!!UPDATE—I-5, the Grapevine, LEBEC, CA (Monday, Dec. 14, 2015 at 5:30 a.m.)—CHP has “closed its incident” and is picking up cones. Traffic can pass across the Grapevine. Drive carefully throughout the Mountain Communities this morning. Roads will be icy. Some light snow is still falling in some areas. It is a very dry snow dusting higher elevations, but not putting excessive load on trees and structures. Read from the bottom for more details about the mud and rock slide on the Grapevine.

!!UPDATE—I-5, the Grapevine, LEBEC, CA (Sunday, Dec. 13, 2015 at 11:04 p.m.)—
Fast moving news: Caltrans reports the slick mud is off the road and they are now allowing northbound traffic back onto the Interstate. Read from the bottom for more details about the mud and rock slide on the Grapevine.

UPDATE—I-5, the Grapevine, LEBEC, CA (Sunday, Dec. 13, 2015 at 10:45 p.m.)—Sorry, good news, bad news. Caltrans is requesting that the hard closure of the Grapevine from Parker Road to the mudslide near Fort Tejon Road be held for another two hours (that would be until 12:45 a.m.). They are trying to clear the mud, rocks and debris from the slide area. Good news? The road will most likely be open in the morning for work commuters. In the meanwhile, mountain residents caught in the hard closure can show ID to pass through to home. Read from the bottom for more details about the mud and rock slide on the Grapevine.

UPDATE—I-5, the Grapevine, LEBEC, CA (Sunday, Dec. 13, 2015 at 10:34 p.m.)—CHP says it will be escorting traffic through northbound lanes from Parker Road “in a few…” Yes, CHP left it that mysterious. Few seconds? Few minutes? Few hours? Not defined. But it looks hopeful that NB traffic will be resuming shortly. We’ll update as soon as we have new info. Read from the bottom for more details about the mud and rock slide on the Grapevine.

UPDATE—I-5, the Grapevine, LEBEC, CA (Sunday, Dec. 13,2015 at 9:59 p.m.)—CHP says that residents that live in Frazier Mountain area can go through the roadblock with ID. The full freeway closure at Fort Tejon Road is still in effect. 

Proposed alternate detour for nonresident northbound vehicles in Castaic is Lake Hughes Road to Highway 138 to 14 NB to 58 to get back on the I-5. Rain has begun along Lake Hughes and 138.

Some residents are reporting they took Ridge Route Road from Castaic to Templin Highway to I-5 for a smooth ride home. Read from the bottom for more details about the mud and rock slide on the Grapevine.

UPDATE—I-5, the Grapevine, LEBEC, CA (Sunday, Dec. 13,2015 at 9:54 p.m.)—There is ice at top of hill heading into Cuddy Valley and again heading into the forest on the other side toward ‘Y.’ That is very icy and 20 mph s-l-o-w caution is suggested. Drive carefully and stay snug at home if you can. Read from the bottom for more details about the mud and rock slide on the Grapevine.

UPDATE—I-5, the Grapevine, LEBEC, CA (Sunday, Dec. 13,2015 at 9:39 p.m.)—Surface roads are passable coming from Lebec up to the Mil Potrero ‘Y’ from Lebec, but roads are icy.  Using Mil Potrero Highway as an alternate to get to Hwy 166 for northbound access to the I-5 on the other side of the roadblock is not advised at this time.Read from the bottom for more details about the mud and rock slide on the Grapevine.

UPDATE—I-5, the Grapevine, LEBEC, CA (Sunday, Dec. 13,2015 at 9:22 p.m.)—CHP reported at 9:11 that they have no ETA yet for re-opening passage through the Grapevine. Rescue personnel, however, have clearance to pass through the traffic block to provide assistance if needed. Read from the bottom for more details about the mud and rock slide on the Grapevine.

UPDATE—I-5, the Grapevine, LEBEC, CA (Sunday, Dec. 13,2015 at 9 p.m.)—Our reporter was able to travel Lake Hughes Road to Highway 138 (Avenue D) to Gorman Post Road. He traveled to Gorman and then entered I-5 to take the Frazier Park exit to Frazier Mountain Park Road.

We are checking the surface roads now and will report back with conditions. See below for more details about the mud and rock slide on the Grapevine.

UPDATE—I-5, the Grapevine, LEBEC, CA (Sunday, Dec. 13,2015 at 8 p.m.)—Lake Hughes Road to Highway 138 is confirmed to be a northbound alternate at this time. Heavy eastbound traffic on 138 makes it appear CHP is sending cars that were stuck in the freeway closure onto 138 as an alternate.

“The sky is just full of stars and the roads are clear,” said reporter for The Mountain Enterprise Gary Meyer. He will report back to confirm that he was allowed to access the I-5 or Gorman Post Road from Hwy 138 to return to Frazier Mountain Park Road to the Mountain Communities. See below for more details about the mud and rock slide.

I-5, the Grapevine, LEBEC, CA (Sunday, Dec. 13,2015 at 7 p.m.)—A mudslide on the Grapevine just north of Fort Tejon Road has sent rocks, mud and debris across all lanes of traffic. Traffic on the I-5 has been stopped at Parker Road in Castaic. Caltrans is working to clear the roadway on the Grapevine with a loader, according to CHP status reports.

The reporting party said that occupants of a white Dodge van have been caught inside the vehicle and could not be removed from the van. CHP reports on the incident said that Hall Ambulance was dispatched. Kern County Fire Department Battalion Chief Kirk Kushens said in a brief interview that KCFD has not been asked to provide assistance, and that ‘this is a Caltrans issue.’

We are checking to see if residents of the Frazier Park, Cuddy Valley, Pine Mountain Club and Lebec areas south of the slide will be allowed to use the freeway to return home. Some are using Lake Hughes Road as a way to get around the roadblock. We will provide more information as it is available. See Update above.

This is part of the December 11, 2015 online edition of The Mountain Enterprise.

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