As you may or may not be aware

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FYI

This is what I have been told officially by the County Rd. The road from Big Tujunga to Angeles Forest to Upper Big Tujunga to Angeles Crest and down to Red Box Rd. will be opening at 4:30pm today, Feb. 02. This is subject to reclose should hazardous road condition occur. The convoy will still happen today at 2:30pm as usual, but again, as of 4:30pm the road will be open to the public. You may also use the route from Palmdale (Angeles Forest to Upper Big Tujunga to Angeles Crest and down to Red Box Rd.) When leaving the mountain, you will have to go home the same way you came in. You cannot go to La Canada on the Angeles Crest due to the conditions of the road.

Map to Mt. Wilson via Sunland coming from Pasadena. You can scroll around the map and zoom in and out where you need to. Click "View Larger Map" below the map for step by step driving instructions.

View Larger Map

Map to Mt. Wilson via Sunland coming from Sylmar. You can scroll around the map and zoom in and out where you need to. Click "View Larger Map" below the map for step by step driving instructions.

View Larger Map

Caution, bears have been spotted at both the Fox transmitter site on Tuesday October 13 and the TBN transmitter site on Sunday evening October 18. Another was also spotted 1/4 mile from Red Box Road, near the turn off for Mt. Disappointment on Friday evening on October 16. These sightings are believed to be two different bears. The bottom line is that extreme caution needs to be taken. Please do not leave any food or trash outside of your buildings or your vehicles. Also, please do not intentionally feed them. This will only attract more and can lead to serious injury or worse. And remember...A fed bear is a dead bear. When bears get used to getting their food source from humans, they will return time and time again. When wildlife managers are needed to deal with the bear, they will try discouraging it with pepper spray or rubber bullets. They may also try relocating it. These methods are usually not very successful and unfortunately can lead to the bear having to be destroyed.

If you encounter a bear, do not run. Bears can run over 30 miles per hour, or 44 feet per second, faster than Olympic sprinters. Running may elicit an attack from otherwise non-aggressive bears. If the bear is unaware of you, detour away from the bear. If the bear is aware of you and nearby, but has not acted aggressively, slowly back away.

Tree climbing to avoid bears is popular advice but not very practical in many circumstances. All black bears, all grizzly cubs, and some adult grizzlies can climb trees. Running to a tree may provoke an otherwise uncertain bear to chase you.

Some bears will bluff their way out of a threatening situation by charging, then veering off or stopping abruptly at the last second. Bear experts generally recommend standing still until the bear stops and then slowly backing away. If a bear makes physical contact, drop to the ground, lie face down, and clasp your hands behind your neck. It may take all the courage you have, but lie still and remain silent. Resistance will only provoke the bear. Before moving, listen and look around carefully to make sure the bear is no longer nearby.

Regarding the need for "Bear Proof Dumpsters". I have been handling all of my clients trash on the mountain since Waste Management stopped trash service a few years ago. I pick the trash up directly from the buildings once a week and haul it off the mountain immediately. Since the station fire and in fact since I have been providing trash service there has only been one incident at one station which was dealt with immediately. I do not understand nor do I see a need for the expense of "Bear Proof Dumpsters" which in turn would limit trash service to only two times a month through the Forest Service. To anyone that does not use my service and would like to...please contact me.

The highways may be closed for public use for weeks. There are numerous roadwork projects going on. Workers and single lanes along the route to Mt. Wilson from the La Canada area.

*There has been reports that the permits are no longer being provided, but I have not yet verified.

Regular mail service has resumed somewhat. Weather is the biggest issue now and so when a storm is forcasted and the roads to Wilson get closed...mail service stops again.

As you may or may not be aware, a fatal accident occurred April 1st involving a big rig loosing his breaks while coming from the Angeles Crest Hwy. Due to this accident, the city has put a moratorium into effect, banning all 5 axle trucks from the highway. I am not sure if this will or will not effect us on the mountain as far as transporting and deliveries go at this point. I would just like to inform you that I am available to assist in any way that I can. I have my truck as well as my 14 ft. trailer. So please do not hesitate to ask if there is something that you need.

New law bans big rigs on So Cal highway after crash

SACRAMENTO (AP) -- Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has signed a bill that bans big rigs from Angeles Crest Highway, five months after a runaway truck killed two people and injured 12.

After the crash, the state imposed a temporary ban on commercial trucks on the steep and curving roadway that ends in La Canada-Flintridge. The new law signed Thursday is a permanent ban.

The intersection was the site of several accidents, including one in April that killed a father and daughter as the big rig went hurtling into several cars and crashed into a bookstore.

The new law bans vehicles with three or more axles or weighing more than 9,000 pounds from State Route 2 between La Canada-Flintridge and County Route N2, and also allows for fines that start at $1,000.

side note...there is a sign on the Angeles Crest and the Angeles Forest Hwys that state "Local Deliveries OK."

1)Exempts from this prohibition the following vehicles:

             a)   Authorized emergency vehicles;

             b)   Vehicles operated by public utilities;

             c)   Vehicles operated by the California Department of
               Transportation (Caltrans);

             d)   Transit buses; and,

             e)   Tow trucks.

          2)Stipulates that a violation of this prohibition is punishable
            by a fine of at least $1,000.

          3)Provides that revenue from fines shall be used to improve the
            safety of the applicable segment of SR 2.

          4)Requires Caltrans to sign each end of the portion of SR 2 for
            which the truck ban applies.

          5)Authorizes Caltrans and local authorities, for highways within
            their respective jurisdictions, to issue permits to operate
            commercial vehicles that would otherwise be banned from
            operating on SR 2 under the following specific conditions:

             a)   A vehicle involved in a motion picture or television
               production;

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                                                                 Page 2

             b)   A vehicle necessary for the completion of construction
               projects;

             c)   A vehicle that is a delivery vehicle and requires access
               to provide for local pickup and delivery; and,

             d)   Any other vehicle that Caltrans deems appropriate and
               safe to access the applicable portion of SR 2.

          6)Includes an urgency clause.

I attended the Dept of Transportation meeting in Palmdale on 06/10/09. While there were no clear answers on what the future holds for this truck ban, I did get one piece of helpful info. An Officer Bower (CHP) from the Castaic station said that she can assist with the escorting of oversized trucks for the Angeles Crest/Mt. Wilson area. You can contact her at: 661-294-5530.

You can keep track of the official warnings by going to the Caltrans website at:

http://www.dot.ca.gov/cgi-bin/roads.cgi

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