Sal Torres III grew up with carabiners, ropes, and climbing harnesses. Now, he uses that gear as a transportation engineer for Caltrans. He works in roadside maintenance for Caltrans District 2 and is also a certified climbing instructor.
Climbing, for Sal, is more than a skill; it’s a legacy. Sal Torres Jr., his father, helped create District 2’s climbing program in the 1990s. Back then, rock climbing wasn’t an official Caltrans training program. It emerged from the work of geologists who needed to assess unstable rock faces. Torres Jr. also designed rockfall protection systems. He became curious about the hands-on work after seeing crews climb cliffs to install his designs. He asked how to join, and soon he was in the 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 to soak in the experience. When an opening came up for a climbing instructor apprentice, it was a natural fit. Sal is now one of two active climbing instructors in District 2. He is also 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. “With our climbing team, we focus on controlled descents. We rappel into areas hit by slides.” The task requires significant physical effort and involves intricate mental challenges. That’s why we have courses now, to make sure people have a full toolbox when they’re facing dangerous conditions.”
After the tragic loss of Shawn Baker and Robert Jones on State Route 96 in 2013, District 2 paused the climbing program for some time. Recently, Sal and Superintendent Richard Byers of Special Crews have put in a lot of effort to restore it. They collected gear for certified climbers and organized refresher courses on new safety protocols.
Currently, about 30 climbers have become certified in District 2 and come from different maintenance crews in the district. Trainers prepare them to deal with rockslides and slope hazards. Roadways in the district, like State Route 96, 70, and 299 have steep canyon walls and tall cut slopes. These roadways the benefit the most from having trained climbers available.
“Nature is always going to do its thing, winter storms, loose rocks, landslides,” Sal said. "Our teams can go up there, climb the slopes, and remove hazards without risk." This way, we avoid costly realignments each time."”
The role of climbers is especially critical after major weather events. Trained maintenance workers watch for rockfall while patrolling roadways. If they see loose debris that could threaten travelers, they can call in climbing teams for help.
“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.”
If you're in Caltrans Maintenance and want to be a climber, talk to your supervisor, says Sal. The program seeks dedicated people with the right mindset for this high-stakes work.
As Sal puts it, “it’s a cool spot that I’m super lucky to be in.”
CT News: https://dot.ca.gov/ctnews/archive/2025-03/news/10-climber