STATE ROUTE 168W (BISHOP CREEK)
ACCESS TO RETRIEVE VEHICLES
BISHOP — Inyo County Sherriff, California Highway Patrol and the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) would like to inform the public that access to remove previously trapped vehicles will be available today until 3:00 p.m. Access past the road closure will be with law enforcement escort only.
USFS has closed Sabrina Lake and North Lake campgrounds and trailheads (Piute Pass and Lamarck Lakes), therefore there will be no incoming traffic allowed. Today’s opening is restricted to vehicle removal only.
Thunderstorms are predicted today and may impact the stability of the slide, forcing authorities to close the road. Consequently, vehicle retrieval efforts early on may be more successful.
Caltrans has planned the hard closure of State Route 168W to begin tomorrow, July 25, 2018, for cleanup efforts. There is no anticipated date for reopening the road.
For the latest highway information please visit the Caltrans QuickMap site at quickmap.dot.ca.gov or call the Road Condition Hotline at 1-800-427-ROAD (7623).
STATE ROUTE 168W (BISHOP CREEK) ROAD CLOSED
DUE TO MUD SLIDES AND ROCK FALL
BISHOP — The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) would like to inform the traveling public that State Route 168W (Bishop Creek/ Aspendell) is closed at approximately post mile 2.
Photo courtesy of Caltrans
At least three large sections of the road have been affected. The most eastern slide is reported to be 100 yards long and over 40 feet tall. Caltrans crews and CHP are working to assist up to 50 cars that are trapped behind the slides. Crews estimate several days working to reopen this road. North Lake and North Lake Campground, Sabrina Lake and Sabrina Lake Campground are all not accessible. The road is open to Aspendell and Cardinal Village has been set up as the command post to manage the cleanup efforts.
The traveling public is advised to use alternate routes, keep a close eye on the weather, and proceed cautiously when driving through mountainous areas. The safety of Caltrans and other agency’s crews, and that of other responders, is very important. Inattentiveness on the road can have tragic consequences.
###
For the latest highway information please visit the Caltrans QuickMap site at quickmap.dot.ca.gov or call the Road Condition Hotline at 1-800-427-ROAD (7623).
##
Discover more from Sierra Wave: Eastern Sierra News - The Community's News
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
Anyone know? I have a overnight pass to go out of Sabrina Trailhead if I go out of Tyee trailhead and go to George, is this ok? Would they make a stink out of it? Any info is good info 🙂
I would like to thank Caltrans and all of the kind hearted people we were stuck with. In an unfortunate situation like this we were very blessed to have people come together and help one another. We did not have one piece of dry clothing or towels and with 2 young children and 2 dogs we survived the cold night because of strangers offering any extra they had. The Lake Sabrina restaurant and shop allowed our grandmother and another woman in our group with diabetes to stay in an extra room they had. Special thanks to the forestry and sheriff’s for delivering insulin because she ran out! Thank you to everyone and hope you all made it home safe!
It’s nice to know that despite our many differences, we can still come together when the chips are down. One people.
Were were @ North Lake on July 19 when an Incredible storm chased us out . The Hail was so intense and large that we were afraid it would damage our new Truck … so we headed down the canyon towards Bishop @ approximately 1:30 pm. Can anyone tell me the approximate time the Rockslide occurred?
The traveling public is advised to use alternate routes? What “alternate route”?
for backcountry hikers, an alternative route is to come out at other trailheads. Not that any of them are probably reading these press releases, but hopefully word will spread on the trail.