HWY 140 Rockslide near Yosemite

[cak]

Both 120 and 140 are blocked. 120 has a sink hole with a detour; 140 has a rockslide.

See CalTrans Road Info (http://www.dot.ca.gov/hq/roadinfo/) for more info ... maybe more folks will go all the way south through Oakhurst!

[oakhurstleaf]

another landslide caused it's closure for a second time. Everyone's probably noticed a lot more tour buses and tourists in our town taking the detour.

I attempted to take a little trip to Wawona today but 41 was backed up for a long ways before the gate...so long that I turned around. Felt bad for all the travelers who had to sit thru that.

[Yosemite_Wolf]

the traffic down 41 last nite and this AM was horrendous!! RV after RV flying down the mountain.

[BGW]

What I saw was RV after RV being towed down the mountain!!! http://oakhurstonline.com/icon/rofl5.gif

[oakhurstleaf]

140 completely closed AGAIN due to another rockslide which occurred last night...For a short time and up until yesterday, the 140 had one lane open. You can get to El Portal from YNP...but that is it.

So Oakhurst will continue being "the" route into Yosemite...what perfect timing for our CalTrans project at the 41/49 junction. http://oakhurstonline.com/icon/freak.gif

[oakhurstleaf]

140 closure has been bad for Mariposa...good for Oakhurst.

Mariposa feeling 'bummed' by new rock slide on 140
By Jim Guy / The Fresno Bee

(Updated Saturday, May 27, 2006, 5:10 AM)

The good news for Mariposa residents was short-lived.

Thursday, they were celebrating the opening of Highway 140, closed since April 29 by a rock slide.

State transportation authorities managed recently to clear the slide and installed a rock-catching fence that they hoped would be a temporary fix to keep the road open.

Friday, a slide struck about 10 miles east of Mariposa, closing the road that leads from Mariposa to Yosemite National Park.

Caltrans said the closure would be at least one to two more weeks.

"We are bummed," said Rikki Bay, manager of the Red Fox Restaurant. "It's just more of what it's been like. We have locals who have to drive through Oakhurst to get here."

There was more bad news: Geologists reassessing the slide say it is still active and moving at an accelerated rate, said Bob Boswell of Caltrans.

Major rock falls are occurring at the site on a regular basis and Caltrans plans to install video monitoring equipment to assist with an evaluation of the area, Boswell said.

The rock-catching fence was only an interim measure. Long-term proposals include a tunnel in the slide area, a shelter over the road and simply moving part of the road. All would be costly.

The closure has been expensive for Mariposa merchants. Mariposa County interim administrator Mike Coffield estimates that it has already cost businesses $3 million to $4 million.


The reporter can be reached at jguy@fresnobee.com or (559) 441-6339.

[monkey]

It seems like Mariposa has several closures each year, but this is the worst I've heard of so far. I've called over there to see if there area any motel rooms available this weekend and everyone said they were sold out, so hopefully many of the businesses will still make some money this weekend, but I fear it will be a bad summer for that side of the mountain.

[Yosemite_Wolf]

Ya ought to get LOTS of business Monkey as the traffic on 41 is horrendous!

[monkey]

Yep, the Inn is completely full, but for some reason, the restaurant is usually a bit slower on holiday weekends. I guess the locals are all BBQing or at the lake or Peddler's Fair.

[Yosemite_Wolf]

and speaking of the restaurant.. my schedule comes out next week.. so I can sort out a day when roomie and I can come for dinner!

[oakhurstleaf]

It's been a record-breaking, best-ever day at Todd's today...as of this moment, just ran out of ribs and sliced brisket. 50 racks of ribs and 88 lb of brisket...sold out until tomorrow. I stopped in at about 2 and Todd said it was a constant flow of diners...non-stop busy-ness all day today. Business has been good. Too good. http://oakhurstonline.com/icon/laugh.gif

[monkey]

Good for you leaf! Maybe it was too cold for people to bbq for themselves, so went with the best in town! Actually, sounds like a good idea for dinner tonight to me. I'll have to ask hubby.

[Yosemite_Wolf]

so good for both of ya! I guess I wont moan and groan about the traffic.. cos I know its getting you both good "bizness"

[oakhurstleaf]

It was brrr cold yesterday...I tried to eat outside, even in the sun. But gave up and went in. It wasn't a good day for outdoor Q.

