Watch crews blow up huge boulder on Hwy. 120 near Yosemite to clear rocky road
The sound of springtime on Highway 120 near Yosemite National Park is boulders being blown to smithereens.
“Every spring in @caltransd9, our maintenance crews encounter large boulders on State Route 120 West near Yosemite that slid onto the road during winter,” Caltrans wrote in an Instagram post on Thursday.
The video above shows road crews executing the detonations of RV-sized rocks from the roadway.
“This year we captured part of the extensive blasting process in what is just one of the many required steps to opening the roadway,” a caption with the video says. ”These state employees work tirelessly to ensure the roadway and entire canyon are clear of all unauthorized personnel and are a safe distance away before any detonation.”
Tioga Road (Highway 120) reopened for the summer on May 26, according to visitmammoth.com and sierra mountain passes.com.
The route — which primarily connects the Sierra Nevada and Mono County to San Joaquin Valley and is known as a direct route to Yosemite National Park from the San Francisco Bay Area — was closed for the winter on Nov. 25.
