Major Southern California mountain route wiped out by tropical storm remnants
A portion of Highway 38, which connects Redlands and Big Bear, is closed indefinitely after crumbling under the heavy rain and flooding brought on by the remnants of a tropical storm that passed through Southern California last week.
“The combination of Tropical Storm Mario, and the El Dorado Fire burn scar has left a trail of destruction in its wake, and one of the most dramatic impacts is the severe washout of SR-38,” Caltrans District 8 posted on Monday, along with drone video of the damage.
The closure extends from Mill Creek Road near Angelus Oaks to Lakewood Road near Big Bear.
Thursday’s powerful storm brought debris flows to the nearby mountain communities, destroying homes and trapping drivers. “Crews immediately jumped into action, freeing some of the trapped motorists that were stuck in an almost literal case of ‘between a rock and a hard place,’” Caltrans said following the storm.
The drone footage of Highway 38 shared Monday showed a massive portion of the roadway had collapsed down the mountainside as crewmembers evaluated the situation.
Highway 38 is the longest and most scenic of the three primary mountain roads to Big Bear Lake. Alternative routes include Highway 18 (via San Bernardino or Lucerne Valley) and Highway 330 (via Highland).
Caltrans officials said it was unclear how long it would take to repair the highway.
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