[cak]

This one (http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/news/archive/2006/06/01/state/n122554D64.DTL) sounds like it will take a long time to clean up...

[Sandman]

Yikes. Well you know what that means, right? More tourists in Oakhurst.

[cak]

Yup. I hope the businesses are ready ... and happy.

[oakhurstleaf]

A CHP officer told us that Cal Trans may to be blame for the unstable area after blasting this area some 20-25 yrs ago. Looks like now, they (CalTrans) may have to make a whole new stretch of hwy now just to get around this area.

This has been very upsetting for Mariposa whose business has gone down significantly...I talked to a fellow who works at the Mariposa Lodge and he said business is down 65%...no tour buses stopping in Mariposa anymore, they just keep on going. Mariposa is very quiet. On our end, we're getting way more buses than ever...Long's got 17 tour buses just this last Saturday! Raley's and Vons...and the motels are getting hit hard too. Crazy busy Memorial Day weekend. And expect delays at the gate to Yosemite with major back-up.

[father guido]

Boy, I don't miss that at all. Good for business as I recall, bad for everyday life.

[monkey]

I heard from a reliable source that it may be 2-3 YEARS before the road is open. They will either need to build a bridge or a tunnel through the mountain. I called over to Yosemite Motels, whidh is the largest provider of lodging in Mariposa and they said they were sod out all weekend and had no vacancies. I also spoke with someone that works at a restaurant over there and she said they had very little business and the closure is really going to hurt Mariposa. I have also heard that the electrical supply is in danger and the power lines run through that area.

[tocools]

I have worked over there for 2 days now and the streets are not half as busy as they should be.

[cak]

The story in my original post mentions that two electrical towers are in danger - towers that supply all the power to Yosemite and El Portal.

I did some quicky calculations that are almost certainly wrong about how big that slide is - but it's certainly thousands and thousands of rock haulers. It will, indeed, take a long time to open the road, even if they just try to remove what slid.

What a mess. Here are some pictures (http://www.mariposacounty.org/sheriff/Rock%20Slide%20May%2029%202006.htm)...

[Sandman]

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2006/0...semite&sn=003&sc=370 (http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2006/06/02/BAG0AJ6CNH1.DTL&hw=yosemite&sn=003&sc=370)

A 300-foot-deep rock slide has buried the main highway into Yosemite National Park, threatens two electricity towers and could block the Merced River, authorities said Thursday.

Since May 29 some 250 to 300 tons of rock and debris have cascaded down a nearly vertical slope 10 miles east of Mariposa and 12 miles from the park, covering Highway 140, according to emergency workers.

The slide, which is 600 feet long, 600 feet wide and 300 feet deep, is between two towers carrying 72,000 volts of electricity to the park and to the town of El Portal, said Mariposa County Fire Chief Blaine Shultz.

If it continues as it has for the past four days, he said, it could topple the towers and cut off power to virtually the entire region. The wall of dirt and rock is now touching the Merced River.

"The issue that we have is that it's a dynamic slide that continues all day long," Shultz said. "I've seen landslides before, but never one that seems to have a life of its own like this one. There is just a continuous pattern of activity."

The Niagara-like fall of rock began as a trickle April 29, forcing sporadic road closures in May. The road reopened a week ago, then on Monday the slide really let loose, Shultz said.

Motorists are being told to use alternate routes into Yosemite. Highway 41 from the south and Highway 120 from the north are still open.

Although the slide is made up mostly of dry rocks, fractured granite and dirt, geologists believe it is being caused by water pressure deep inside the mountain. Shultz said there seems to be a correlation between wet winters and spring rock slides.

Nobody has been injured, but the continuous flow is extremely dangerous, according to those who've seen it.

"It's huge and it just keeps rolling," said Mike Richardson, manager of the Cedar Lodge Restaurant and Bar in El Portal, which has been cut off by the slide 6 miles west of the town. "It is scary if you get too close to it. The rocks are falling from pretty far up, so they are bouncing all over the place."

In Mariposa, which relies on money from tourists traveling on Highway 140, business has plummeted.

"It's becoming an economic disaster because of the people who have to reroute around Mariposa," Shultz said. "There's no way to get around it."

The electricity towers, which are the only source of power to El Portal and Yosemite, are both on the perimeter of the slide. Pacific Gas and Electric Co. is looking at rerouting the power lines, a process that could take three or four days.

