District 2 climber carries on a family legacy

By Haleigh Pike
District 2 public information officer

Sal Torres III grew up surrounded by carabiners, ropes and climbing harnesses. Gear he now uses in his professional life as a transportation engineer in roadside maintenance for Caltrans District 2 and a certified climbing instructor.

Climbing, for Sal, is more than just a skill, it’s a legacy. His father, Sal Torres Jr., helped shape Caltrans District 2’s climbing program after getting involved in the 1990s. Back then, rock climbing wasn’t an official Caltrans training. It emerged from the work of geologists who needed to assess unstable rock faces.

Engineers like Torres Jr., who designed rockfall protection systems like fencing, became curious about the hands-on work. When he saw crews scaling cliffs to install the systems he designed, he asked how to get involved, and soon found himself joining the early Kingvale climbing classes.

“My dad turned a hobby into part of his profession by using his engineering background to understand how to keep people safe on the slopes,” Sal said. “It was cool to watch that evolution and be part of it.”

As a child, Sal often accompanied his father to Kingvale, soaking in the experience. So, when an opening came up for a climbing instructor apprentice, it was a natural fit. Now, Sal is one of only two active climbing instructors in Caltrans District 2 and one of the youngest certified instructors in the state.

But make no mistake, climbing with Caltrans is not the same as recreational rock climbing.

“Most people associate climbing with going up,” Sal said. “But with our climbing team, it's more about controlled descents and rappelling into areas affected by slides. It’s physically demanding and mentally complex. That’s why we have courses now, to make sure people have a full toolbox when they’re facing dangerous conditions.”

Following the tragic loss of Shawn Baker and Robert Jones along State Route 96 in 2013, District 2 temporarily paused the climbing program. But in recent years, Sal and Special Crews Superintendent Richard Byers have been working hard to bring it back, securing gear for certified climbers and organizing refresher courses based on updated safety protocols.

Currently, about 30 climbers are certified in District 2. They come from different maintenance crews across the district and are specially trained and equipped to respond to rockslides and other slope hazards. Roadways such as State Route 96, 70, and 299, with their steep canyon walls and towering cut slopes, benefit the most from having trained climbers on hand.

“Nature is always going to do its thing, winter storms, loose rocks, landslides,” Sal said. “But instead of needing expensive realignments every time, our crews can go up there, scale the slopes, and remove hazards safely.”

The role of climbers is especially critical after major weather events. Maintenance workers, already trained to watch for rockfall while patrolling their routes, can call in climbing teams when loose debris poses a threat to the traveling public.

“It’s an honor to be an instructor,” Sal said. “Not everyone passes the course, it takes skill, strength, and the right mindset. It’s cool to be out there with instructors I’ve looked up to since I was a kid and now get to collaborate with as peers.”

For anyone in Caltrans Maintenance who’s interested in becoming a climber, Sal encourages them to talk to their supervisor. The program is always looking for dedicated individuals with the right mindset to take on this high-stakes work.

As Sal puts it, “it’s a really cool spot that I’m super lucky to be in.”