UPDATE (December 18, 2008 12:15 p.m.)—According to CHP, the I-5 was opened in both directions to traffic, without escorts, at 11:42 a.m.

UPDATE: (December 18, 2008, 10:10 a.m.)—CHP could reopen Interstate 5 by noon. The driver of a silver BMW, hit a CalTrans worker, and fled the scene, according to CHP reports.

UPDATE: (December 18, 2008, 6:50 a.m.)—Four-wheel drive vehicles with chains can gain access to an icy Interstate 5 to get off the mountain going north or south, although the Interstate was still closed to traffic trying to come up the mountain from both directions. Highway 138 is also open to four-wheel drive vehicles with chains. It is icy with chunks of ice in the road. Hwy 14 south is still closed. Temperatures are low. In Lake of the Woods at 4 a.m. a 5 degree reading was charted. It is between 6 and 20 degrees in other areas of the mountain.

UPDATE: (December 17, 2008, 5:20 p.m.)—CHP says Interstate 5 will remain closed over the Grapevine through the night.

FRAZIER PARK (December 17, 2008 1:20 p.m.)—Interstate 5 was closed at 1:15 p.m. by California Highway Patrol, due to snow conditions. Northbound traffic was stopped at Lake Hughes Road in Castaic while southbound traffic was stopped at the Grapevine exit. All routes between northern and southern California, including Higway 14, Interstate 15 and Highway 138 are shut down except Highway 101, which remains open.  No time was given for reopening Interstate 5 over the Grapevine.

This is part of the December 12, 2008 online edition of The Mountain Enterprise.

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