Winter storm forces another closure for Angeles Crest Highway

A portion of Angeles Crest Highway is closed after winter storms damaged the winding mountain road that affords travelers stunning views and access to forested hiking trails.

Authorities closed State Route 2 between Cedar Springs, 3.3 miles east of Newcomb’s Ranch, and State Route 138 on Christmas Eve, according to the California Department of Transportation. The road near Angeles National Forest is damaged in at least four locations, said the agency.

Photos shared by the agency on social media showed the snow-lined highway littered with boulders and debris and expanses of it buckled and broken. A wheel loader was used on Tuesday to move a giant boulder off the road, video shared by Caltrans showed.

The closure comes months after a 10-mile stretch of the highway reopened following a multiyear closure due to storm and wildfire damage that cost about $7.9 million to repair. Back-to-back stormy winters weakened the slopes beneath portions of the highway and burn scars above it made the hills vulnerable to rockslides.

There is no estimated time of reopening, CalTrans said.