See the pass before you drive it. Live Caltrans cameras and real-time conditions on I-5 over the Grapevine — the steep climb over Tejon Pass between the San Joaquin Valley and Los Angeles, and the spot most likely to close Southern California's main north–south route.
The Grapevine (Tejon Pass) carries I-5 over the Tehachapi Mountains at 4,144 ft. Here's what to watch, and when it bites.
"The Grapevine is closed" makes the news in LA for a reason: snow and high wind shut this stretch of I-5 several times each winter, sometimes stranding traffic for hours because there's no easy detour. When a storm drops the snow level to pass elevation, this is the first place it bites.
Tejon Pass tops out at 4,144 feet, and I-5 is the only fast route over it — the alternatives add hours. That's why a Grapevine closure ripples across the whole state's freight and holiday traffic. The cameras here are the quickest way to know whether the climb is bare, wet, or white before you leave the valley or the basin.
The cameras and alerts above are the stationary view — the Caltrans feeds you'd check before you leave. In the MileCheck app, the nearest camera and your exact mile marker follow you up the grade automatically, hands-free on CarPlay and Android Auto, so you're never guessing which stretch you're on.
The live map above shows active closures and incidents on I-5 over Tejon Pass, straight from Caltrans. See the full route on the I-5 corridor page or the US closures map. Snow and wind close it several times a winter.
At 4,144 feet, Tejon Pass catches snow and fierce wind when storms push through, and there's no quick detour — so Caltrans closes I-5 rather than risk it. Watch the live cameras above to see conditions on the climb.
Tejon Pass, the summit of the Grapevine, is 4,144 feet — the second big winter closure point on I-5 after Siskiyou Summit in Oregon.
About 40 miles north of Los Angeles, between the San Joaquin Valley and the LA Basin. Track your mile marker over the pass with the MileCheck app on CarPlay or Android Auto.
MileCheck shows your exact mile marker in real time as you drive I-5 over The Grapevine (Tejon Pass), plus the nearest camera and any alert on your route. Free to start, works offline, and runs on CarPlay and Android Auto.
MileCheck