Asphalt Paving in Wrightwood, CA

Asphalt paving in Wrightwood is mountain work in real snow country. Wrightwood sits at about 6,208 feet in a pine-covered valley in the San Gabriel Mountains and averages about 61.8 inches of snow a year, with February the snowiest month at about 24.8 inches. Annual precipitation is about 21 inches, nearly four times Victorville's. Water, ice and snowplows, not just sun, are what wear pavement out here.

Freeze-thaw

Snow melts on dark asphalt in the afternoon sun, runs into cracks and refreezes overnight. Each cycle pries cracks a little wider. A Wrightwood driveway needs:

• A well-drained, compacted base that does not hold water
• Cracks sealed every fall before the first snow
• Slopes that send meltwater off the pavement, not across it
• Smooth transitions so plow blades do not catch an edge

Cabins from the 1930s

Wrightwood grew from Sumner Wright's ranch, subdivided into lots, and downtown is dotted with resort cabins from the 1930s. Many old drives are steep, narrow and thinly paved. Rebuilding one usually means widening where possible, adding base and paving thick enough for winter loads.

Part-time homes

About 25.5 percent of Wrightwood's 2,664 housing units were vacant at the 2020 census, many of them second homes. We can schedule work when you are away and send photos.

Short season

Paving at 6,000 feet happens in late spring through early fall, when the ground is warm. Book early; the season fills up.

Fire

The whole town was evacuated during the Bridge Fire in September 2024, and residents were evacuated in the 2016 Blue Cut Fire. A firm driveway with room for an engine to turn is worth planning for.

Costs

HomeGuide lists standard asphalt driveways at about $5 to $12 per square foot, with some contractors setting a minimum of $2,000 or more. Mountain jobs with tight access, steep grades and extra drainage work come in higher. Crack sealing, at about $0.50 to $3 per linear foot, is the most cost-effective maintenance in snow country.

Access

Narrow streets and steep drives limit the size of equipment we can bring. We look at access during the site visit and plan accordingly.

Snow storage

We ask where you pile snow when plowing. Meltwater from a snow pile running across the driveway freezes at night; we grade so it runs off instead.

Old cabin drives

The 1930s resort cabins downtown often have short, steep drives with old patched asphalt. Rebuilding one usually means removing the patches, adding a real base, improving drainage and paving thick enough for winter loads and plows.

Fire access

After the Bridge Fire forced the whole town to evacuate in 2024, more owners are thinking about access. A paved drive with room for an engine to reach the house and turn around is a practical improvement, and clearing brush along the drive helps too.

Pacific Crest Trail

The trail passes through town, bringing hikers in season. We keep work areas tidy and roads clear.

County permits

Wrightwood is unincorporated San Bernardino County. Approach work on county-maintained roads needs a county encroachment permit. Call (760) 383-7312 or

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