Rockslide, avalanche areas on Highway 18 remain closed in San Bernardino Mountains

Rocks continue to fall and snow remains an avalanche threat, making it necessary for continued closure of two portions of Highway 18 in the San Bernardino Mountains, Caltrans said Tuesday, March 14.

There is no timetable for them to reopen, said Emily Leinen, a Caltrans spokeswoman.

The intersection of highways 18 and 138 is closed eastward to Crest Forest Drive, in an area known as the Narrows, because of rockslides.

Melting snow saturates the slope, causing rocks, mud and trees to move, Leinen said. Caltrans is removing loose rocks and will be blasting boulders that pose a hazard to motorists.

“We need better weather for some of the operations,” Leinen said. “The slope to perform a lot of the rock (removal) is very slippery, and there is a lot of snow in the way. For crew safety, we are clearing away what items we can, along with clearing the area of falling debris.”

The area has a history of slides, she said.

The other closed area, known as the Arctic Circle, stretches from Snow Valley Resort to Big Bear Dam.

Crews shot photos and videos during a flyover in a Sheriff’s Department helicopter. The examination found evidence of avalanches and areas where they could happen. Crews are removing large snowpacks and plan to use an air-pressure cannon or something similar to trigger controlled avalanches, Leinen said.

The district that serves the Inland Empire is using its own equipment and borrowing equipment from other districts to accomplish the task.

The other state highways in the San Bernardino Mountains are open to residents and visitors.