"The plan is to have the rerouting done before this landslide gets worse," said Shultz, who said observers measured only 13 seconds in the past four days when debris wasn't moving.

E-mail Peter Fimrite at pfimrite@sfchronicle.com.

[monkey]

All of the businesses I know in Oakhurst/Fish Camp had an outstanding year last year and will probably do better this year since Maariposa is having problems with the road closure. The NGI is going to donate $2,500. to be split between the Food bank and the Chamber of Commerce to try and help out. And my husband and I will be matching that amount. I think it would be great if businesses on this side of the mountain would pledge a percentage of this year's profits that they make OVER last year's profits. My thought is that some of the higher profits are at the expense of Mariposa businesses. I know that many businesses on this side of the mountains have had a hard time in the past and may not be able to contribute, but it would be great if those experiencing a boom in business would volunteer money to help our neighbors. The money to the food bank will help the individuals facing hardships and the money to the Chamber can help them get word out that the town is still open for business. Normally I wouldn't mention our donation, but I am hoping it will inspire others to give also.

[Kahlua Kid]

http://oakhurstonline.com/icon/applause.gif to Monkey. You inspire others to be charitable and you always awe me.

[Ohiomom]

Is there any new information about the roads in Yosemite? I am in OHIO and we hear only a headline now and then when something dangerous happens in the park. Nothing good, like the roads being open! I have a son working in the park who is dependant on the tourists as he is a mule packer. Oh, and it is not early here in OHIO - 6am

[Kahlua Kid]

Just that the 140 will be closed for quite some time and they are trying to figure out what to do with that slide area/caving hillside - especially if/when it slides into the Merced River.

The 41 and 120 are open into/out of Yosemite.

On another point: As Mariposa is suffering financially and along the lines of Monkey's post - perhaps we should have an OF Shopping/Lunch trip to Mariposa? What do you all say? Plan to go one Saturday?

[BGW]

I have been getting my up dates from this valley news paper:

Gateway to Yosemite is closed

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


By Corinne Reilly
creilly@mercedsun-star.com

Merced -- at least for the time being -- is no longer the Gateway to Yosemite.

According to park officials, Highway 140, the only direct route between Merced and Yosemite, is now expected to remain closed throughout the summer.

As the park heads into its busiest season, local businesses that typically serve Yosemite tourists are reporting varying degrees of concern.

And local officials say they're still unsure what impact the closure will have on Merced's economy.

"I think it's still early," said Steve Newvine, Chief Executive Officer of the Merced Chamber of Commerce. "Certainly tourism is a big component in our economy, but we'll have to see what the exact effects will be."

Highway 140 first closed in April when rocks from an active landslide began falling onto the road about 12 miles west of Yosemite.

The road reopened temporarily, but park spokeswoman Adrienne Freeman said the highway is now expected to remain closed in both directions for at least six months.

"It presents a serious safety concern, so it's going to stay closed," Freeman said Friday.

She said Caltrans estimates that between 250 and 300 million cubic yards of dirt and rocks could potentially fall as a result of the landslide.

While Freeman said Yosemite officials don't expect to see a decrease in the number of visitors to the park, the route that many take to get there has changed.

With Highway 140 closed, those traveling to the park are left with two options: use Highway 120 to enter through the park's north entrance, or use Highway 41 to enter in the south.

From Merced, the latter option is the shortest, and takes about three and a half hours by car, compared to the two-hour trip over the now-closed Highway 140, according to Freeman.

Officials agree the closure won't discourage tourists from visiting the park, but some say tourists are now far less likely to make a stop in Merced along the way.

Others say visitors make travel plans months in advance, and are unlikely to change them in light of a small detour.

"Yosemite is a major attraction here, so I think it's safe to assume there will be an impact here," said Newvine. "But instead of just avoiding Merced, people might come and then look for other routes in from here."

Newvine estimated that visitors bring about $98 million in direct travel spending to Merced each year.

Officials at the Merced Conference and Visitors Bureau said that at least half -- and perhaps much more -- of Merced's tourism business comes from Yosemite visitors passing through the city.

But Melyssa Laughlin, executive director of the visitors bureau, said the center hasn't seen an impact so far, and isn't anticipating one.

"I think more than anything it's just been an inconvenience for people, but they're still coming and using other routes into the park," she said. "In fact, our visitor numbers right now are higher than last year at this time."

Onis Lentz, a travel consultant at the center, said some visitors are more informed about the closure than others.

