Snow players invade Wrightwood

[Wrightwood]

WW, You say this is some of the worst traffic ...

How does it compare to other "lotsa snow" years, such as El Nino 97-98?

This year is by far the worst year for total gridlock and backups all the way to the I15.
There have been years where the traffic has backed up on Hwy2 into Wrightwood and once in a while to Hwy138 but not all the way to I15.

It's a combination of factors: The large increase in snow boarder attendance at Mountain High, recent fires have some forest areas closed, floods damage has much of SB Mountain areas closed, television remote news feeds and live cams have a huge influence, increased population in Southern California with SUV's being used for family outings is being overlooked by many, Sept 11 has caused people to stick closer to home for recreation and there's probably another half dozen factors I've missed.

Enforcement seems to be on a decline in my opinion. I'm sure budget cuts have made a big factor but something needs to be done. The Victorville CHP, District 8 Caltrans and SB County Sheriff offices didn't even send representatives to the multi agency Winter Op's meeting where these planning issues should be discussed.

Here's some photos from Jan 3, 2003 that show how the Lancaster CHP office enforced the No Parking. The CHP cited and had lots of vehicles towed away. I'll bet they had 10 tow trucks going round robin. As fast as they would tow one vehicle off another would pull in.

Again the following photos are from 2003 not this season!

http://www.wrightwoodcalif.com/forumimg/tow/tow1.JPG
http://www.wrightwoodcalif.com/forumimg/tow/tow2.JPG
http://www.wrightwoodcalif.com/forumimg/tow/tow3.JPG
http://www.wrightwoodcalif.com/forumimg/tow/tow4.JPG
http://www.wrightwoodcalif.com/forumimg/tow/tow5.JPG
http://www.wrightwoodcalif.com/forumimg/tow/tow6.JPG

[LasPulgas]

   WOW! 

GREAT PICS, AS ALWAYS, WRIGHTWOOD.

Hard to believe that so many people think that these posted signs do NOT apply to THEM.   

[Freighthauler]

WOW!

GREAT PICS, AS ALWAYS, WRIGHTWOOD.

Hard to believe that so many people think that these posted signs do NOT apply to THEM.

Of course it does not apply to them. Just like red lights and stop signs and  no passings signs and........

[Matt]

On the way up to mountain high today, I noticed maybe one or two adventure passes on the dozens/hundreds of cars parked along the highway, and oddly enough, 2 -3 highway/forest patrol servicemen. 

[ripcurl789]

Well I personally enjoy rolling down my window and driving really slow (like I have a choice) and yelling at them, well not Yelling at them but a few have been told to go home, silly flatlanders!

[Breezymtns]

January 29th was a FREE DAY.  Every last Saturday of the month is a free adventure pass day, no pass necessary.

[klquinn]

I was coming home from Mountain High on Saturday afternoon and CHP had the bullhorn out.  He was, not so nicely, telling people that they were not allowed to park along Highway 2. People were scrambling up the hill to their cars as the tow truck was headed their way! Thank you CHP!

[Matt]

[Breezymtns]

I wonder where all the folks are going that are buying adventure passes from the Big Pines Information station?  Sure are hundreds of folks coming in there every weekend to buy their passes.  Maybe you should stop by there on the weekend & check it out for yourself? 

[new user]

It's not only the snow players it's our customers needing a place to park when we are max'ed out.

The current lack of adequate parking at both the East and West Resort during peak user periods leads to excessive parking on St Hwy 2 between the two areas.

Our proposed parking expansion would help elevate the current parking problem for our paying customers.

When our parking expansion is complete it will help free up parking on St Hwy 2 for additional snow players and help improve actual traffic flow in the Big Pines area.

It is important to create a quality recreational experience for our Mountain High Resort guests.

Having a great winter season,
Johnny

[Hillbillies]

I hope snow-playing season will end soon.   

[Hillbillies]

[ForestGal]

I hope snow-playing season will end soon.

AMEN five hundred thousand times!!!  My neighborhood isn't really affected directly by these people, but the traffic and the litter certainly impact our town in the worst way.  Besides that, I am soooo ready for some warmer weather.  Our forest desperately needed the moisture, and the melting snow will be great for the trees, but geez, I, and I'm sure most of us, are soooo sick of these jerks!

[be8dad]

I wonder if more signs would help ? I noticed some of my neighbors put up "private property" signs on empty lots and it seemed to help. I also noticed the sheriff came through one day and used the loud speaker to warn off snowplayers from private property. I guess I haven't been here long enough, because they don't bother me too much (except for the trash) which I too am picking up.

I propose we sell cheap or donate that big area before the sheep creek bridge to someone who can turn it into a designated snow play area. This would keep a portion of them from coming into town and the owners would be responsible for keeping up on the trash and traffic concerns for the left turn into the lot?

[LasPulgas]

"I propose we sell cheap or donate that big area before the sheep creek bridge"

Well I'm reasonably sure that would upset the legal owner...   

[be8dad]

No, I meant them....

There's 5000 people in town, we can all pitch in $50 each.... I have the first $50 to donate...

[Bud]

It'll cost you 10 times to maintain it and be covered for liability. If you own it you are liable.Good luck.

[be8dad]

they sign waivers for liability to help keep the insurance costs down and this would also provide jobs for a bunch of the kids in town...($8hr x 20 local kids= $1,280.00 per day)

Free parking for the snowplayers and only $10 per kid, per day x 500 kids = $5,000.00 less $1,280.00  = $3,720 per day income and everyone brings there own disks...

[Jilly]

Does anybody really know what our liability is if someone gets hurt while snowplaying on our private property?  Do the No Trespassing signs hold any legal sway?  We're always worried about lawsuits, but I'm wondering if this is a valid concern.

[Stitches]

I wonder about the Private Property signs.    Does that go with the rational that we all hear about driving around the "Road Closed" sign at the base of LPC?    If the person knowingly drove around the sign and gets into a wreck that they are on their own?    Somehow I think the result would sound more like that post of the craziest lawsuits awarded.   Someone posted that about a month ago about how burglars and thieves and "evil-doers" are awarded monetary rewards from their innocent victim because during the course of their crime the perp was injured.