BASS LAKE — This morning’s work did not go as planned for the drivers of two delivery trucks who bumped into each other on an icy road near The Pines, temporarily blocking one entrance to a popular Bass Lake resort.
Just before 9 a.m., two delivery trucks were involved in a minor head-on near the Little Church in the Pines, blocking Road 434.
A PG&E driver stopped to direct traffic and parked at the top on Road 274 to keep anyone else from sliding down the steep and icy road and becoming part of the accident scene.
The two trucks sat nose-to-nose in the southbound lane, both with little apparent damage. However, the uphill-facing truck had slid into the muddy embankment, and neither vehicle was able to get any traction on the ice in order to back up.
The slick road conditions were evidenced by fact that the CHP officer at the scene had to wear ice chains on his boots to navigate up and down the road.
County Roads was requested to respond with sand to provide traction for the immobilized trucks, but were delayed due to many other calls, black ice sanding, and accidents across the area.
So Andrew and Ricky from The Pines Maintenance Department stepped in to help. They brought bags of Solar Salt up to the scene on a golf cart, and spread it behind the wheels of the downhill-facing truck, giving the driver just enough traction to back up a few feet. He was then able to pull into the other lane, and head down the hill.
Just minutes later, the second truck was also able to pull away, and the roadway was cleared by about 10:40 a.m.
Those wishing to access the area during the incident were directed to continue west to Road 331 and come in on Road 432 along the North Shore.
The details of just how the accident occurred are under investigation.