"Some people are arriving with pretty limited information, and they're surprised to hear the highway's closed," said Lentz. "Others know about it, and are just asking questions about the other ways in."

The closure has already had a significant impact on tourism in Mariposa County.

Hotel owners there said they've seen a considerable decrease in room occupancy rates and an increase in reservation cancellations. Some have already reduced their rates in an effort to attract more business.

Mariposa County officials declared a local state of emergency and have asked Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger to declare an emergency at the state level as well.

But the closure doesn't seem to be affecting hotels in Merced.

Melissa Livingston, front desk manager at the Merced Holiday Inn Express on Motel Drive, said the hotel is seeing occupancy rates similar to last year, and is already mostly booked through the summer.

So far, the hotel has seen no increase in the number of reservation cancellations, she said.

The hotel is providing guests with information on alternative routes to Yosemite, Livingston added.

Hotel representatives at the Merced Best Western Inn and the Ramada Inn, as well as local travel agents, also said they've seen no decrease in business.

But some say local businesses will soon begin to see a greater impact as word of the closure spreads -- though most are unsure of how big that impact will be.

"I think it could have a significant effect on the lodging industry, gas stations and restaurants," said Merced City Councilman Bill Spriggs. "It's been devastating in Mariposa ... I think we'll have to wait and see how that shakes out here exactly."

"I think it goes without saying that there will be an effect here, but it's hard to estimate what it will look like," said Jeff Pennington, president of the Merced County Chamber of Commerce.

Dick Whittington of the Merced County Association of Governments, which oversees the YARTS bus system that regularly transports tourists and Yosemite employees to the park from Merced, said the bus schedule has been scaled back from six daily roundtrips to four, because of the closure.

Whittington said the extra hour-and-a-half that it now takes to make a one-way trip is due both to the longer route and heavier traffic at Yosemite's south entrance.

And Curtis Riggs, CEO of Via Adventures of Merced, said the travel company has stopped offering day trips to Yosemite altogether.

"It's just too long of a trip to do all in one day now," said Riggs.

He said the company is still offering its longer tours that take travelers throughout the state, but has had to rearrange schedules slightly because of the Highway 140 closure.

"We're definitely feeling (a financial impact), but it's not anything that's going to kill us," said Riggs. "Certainly if this continues, it could be a more considerable impact to local businesses."

Reporter Corinne Reilly can be reached at 385-2477

or creilly@mercedsun-star.com.



Posted on 06/03/06 00:30:00
http://www.mercedsun-star.com/local/story/12270466p-13006827c.html

[monkey]

I love KK's idea of shopping/lunch in Mariposa, but Saturdays are definately out for me due to work. http://oakhurstonline.com/icon/sad3.gif

[Kahlua Kid]

Would a Sunday brunch work for you Monkey?

[monkey]

Unfortunately, all weekends are bad. At this time of year, I usually get 1 day a week completely off. Usually a Wed or Thurs and I don't think even those days will work for me for several months. I did eat at a place for lunch several weeks there, the Red Fox that had a GREAT stir fry. If anyone goes for dinner, I recommend Savory's. Yummmmm.

[John @ 3300ft.]

The Governator declared an emergency on Monday.

http://www.fresnobee.com/local/story/12280500p-13016654c.html

[BGW]

140 fix may take a year

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


By Corinne Reilly
CREILLY@MERCEDSUN-STAR.COM

The 12-agency disaster management team now in charge of the massive Highway 140 rock slide says it's waiting on the mountain.

"Until the mountain stops moving, there's no way anyone can safely get there to work on the situation," said Yosemite National Park spokeswoman Adrienne Freeman. "We'll have to see what the mountain wants to do."

The slide -- now called the Ferguson rock slide for its location on Ferguson Ridge -- first began dropping dirt and rocks onto Highway 140 about 12 miles west of Yosemite in April.

Besides a short reopening in May, the highway -- which provides the only direct route between Mariposa and Yosemite -- has been closed ever since.

Officials now say it could remain closed for more than a year, and the newly formed disaster management team led by the U.S. Forest Service is beginning to looking at solutions such as bridges, tunnels and the construction of alternate roadways.

"We're not looking for ways to clear the road," said Bob Boswell of Caltrans, one of the agencies on the team. "There's basically a mountain on it now, so we're looking for ways around."

But with the 600-foot-wide rock slide still moving, Boswell said the team has no concrete list of solutions so far.

