Industry News
Alta Sierra Ski Area, CA, announced on social media that the entire area around the ski resort is now closed for what is estimated to be approximately two weeks. Due to massive flooding and damage to the roads in the area, Highway 155 is closed in both directions. There is the danger of a massive slide on the highway, and emergency services are busy assessing and repairing the roads and other infrastructure around the area.
Alta Sierra Ski Area is a small ski resort located about three and three-quarter hours north of Los Angeles in the Greenhorn Mountains in the Sequoia National Forest. The closure notice was issued by the US Forest Service and is, as such, not in control of the resort. Northern Kern County has been affected by severe flooding following record precipitation which has eroded soil and caused mudslides across the county.
According to Caltrans District 6, crews are busy clearing mud and debris from various sections of Highway 155 and will then be able to move to restoring and repairing the state route. There is currently no timetable for reopening.
The closure of the artery to the ski area must be devastating for Alta Sierra Ski Area. The small resort had been plagued with problems resulting from the copious snowfall before this closure, lacking the means to clear the snow. The resort saw 143 inches fall in the last seven days and has seen 211 inches this season. To put it in perspective: the small Californian resort typically only receives about 15 inches on average per year.
