the original road to as late as the 1970’s, the roadway over the mountains was still referred to as “The Ridge Route”. It wasn’t until the 1980’s that the name “The Grapevine” was extended to the entire roadway. Why this was done is still unclear. Even Caltrans called it the “Ridge Route” when I-5 was completed. So, if you want to call it proper – call it Tejon Pass, when being specific to the actual pass, and the Ridge Route when referring to I-5 from Castaic to Grapevine. While you’re passing through Grapevine Canyon, be sure to spot the wild grapevines that still grow in the canyon. Names may change, but the name Ridge Route should live on. It applies to I-5 better than “The Grapevine” ever will.

What do you think? Tell us your thoughts in the comments below.

For more information about the history of the route and current conditions:

Highways, Ridge Route, Updates, US 6, US 99, Website News

Updates to Highway Logs

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As a way to keep track of the immense amount of data regarding old highways, I created highway logs to store the data. They were originally designed after 1940’s state highway logs from the Division of Highways. I have made them available on this website on my Site Documents page. The logs for US 6 and US 99 have recently been updated and have been uploaded.

Highways, History, Ridge Route, US 99

Ridge Route Update

Aside

Representatives from the Ridge Route Preservation Organization, including myself, recently met with a few people from the Angeles National Forest regarding the Ridge Route. A summary of the meeting can be found on the ridgeroute.org site – http://www.ridgeroute.org/june-2019-update/ .

Geologic Study, Geology, Highways, Ridge Route

Geologic Report

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In January, I was asked to do some research regarding the potential for a landslide on the Ridge Route near Templin Highway. I thought it would be a good opportunity to get some practice writing a geologic report. While I’m not a professional geologist, I still find it a lot of fun to do . I added a copy of the report on this site, available for download. I would love to hear feedback from any other geologists out there.

Ridge Route Geology Study – Preliminary