Mariposa County Administrative Officer Mike Coffield said no one knows how long or how much it might take to implement some of the ideas being considered.

Some have expressed concern that the 300 million cubic yards of rock and dirt that could fall from the mountain into the adjacent Merced River could also cause flooding.

Officials say the county's economy, which depends heavily on business from Yosemite tourists, already has suffered a devastating decline because of the Highway 140 closure.

Susan Crain, of the Mariposa County Visitors Bureau, said local businesses have seen drop-offs ranging from 30 percent to 60 percent.

Coffield said the county estimates business losses at $14 million through Yosemite's busy season.

The county declared a local state of emergency on May 23 and Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger issued an emergency declaration for Mariposa County on Monday.

Coffield said the governor's move will provide the county with federal highway funds, as well as some assistance for local small businesses.

Douglas Shaw, owner of Yosemite Bug Rustic Mountain Resort, estimated his business has lost at least $60,000 since the end of April.

"We've seen so many cancellations," said Shaw. "It'll just get worse over the summer."

About 700 residents in the El Portal and Indian Flats areas lost power Tuesday -- some for more than 20 hours -- as Pacific Gas and Electric Co. proceeded with plans to move two transmission towers and 2,500 feet of transmission line across the Merced River.

PG&E spokesman Mark Hendrickson said the rock slide threatened to topple the towers.

"This was a necessary and proactive move to ensure safety and service reliability to local residents," he said.

Hugh Carter, of the El Portal Food Market, said his business lost power Tuesday morning and didn't get it back until 5 a.m. Wednesday.

Hendrickson said PG&E brought in a team of more than 60 surveyors, engineers, construction workers, geologists, biologists and estimators to make the move, which was successfully completed around noon Wednesday.

"At least we've been able to take one issue off the plate of Mariposa County residents," Hendrickson said Wednesday.

Some students in the Yosemite Valley and El Portal areas are spending six hours a day traveling to and from school in Mariposa, according to Bob Morse of the Mariposa County Unified School District.

A one-way bus trip only took about 40 minutes when Highway 140 was open, but now takes about three hours, said Morse.

Students who make the trip must now be on the bus by 5 a.m. to make it to school on time.

The district is looking into providing distance learning courses over the Internet, and some students have chosen to stay in Mariposa with friends during the week, said Morse.

Morse said several teachers and administrators have also offered students a place to stay so students can avoid the commute.

Many Yosemite employees who live in Mariposa are also having a hard time making it to work, said Freeman, the Yosemite spokeswoman.

Mariposa county officials are trying to spread the word that Highway 140 is still open into Mariposa and Midpines, and they're hoping that tourists will still stop in to see what the area has to offer.

Yosemite is encouraging visitors to enter the park via highways 120 and 41.

Reporter Corinne Reilly can be reached at 385-2477 or creilly@mercedsun-star.com.



Posted on 06/08/06 00:30:00
http://www.mercedsun-star.com/local/story/12289753p-13025593c.html

[monkey]

Here is an excellent link for photos, etc
http://www.supertopo.com/climbing/thread.html?topic_id=201254&f=0&b=0

[tocools]

Hey what happen to the post that the person from Mariposa posted??

[Sandman]

It was posted more than one time so I removed all but one.

[John @ 3300ft.]

I read that they are going to build two temporary bridges to detour around the slide zone.

[Yosemite Joy]

I heard that last night at El Cids. Good for them.

[monkey]

The news tonight said that it will probably take about 60 days for the bridges to be put in. I hope Mariposa can hold on that long, it basically means they will have to deal the entire summer season without an open road to the park. http://oakhurstonline.com/icon/sad3.gif

[BGW]

Ferguson Rockslide Update:
Information provided by:
Glenn Bell
Ferguson Rockslide Information Officer
Phone 209-966-6174
Fax 209-966-6176
e-mail: fergusonslide2@yahoo.com


6-27-06
Update: 6:55 PM
Caltrans is getting ready a temporary one way bridge to cross the Merced River and then fixing the old railroad grade on that side of the river for about six miles to the Foresta Bridge and then back over to the 140. No tour busses or other vehicles that will be over a certain size ( Still being discussed) will be allowed. The long school busses also will not be on this route but the small ones might be.
Opening date if all turns out as expected, meaning permits are signed on time, the report from the geologist is positive, will be about July 15th. The road will be closed at night to traffic.
While that bridge is operating Caltrans will be constructing another bridge closer to the slide so there will only be about a half a mile of driving on the other side of the river before coming back over the river to get back on the 140.

