‘Umbrella Carnival’ Unfurls in Pass

Environmental artist Christo’s international umbrella project ran into major weather problems Thursday in Japan and minor mechanical glitches in California, but drew thousands of tourists to an “umbrella carnival” springing up in the Tejon Pass, usually one of the quietest backwaters of Los Angeles County.

A handful of umbrellas at the companion site in Japan were blown down in a typhoon. The artist’s wife, Jeanne-Claude Christo-Javacheff, overseeing the Japan segment, ordered the remainder of the 1,340 blue canopies closed for several days until the storm passes.

Fewer than five of the umbrellas were damaged, said project general contractor Augie Huber.

Prototypes of the umbrellas--which weigh 488 pounds each and are almost 20 feet tall with canopies 28 feet in diameter--withstood wind tunnel tests of up to 65 m.p.h. The winds in Japan have been less than 40 m.p.h., according to WeatherData, a service that provides weather information to the Los Angeles Times. But gusts and turbulence concentrated the wind’s power, Huber said.

About 30 of the 1,760 yellow umbrellas erected along 18 miles of Interstate 5 in the Tejon Pass, about 60 miles north of Los Angeles, needed minor adjustments to the spring-loaded “bayonet” devices that form the umbrellas’ pointy peaks, said Vince Davenport, director of field operations.

Christo was unavailable for comment. He is scheduled to leave for Japan Sunday and return to California about a week later.

The California Highway Patrol said the number of tourists Thursday was down from the 10,000 on hand for the umbrella opening Wednesday. But the turnout was still in the thousands with people flocking in by car, bus, helicopter and limousine, stopping to buy T-shirts and trinkets from vendors in the little communities of Lebec, Gorman and Grapevine.

By mid-morning, traffic on two-lane Lebec Road was slowed to 15 m.p.h. by the crush of sightseers. Many stopped at booths offering everything from umbrella-decorated sweatshirts, mugs, watches and key chains to larger than life-size fiberglass animals.

Although the biggest crowds are not expected until this weekend, many of the 10,000 residents of the towns along I-5 are already feeling besieged by tourists. Some tried to avoid going into town, but had no choice if they wanted their mail, which must be picked up at the Lebec Post Office.

“To get your daily mail, you have to pack a lunch, there’s so much traffic,” said Elizabeth Hutchins, 68, of Frazier Park.

In Gorman, a San Joaquin helicopter company was selling seven- and 15-minute sightseeing flights over the project for $35 and $60. By mid-afternoon, more than 300 passengers had gone aloft on more than 100 flights.

UMBRELLA UPDATE: Information on viewing Christo’s “The Umbrellas.” B2