UPDATE:
BISHOP – Caltrans will reopen two sections of U.S. 395 tonight in Mono County.
- At 4:00 pm, the highway will reopen between Mammoth Lakes and June Lake
- At 8:00 pm, the highway will reopen between June Lake and Lee Vining
Drivers should be aware the highway will narrow to a single lane in both directions at multiple points between Mammoth Lakes and Lee Vining. Because of this, it is recommended all travelers reduce their speed and allow for extra room between vehicles. Chain control restrictions will be in place when the highway reopens. Caltrans reminds all drivers that when chain controls are in effect, the speed limit on U.S. 395 is 35mph whether or not your vehicle is required to chain up.
While Caltrans is working toward reopening more of the highway, the section of U.S. 395 between Lee Vining and Mono City will be closed for an extended period due to avalanches that have buried the road and damaged safeguards along the highway. Any updates and information on a potential reopening of this section of U.S. 395 will be shared with the public.
All other current closures in Mono and Inyo counties will remain in place overnight. This includes:
- U.S. 395 from Lee Vining to Bridgeport
- U.S. 395 from Sonora Junction to Walker
- State Route 167 from U.S. 395 to the Nevada State Line
- State Route 158 S along June Lake (Use N Shore Drive as a detour)
- State Route 168E from Death Valley Road to State Route 266
- State Route 266
Caltrans asks that all drivers respect the closure points and not attempt to access these highways from any other road. Maintenance crews will continue to plow 24/7, working through the night. Caltrans and the CHP will reassess highway conditions tomorrow.
Be sure to check quickmap.dot.ca.gov before you hit the road to get the latest details on road closures, chain controls, and more. Quickmap is available for iOS and Android devices. You can also check roads.dot.ca.gov or call 1-800-427-7623.
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Wayne Merchant,
Do the town a favor and do what anyone in their right-mind would go-a-around. Go to Tahoe..take 50 hwy..south hwy 5 go to L.A. I’m sure they want you take your stuff with you and stay.
If you really need to Mammoth go north 395. This isn’t the first time the (LUNDY) has had a slide.
I think you should think how you sound……
In winter, you don’t control anything……think about it.
You are talking YELLING for everyone town to give you a HUG…..we don’t do that.
10:30 update from Carson City governor’s office.
I spoke again with staff from Colonel store at pickle Meadows and it appears that military personnel cannot operate heavy equipment that’s not owned by the department of defense due to title 10.
As I am coordinating with these in Nevada emergency services to see if they can donate some heavy equipment from endot that we can use to help dig out the locals that the California won’t authorize.
I’m also trying to contact previous employers and heavy equipment contractors and rental yards to see if they could possibly donate some equipment as I don’t have the financial needs personally to cover the cost of renting heavy equipment.
Basically every government agency in California has failed Mono county at this point and major storms or pounding in and only a few hours remain to get equipment in to the area.
I will update information when I get feedback from the Nevada governor’s office.
Okay I just got some feedback that they’re working pretty feverishly at both the North and South end of the avalanche at the cable netting north of Lee vining.
Colonel Store at the pickle metals training center North of Bridgeport was notified by the state emergency services about the disaster and to prepare for assistance.
He’s been ready and willing to do everything in the military can to help the community but for some reason California emergency service isn’t giving authorization for anything to be done so the declaration of things being a disaster is basically a placebo if there is no authorization to take action to assist the communities in their need.
I’ve been in contact with two unions that have heavy equipment operators trying to get waivers for this disaster so we can work without being penalized.
So the only thing happening now is caltrans has brought in some more heavy equipment from the Hawthorne area to assist with the snow management situation in Mono county north of Levine.
As far as Edison goes nothing has happened to resolve the limited power issues supplying Bridgeport from Lindy canyon’s hydroelectric power plant.
Unfortunately the 3.4 gigawatt battery that was supposed to protect Bridgeport from full power failures when it only receives limited supply.
Listen tire system was installed and completed over a year ago but still nobody can turn on the batteries and Edison won’t make any commitments to bring in generators.
Another update on the Northern Mono county disasters.
I spoke with Colonel store at pickle Meadows this morning concerning having the Marines assist the community was snow and weather issues.
He has informed me that he has staff and is ready to jump into action but the state of California office of emergency services has not given him the go-ahead and it would bring criminal charges possibly against him if he takes actions to assist the community.