[Ohiomom]

It is July 18. We have a son attending a training session in San F. who wants to come to Yosemite to see his brother for a few days. His class is out at 3pm on Aug 11. His flight back to Ohio is Aug. 16. When we came two years ago, we went to Merced on the Amtrax and then the bus. Before that my husband had flown to S F and then rented a car. He still had to stay in Merced overnight as darkness came and he didn't want to try to enter the park then. So, my question is - how does a person get to Yosemite - rent a car to what town and stay where as it will be dark? Or take the train to where and then a bus?

[Dodgergirl]

He could always rent a car, (from SF, Merced or Fresno) drive into Oakhurst, get a room for the evening, & then drive into the park thru the (south??) 41 entrance.
Where in the Park is he headed? There are a few people here who have a lot more info on the roads, so mine is just a thought...

[Ohiomom]

He will be going to T. Meadows to ride a mule if his brother can find one big enough for his weight!!

[Ohiomom]

No, Toulame (I know the spelling is wrong on that) Meadows is the camp up out of the valley where tourists come to ride horses at Yosemite. They just opened it up last week or so. It closes Labor Day - snow.

[Ironhorse]

Detour opens Monday around Hwy. 140 slide
By Denny Boyles / The Fresno Bee

(Updated Friday, July 28, 2006, 4:55 AM)

A detour set to open Monday will restore some travel on Highway 140, more than three months after a major rockslide first closed the main route between Mariposa and Yosemite National Park.

The six-mile detour around the Ferguson slide will open Monday. For now, the California Department of Transportation will run a caravan-style detour once each direction in the early morning and at least once in each direction in the late evening.

Bob Boswell, an information officer for Caltrans District 10, said that during the rest of the day the road will be closed so that construction can continue.

"There is still work that needs to be done on the second bridge, what we call the upstream bridge," Boswell said. "Once that work is done, and the bridge opens, we can cut the detour down to just a half-mile, and we can run caravans through that detour all day."

News of the detour was welcomed by the Mariposa County Chamber of Commerce. Dorothy Kuhnel, executive director, said local businesses have been hit hard by the drop in traffic along Highway 140.

"Business has definitely slowed down," Kuhnel said. "Hotels, bed and breakfasts, restaurants — everyone has felt the pinch. We're hoping this helps, but we really are waiting for the permanent solution. We're waiting for the slide to be cleared and the road to be reopened."

Boswell said that may take some time. As of Thursday, he said, the rockslide was still moving.

"As long as it remains active you can't move the rocks," he said.

For now, pilot cars will lead the caravans through the detour area. Drivers wanting to go through the detour will have to be in line before each caravan departs. The westbound caravans will leave at 5:30 a.m. from the area east of El Portal at the Foresta Bridge.

The eastbound caravan will leave from a point five miles east of Briceburg at 6 a.m.

The evening caravans will meet at the same areas. The first westbound caravan will move at 6 p.m. Traffic flow will then alternate in both directions until the final westbound caravan leaves at 7:30 p.m.

The speed limit for travel in both directions will be 15 miles per hour. The California Highway Patrol will be on site to enforce construction work zone rules. Pedestrians, bicycles and any vehicles over 28 feet in length will not be allowed on the detour route.

The reporter can be reached at dboyles@fresnobee.com or (559) 441-6659.

[Ironhorse]

FEMA denies funding to Mariposa County for rockslide damage
The Associated Press

(Updated Friday, July 28, 2006, 1:20 AM)

MARIPOSA, Calif. (AP) - Mariposa County will not receive federal disaster funding to recoup emergency costs stemming from a series of winter storms that closed a highway leading into Yosemite National Park, officials said Thursday.

County officials said they would appeal the Federal Emergency Management Agency's decision denying its request for reimbursement for sheriff's, fire and other costs associated with the rockslide in April that closed Highway 140.

"I think it's a slam dunk we will be approved," said Mike Coffield, the county's administrative officer. "But I thought it would be a slam dunk to get the original. But we believe we meet the qualifications either way, it's just a matter of getting the right information into FEMA's hands."

FEMA officials said the request was denied because it asked for expenditures that are not covered under federal guidelines, and when those were removed it fell below the threshold for federal coverage.

