A gigantic rockslide on one of the main routes into Yosemite National Park has closed the road, and highway agencies have no idea when it will reopen.
Tons of rock have landed across a portion of Route 140 between Briceburg and El Portal in Mariposa County, burying the road under debris. Wet weather in the narrow canyon is said to have caused the slide.
California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) spokesperson Brian Hooker told SFGATE: “[It's] going to be a long-term, extended closure until our crews can go out there and remove the debris and inspect the hillside so that we can reopen the road safely for motorists.”
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In a statement posted on Facebook (above), Caltrans advised: "Motorists should avoid this route and seek alternative highways (SR-41, SR-120) to and from Yosemite National Park."
Currently, visitors can not access the Yosemite Redbud Lodge or Cedar Lodge via state Route 140. Bus users can only get as far as Yosemite Bug Rustic Mountain Resort.
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Brian Hooker told SFGATE: “Our teams go out and inspect the hillside prior to these meteorological events to make sure that things are in good order. But unfortunately, Mother Nature can sometimes throw these events at us.”
Route 140 starts in the San Joaquin Valley at near Gustine, California, and runs east into Sierra Nevada, ending in Yosemite National Park.
It is 102 miles long with scenic views of the Merced River Canyon and oak woodlands.
