OJAI : Pine Mountain Road Section Is Closed
The U. S. Forest Service has closed Pine Mountain Road north of Ojai to all vehicle traffic because too many drivers are ignoring basic safety rules, officials said this week.
The narrow strip of road, which intersects California 33 about 35 miles north of Ojai, has on weekends become congested with as many as 200 cars heading for the snow in the Los Padres National Forest.
“Cars get stuck, traffic is snarled and we get a lot of fender-bender accidents and confrontations,” Ojai District Ranger Linda Riddle said. “It’s a real mess.”
Many drivers have been ignoring basic safety rules and driving along road shoulders and around barriers in the Pine Mountain Campground, Riddle said.
The recreation area is still open to skiers, sledders and others who want to park safely along California 33 and walk the two miles to the campground.
Officials said they would monitor the road and reopen it when it becomes safer for vehicle traffic, which is not expected to be before spring. For more information, call the Ojai Ranger District at 646-4348.
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