Michael H. Smith, a FEMA federal coordinating officer, declined to say which expenditures were not covered.

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger said in a statement the storm damage created a "significant economic burden" for the county and that the state would fund the rebuilding of the highway regardless of the federal government's decision.

The state also is paying for the construction of two temporary bridges to bypass the rockslide site.

The governor's office said the county incurred $1 million in damages and emergency response costs.

The state Department of Transportation said the first bypass bridge would open to limited one-way traffic Monday. Vehicles would have to line up at designated times, and a pilot car would lead caravans across the bridge going 15 mph, officials said.

[cak]

Looks like they have the road open all day now... The Caltrans website says 24x7, but I've seen other sources that say 6am-8pm, with repairs going on at night.

[BGW]

MercedSunStar.com
Ferguson Rockslide moves

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


By Scott Jason
SJASON@MERCEDSUN-STAR.COM

The lower part of Ferguson Rockslide moved more than two inches after Mariposa County saw its heaviest rainfall of the season, a California Highway Patrol spokesman said.

About two inches of rain fell during the weekend, and Mariposa CHP spokesman Al Arredondo said Caltrans told the department Sunday that the slide moved 2.34 inches and an officer found grapefruit-size rocks tumbling onto Highway 140 later that afternoon.

"We're worried about the whole thing moving," he said.

The road is still open and the movement seems to have ended, though an officer went to check the slide, Arredondo said.

Caltrans spokesman Troy Bowers said the shifting is around the slide's edges, and it's unlikely that there will be any major slides.

"The rain acts like a lubricant and it sloughs off the stuff on the top," Bowers said. "It's not a big deal."

Arredondo said the slide moves about a centimeter, or .39 inches, daily and officers regularly check on road's condition.

Geologists assigned to the slide are continuously monitoring its activity, he said.

Jerry DeGraff, geologist for the Sierra, Sequoia and Stanislaus National Forests, said Merced River monitors show the falling debris has not hindered the water's flow.

The slide's movement increased during storms in November and December, but settled down.

"We would expect that during a rainfall it might speed up, but between storms it might slow back down to its creeping rate," DeGraff said.

Access to Yosemite National Park from Highway 140 was restricted from April to July after rocks and dirt fell onto the road.

A full-time detour was opened in September, and Caltrans officials are considering permanent fixes, which include removing the debris, tunneling through it and moving the highway through the hillside.

Reporter Scott Jason can be reached at 385-2453 or sjason@mercedsun-star.com.



Posted on 02/14/07 00:30:00
http://www.mercedsun-star.com/local/story/13293078p-13922

[Sandman]

"That all-weather highway provides the life blood to Mariposa"
EL PORTAL, Calif (http://www.topix.com/city/el-portal-ca). - State transportation officials are considering tunneling through the wall of the Merced River canyon as a possible solution to get around a rockslide outside the entrance of Yosemite ... via North County Times (http://www.nctimes.com/articles/2007/03/29/ap-state-ca/d8o63mh80.txt)


More... (http://www.topix.net/city/yosemite-national-park-ca/2007/03/engineers-look-for-ways-to-get-around-rockslide-near-yosemite)

[BGW]

MercedSunStar.com
Mariposa anxious for real rockslide repairs

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


By Scott Jason
SJASON@MERCEDSUN-STAR.COM

MARIPOSA -- Antique store owner Carol Shockley wonders why the bridges around the Highway 140 rockslide weren't built to allow full-size tour buses that provide a major income source for her business and the mountain town.

"It's putting a Band-Aid on a wound," said the 69-year-old owner of Shockley Designs Un-Ltd., "but when you take it off, you have a festering sore."

Mariposa's injury -- expected to throb for up to five more years -- is the Ferguson Rockslide, which blanketed the all-weather road a year ago with 2 million cubic yards of dirt and rocks.

Though car and truck traffic to Yosemite National Park resumed months after the slide, lucrative bus traffic has been lost, and Mariposa is searching to fill the void.

A dozen residents celebrated the rockslide's anniversary Sunday by wearing birthday hats and giving cupcakes to motorists waiting to use the detour.

The town is hesitantly accepting Mother Nature's economic roadblock that'll be around for a while.

In the wake of the tumbling rocks in April and May 2006, local officials and businesses are promoting Mariposa County as a destination point that's also next to the historic national park.

