For Some CAPE Members, Snow is Part of the Job

It’s winter and with the arrival of snow, Road Maintenance Superintendent Andy Hernandez and Road Maintenance Supervisor Craig Carpenter always see an increase in the amount of work to be done. These CAPE represented employees work out of the Littlerock road maintenance facility and are in charge of 274 miles of roads, many of which are in the mountains of the Angeles National Forest that regularly get pounded with snow. When the snow comes, Andy and Craig supervise the crews that clear the roads. Then, once the roads are clear, volcanic cinders need to be laid down to improve the traction. As if that wasn’t enough work, once spring arrives, miles and miles of dirt road are due for regrading after the erosion of the past months. To accomplish all this work, operations run on a 24 hour basis at peak times and require employees to be “on call” during off duty hours for the rest of the year. All this work benefits the public at large: many people live up in the mountains and skiers and snowboarders travel these roads to engage in weekend recreation. So, next time you head up into snow country, remember that it was the CAPE represented Road Maintenance professionals that made your drive possible.

Road Maintenance Supervisor Craig Carpenter stands in front of a snow plow.