Evidently Governor nuisance office is closed until 9:00 a.m. this morning I suggest everybody give his office phone calls and inundated as this is total b******* it’s been a week now that things have been declared a disaster but when the governor’s office won’t give the powers that can make things happen the authority to go forward nothing happens so houses are going to be crushed the snow is going to slide off the roof and come through the windows so the people of this county don’t matter to the state or the federal agents it looks like it’s going to be up to the citizens here do we need to commandeer heavy equipment from caltrans and the county to resolve these weather issues in the county or will our government actually step up and drop some testicular fortitude and throw the rulebook to the side and just get done what needs to be done it’s really getting pathetic the deeper I look into this issue the more screwed up it is and the people outside of the area have communication with locals didn’t until finally one Tower came to life with the revival of the Lundy canyon power plant 40 hours ago.
The snow has gotten to adapt the windows need to be covered with 2x4s and plywood to prevent the snow from breaking through the Windows.
Here’s a little update on what’s been going on with the avalanche mess in Lee vining at the cable netting.
3 days ago two large excavators were hauled through Bridgeport and dropped off at the Toyota Lodge resort just a few hundred yards north of the avalanche.
Through my local grapevine connections I have discovered that they’re just starting to clear the avalanche this morning.
That is if somebody actually shows up to work ?
These excavators have been sitting for 3 days.
It took them two days to get it together just to get the equipment delivered so a 5-day delay before somebody could take a seat on a machine and go to work.
Locals aren’t pissed with the caltrans employees that do their job it’s the disastrous management that just can’t get anything together other than joyriding and taking videos of the scenery and sleeping in their supervisor vehicle.
Caltrans has warehouses of equipment scout along 395 out of view and with basically nobody to run the equipment.
Here’s a little video clip of caltrans doing what they really do.
https://youtu.be/JyKY0STsnOo
Where is Toyota Lodge?
Wow, Wayne Merchant has all the info it seems. But, avalanche danger is out of everyones control, you can blast them, but is that up to CalTrans? And after that, plows still have to get all that snow off the road, and then hope its all snow and not full of boulders and trees. If I was in charge, I’d make everyone sign a liability release and let them go, if an avalanche smokes them oh well!
Ya….. California liability waivers don’t protect you from recklessness or gross negligence. Good luck with that one in court. Probably go over like saying “Yes your honor, I gave a revolver to an unsupervised 12 year old. But only one chamber was loaded!”
And yes Caltrans does avalanche blasting. Highway 50 near Echo Summit has permanent propane concussive devices and if those don’t work a cannon that shoots live rounds. Don’t think they have any of that for 395. Not sure if Caltrans can still use skiers or helicopters to place hand charges these days. Or if they even have anyone qualified to do it. Live rounds that don’t explode can be lost in the snow and explode in the future. also
Guess you could just get a random volunteer to sign one of your releases and hand them a few grenades though.
There are several Gazex avalanche release systems along 395 above Mono Lake and also above SR 158 between Oh Ridge and Boulder Lodge. The exploders (long tubes filled with a propane/oxygen mixture) can be activated remotely. Gas bottles have to be helicoptered up to shelters prior to the winter season. Unfortunately, the exploder tubes can fail which is a problem because the system is only manufactured in France. I have no idea if the systems are still working well but assume that most if not all are functional.
Sorry Ped, I am being sarcastic again. Sorry you thought I was serious. But, actually, people are killing and hurting themselves a lot by trying to skirt the closures using the always infallible (heavy sarcasm) apps on their phones. Then of course they try to sue the government for their reckless and stupid behavior. I wonder if anyone has sued those moron apps?
Hope you heard about our snowbound neighbors in the San Bernardino Mountains. Blaming the government for THEIR lack of preparedness, running out of food and medicine after 5 days, not digging out their cars or driveways, no snowthrowers or trucks with plow blades.
But after this winter, we will have another exodus out of Mammoth because they actually got snow this year Waaa…
Time for Bishopites to up your price for the house!
Snow removal issues have been ongoing for several years in Mono county.
We have a caltrans supervisor in charge of the area of Conway summit to Bridgeport and some areas of leviting that is such a horrible human being that almost everybody who has worked in his department under him has quit or requested transfers to other caltrans yards.
This should be investigated and ex employees that are living in Hawthorne should be interviewed as to what is going on.