"We need to market ourselves better," Supervisor Dianne Fritz said. "Yosemite is the 300-pound gorilla in the room and it's not going to leave, but Mariposa has other things to offer."

An economic vitality report released last month encourages the county to support local attractions that can draw visitors on an annual basis, and Fritz said this weekend's events -- the Butterfly Festival, a quilt show and agriculture tour -- are examples of how the area will survive.

"It's not replacing everything we've lost, but it's helping," she said. "There's a little hint of silver in the dark cloud."

Access to the park on Highway 140 was closed from April to July, when Caltrans opened a temporary detour that allows cars and trucks less than 28 feet long onto the bridges around the slide.

But the restriction has forced the commercial buses packed with Bay Area residents and students to drive on other highways.

As a result, there are fewer people eating at Mariposa's restaurants, sleeping in its hotels and shopping at its stores.

Fritz said she's noticed a 25 percent drop in the number of people who eat at her Happy Burger, which boasts it has the largest menu in the Sierra.

She's not sure it's business that will return.

"People's travel habits change very quickly," she said. "It won't take long before they find a spot they like better."

Like Mariposa, Douglas Shaw is trying to make his Yosemite Bug Rustic Mountain Resort into an attraction that doesn't entirely depend on visitors destined for the park.

When the hill gave out, Shaw was in the midst of expanding the tree-shrouded Midpines resort and had to scramble to pay his bills, tripling his debt.

"Every time you sneeze, it's like blowing money into the wind," he said.

Shaw guesses he's lost about $80,000 because of the tour bus restriction.

The day spa is set to be finished in June, but a new road leads to where he was going to add four cabins. That project, along with the house Shaw was going to build for himself, are on hold indefinitely.

The five permanent ways to fix the road are being researched by Caltrans, which has compressed its lengthy review process with hopes to break ground by fall 2008, transportation spokesman Troy Bowers said.

"Work is being accelerated, and we want to get this project started as soon as possible," Bowers said.

However, construction could take three years depending on what fix is picked. Options include removing the dirt and rock, digging through the hillside, or crossing the Merced River and digging through the hillside.

The detour bridges around the rockslide were prefabricated and could only be installed in the canyon at a 90 degree angle, limiting the vehicle length, Bowers said.

"With those limitations and the side of the canyon wall being as unstable as it is, we didn't want to go digging it out," he said. "Our priority was to get the road open as quickly as possible."

While state officials in Sacramento decide how to move forward with the permanent repairs, business owners like Shockley are united in their effort to bolster Mariposa's identity.

"We're not just sitting here crying," she said. "We're here and we're a destination."

Reporter Scott Jason can be reached at 385-2453 or sjason@mercedsun-star.com.



Posted on 05/04/07 00:30:00
http://www.mercedsun-star.com/local/story/13549109p-14152288c.html

[BGW]

New bridges open Friday


6/27/2008 2:35:00 PM
Businesses await return of tour bus traffic

It's almost Fourth of July weekend, and the summer tourist season is about to reach a fever pitch. For Mariposa County businesses, the best of the season is yet to come.
Starting Friday, the new, temporary bridges in the Merced River Canyon will accommodate vehicles over 28 feet long. In other words, buses can roll through Mariposa into Yosemite for the first time since 2006.
The $8 million project that installed two interim bridges on the temporary bypass will now provide access to vehicles like YARTS buses, school buses, tour buses, recreational vehicles and commercial trucks while the permanent restoration project is developed. Caltrans decided to install the new interim bridges to the bypass after it was determined that the permanent project would not go into construction as anticipated this summer.
Caltrans Director Will Kempton will host the "Essential Access" ribbon cutting ceremony beginning at 2 p.m. Other speakers include representatives of Congressman George Radanovich, the governor, State Senator Dave Cogdill and Assembly Member Tom Berryhill.
Mariposa County Board of Supervisors' Chairman Lyle Turpin will be joined in speaking by colleagues Brad Aborn and Dianne Fritz. Yosemite National Park Deputy Superintendent Kevin Cann and Teichert Construction President Doug Urbick are also scheduled as speakers.
Because parking is expected to be difficult at the site, a shuttle will leave Mariposa County High School at 1:15 p.m. Those who want to use the shuttle are encouraged to arrive early, as seating is limited.
http://www.mariposagazette.com/news/contentview.asp?c=246008

[monkey]

Yep, I saw Ahhhhnold on the news talking about it.