Editor:
Monday night, while driving home about 7:30, I came across a “fresh” rockslide on Highway 74. It was about 2 miles past Pinyon Flats heading toward Paradise Corner and Lake Hemet.
There were only a few cars when I arrived. We all turned on our flashers, some drivers notified emergency services and Caltrans and the rest of us got to work moving the boulders out of the road. The father-son team with the truck managed to pull two of the biggest rocks to the side. We moved the rest by hand. Luckily, I was dressed for the weather and had a pair of gloves.
Just as we pushed the last rock out of the way, a Caltrans plow arrived on the scene. We had already cleared one lane enough to let the cars pass through.
We all drove slowly by with our flashers on. It felt more like a victory parade than a snowstorm. I’m very proud of the mountain folk who worked together to make it happen and to be part of such a resourceful community. It was a real team effort on a cold, icy night.
Alex Napier
Mountain Center