I have personally caught this gentleman giving joyride tours in the fall where they were taking videos of the trees over 8 miles from us 395 on dirt roads leading into the backcountry beyond Dynamo pond.
He stopped where I was camping and they began harassing me so I started video taping them and asking them what they were doing in an official vehicle with the blinking orange light on a dirt road 8 mi from any paved highway.
I posted the video on YouTube and filed a complaint with the state of California over this unethical caltrans behavior.
I was later contacted from Mr Anderson at The district 9 caltrans office everybody should ask him why it is that they are driving State on trucks 8 Miles off road and then trying to make up the excuse they were inspecting Bridges there’s no Bridges on any of those dirt roads other than maybe a couple culvert pipes and those roads are maintained by the county and for service they have nothing to do with caltrans caltrans.
There have been many times for caltrans hasn’t gotten their equipment out on the road to stay on top of the snow so it gets away from them I can understand this in the heavy winds but when it’s 2 weeks after any snow has fallen like it was a few weeks ago and we still have roadways with the snow encroaching the travel lanes over 5 feet you need to make the highways safe but actually clean the highway over to the edge of travel way paint line at minimum.
We all understand the wind blows snow back in but there’s areas where the roads have been down to one lane and this was after several days of sunshine this is just becoming totally dangerous at this point as the power is out from major avalanches and nobody can get into fix anything in the cell tower batteries are dying they’re having to tap into the power to recharge the battery backups it’s that pathetic.
So caltrans district 9 office needs to be totally investigated for the BS of not being able to keep highway 395 open it is a Blue Star highway which is required to be kept operational as it is a military defensive strategic highway
I agree, CalTrans does stink in a lot of ways, but my avalanche comment sticks!
Sorry if my above statement confused you I understand avalanches beyond alien everybody’s control but the nature throws rocks trees and snowballs at you whenever she feels like it.
I’m concerned with the fact that we have a lack of manpower to stay on top of the situation when we don’t have avalanche danger.
But wouldn’t caltrans is posting pictures on lines of snow blowers that aren’t even in the county saying they brought in equipment to clear it out it’s a bit confusing.
But when the sun’s been shining for 5 days and they’re still snow during summer it’s to one lane some things not right.
Here’s a link to the video of the caltrans workers the supervisor is hiding he’s the driver of the vehicle talked to Mr Anderson at district 9 and ask him about the excuses he gave me for this joyride they did this fall the trees were beautiful though lots of colors I’m sure they got some excellent video. This is the link to the caltrans joy ride video https://youtu.be/JyKY0STsnOo
Wayne Merchant reply # 2
I watched the video you took..
I’m not sure I’d have an issue with CalTrans going for an 8 mile joy-ride on the tax-payers and Government dime, that’s nothing new, Government workers lolly-gagging while on the job.
What I’d have an issue with is if they turned on those “scary, trying to intimidate” flashing lights where you were parked and camping asking questions what you were doing there, if that’s what they were doing.
Wayne Merchant
Just ANOTHER reason and to see so-called “authorities” gone wild, and especially in weather like this.
Even worse down south,in the Big Bear area, residents up in arms, driving down the mountain roads into town to get food, supplies and maybe prescriptions filled, but then “not allowed” to return home until “they “, the authorities deme it safe to do.
And something we all should keep in mind, when we are “ordered” to evacuate an area in the future..
Maybe a good idea at the time, but then up to “them” when you can go back home, sometimes it seems days, maybe weeks and long after “evacuation orders ” are really needed at that time after an incident.
As far as your incident camping and having a CalTrans person harrassing you while camping ,I’d have a big problem with that….none of his business what you’re doing…if he’s got a problem with it, let him call REAL Law Enforcement to check it out if he felt needed.
I had my own problem with an authoritative Cal Trans employee a few years ago, waving his arms trying to “shoo-me” off the road when I was helping to catch a Dog running the highway..
No real face-to-face confrantation, but he did get the middle finger and the two magic words that go along with it, as I continued with the Dog chase..
Another “authority wanna-be” incident I felt funny was a LADWP employee working the local creek stopping by where I was fishing, at first , believe it or not asking if I had a current fishing license, when I said of course I did, he went on to say” hope so, DFW is out there checking people today on opening day “..and going on to tell me I wasn’t fishing a “safe area” on the creek with the recent quick thaw and run-off from above.I told him no problem, I got it covered.