- Freeways
- I-15, US-395, CA-18
- Starts
- Hesperia, square K3
- Ends
- Apple Valley, square L3
- Also reaches
- San Bernardino
High desert over Cajon Pass: the reel pickup lane
The high desert lane goes up the 15 over Cajon Pass to Hesperia and Victorville, with US 395 to Adelanto, the old National Trails Highway north to Oro Grande, and Highway 18 east to Apple Valley. It exists for sites where a few reels are not worth a truck of their own: we gather them onto one run up the 15.
Where the High desert over Cajon Pass run goes
Cajon Pass is the gateway. The 15 climbs out of the San Bernardino Valley through the pass and comes down onto the Mojave Desert at Hesperia. Victorville is the centre of the lane, and the Southern California Logistics Airport there covers about 2,200 acres of the former George Air Force Base, with warehouses and aviation businesses around it.
North of Victorville, along the Mojave River, is Oro Grande, where CalPortland runs the cement plant it bought from Martin Marietta in 2015. Adelanto is on US 395 to the west, with industrial land around the airport side of Victorville. Apple Valley lies east across the river on Highway 18.
The run sheet, stop by stop
| Stop | Area | Grid | ZIP codes | Freeways | Usual flanges |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hesperia | K3 | 92344, 92345 | I-15, CA-173 | 24, 36, 48, 60 in |
| 2 | Victorville | K2 | 92392, 92394, 92395 | I-15, US-395, CA-18 | 36, 48, 60, 72 in |
| 3 | Adelanto | J2 | 92301 | US-395, I-15 | 24, 36, 48, 72 in |
| 4 | Oro Grande | K2 | 92368 | I-15, CA-66 | 48, 60, 72, 84 in |
| 5 | Apple Valley | L3 | 92307, 92308 | CA-18, I-15 | 30, 36, 48, 60 in |
When the deck still has room, the run also takes stops in San Bernardino (Inland Empire on the 10 lane).
Where the reels on this lane come from
- Cement and aggregates
- Kilns, mills, crushers and conveyors run on heavy power cable, delivered on bolted reels and wire-rope reels.
- Warehouses at SCLA and along the 15
- New buildings around the logistics airport empty 36 to 72 inch reels.
- Utility and solar work
- Distribution, transmission and solar interconnection work in the desert leaves large reels at remote yards.
- Contractors in Victorville and Hesperia
- Local electrical contractors stack mixed reels between jobs.
What the stops on this lane put out
Reel sizes along the High desert over Cajon Pass lane
| Flange | Seen at | Empties per 53 ft deck (est.) | Empty weight, lb |
|---|---|---|---|
| 24 in | Hesperia, Adelanto | 416 | 23 to 24 |
| 30 in | Apple Valley | 189 | 39 |
| 36 in | Hesperia, Victorville, Adelanto, Apple Valley | 102 | 64 to 77 |
| 48 in | Hesperia, Victorville, Adelanto, Oro Grande, Apple Valley | 26 to 30 | 106 to 177 |
| 60 in | Hesperia, Victorville, Oro Grande, Apple Valley | 24 to 28 | 187 to 347 |
| 72 in | Victorville, Adelanto, Oro Grande | 20 to 24 | 204 to 592 |
| 84 in | Oro Grande | 18 to 22 | 223 to 920 |
Estimates from published reel and loading charts; method on reels per load.
What the driver needs to know on this lane
Cajon Pass is the reason this lane is planned carefully. The climb on the 15 from San Bernardino to the summit is long and steep, wind warnings for high-profile vehicles are common in the pass, and snow closes it a few times in some winters. An empty flatbed is a high-profile load once the reels are stacked, so the driver watches the forecast both ways. The run goes up when the weather and the count both say so.
Small stacks ride along
Over the pass, everything rides along with something. We wait until there is enough on the lane to make a run, then gather stops from Hesperia to Apple Valley on the same day. The more of a load you have, the sooner that run is scheduled.
Windows and timing on this lane
Cajon Pass sets the timing: wind, weather and weekend traffic can close or slow the 15. We run the high desert on weekdays and keep a weather eye on the pass. Remote sites need clear directions and someone to meet the driver.
The other lanes
Questions about the High desert over Cajon Pass lane
Do you really go up to Victorville for reels?
Yes. The high desert has its own lane up the 15 over Cajon Pass. Small stacks wait for a run with other stops.
Can you collect from a cement plant?
Where the plant lets a flatbed in and can lift the reels to it, yes. Steel drums and heavy mining reels beyond a flatbed are outside what we do.
Do you go on to Barstow?
Our high desert pages end at Oro Grande and Apple Valley. Ask about addresses beyond them.
Do you go to Barstow?
Not on a regular run. Ask with the address and the counts; a large stop can make it worth the drive.
What happens if the pass closes?
We move the window and tell you. Reels wait safely if they are stood upright and chocked.
Is the High Desert run always a full deck?
Usually, because the drive is long. Small stacks ride with the large stops at the logistics airport or the cement plant.