Yesterday, Rock Knocker climbed Mud Creek (about a mile north of Alder Creek Slide) to make sure it wasn’t backing up. (Yes, he IS retired, and no, he does NOT have to do this, but he is a curious fellow.) Normally, these are not the type of photos I would post, as some people are not interested in this type of thing. But I thought some of you might like to see how slides can happen (it is not backing up, therefore no slide is imminent) and get a different perspective on the hills and rocks that come down ON the road! I’ve even included some photos of the road from a perspective most of us are not likely to ever see. Definitely a unique perspective! RK took 104 photos, I’ve narrowed them down considerably, but I still have quite a few I want to share, so will be adding to this throughout the evening. Thanks so much, Rock Knocker!
That’s Highway One, down below.
WARNING – DO NOT TRY THIS YOURSELF. Rock Knocker is a professional rock climber, and has been to the Cal-Trans climbing school each year for over 20+ years. In fact, he has been invited back again, even though he is retired.
One can see a sliver of Highway One in the distance on the right.
I am afraid of heights. Even looking at a photo like this makes me queasy. Good thing he doesn’t have video!
I can’t even BEGIN to describe what looking at this one does to my stomach! This is the one time I am “almost” – not quite – glad to Pampas Grass holding the hillside in place!
Amazing to see on this barren slope, a tree tenaciously growing out of rock.
The close-up
If one looks closely, one can see the CT cone, and the sliver of road in front of it.
Right behind where that front ridge and the highway intersect is the Alder Creek Slide. One can also see the recently rebuilt seawall at Shale Point.
There is his truck, parked on the side of the road. And that ends the photo story of the climb up Mud Creek.
It is down to 37.6 degrees at 5:30 pm – and I need to update the weather/road post for today, March 9. 2010.
Very kewl Kate!!! Love seeing it from that old mountain goats perspective.
I have to give it to all of you. I live in Indiana and we don’t have rock slides or mudslides here that I am aware of. Too flat. These posts give me the impression that your world is ever-changing. I travel when I visit here. Minus the slides and raging rivers and streams, you live in God’s country!
Killah post!
Reminds me of 1998. Then lots of slides, not much road.
And I, along with John Peck’s ol’ Reel Fresh Fish Company fishermen used to launch our skiffs right at that very spot! By 1998, it got way too dangerous. Now, seeing Alder Creek area strikes old memories for me…spectacular fishing and scary launch/landings through monster waves.
David Allan
Captain Lingcod
Up is easy! Down is the difficult part. (Learned that the hard way on a headland south of Peter Fels’ house.) Now I ALWAYS carry 100 feet of rope in my pack.)
BTW, don’t all locals do these kinds of things? For example, if you want to catch the big fish, cliff crawling is almost always required … and we won’t even talk about those insane people afflicted with “jade fever.”
To Rock Knocker , amazing , just amazing, we would never get a view like that, T Y !
To Lesliepaints , B S is new land and is changing every minute , geologically B S is only 1 million years above sea level, and for comparison Hawaii is 25 million years above sea level.
To Meade , Gosh yes I remember that winter of 2008 ,,,, no one could drive to B S then , even driving North from L A was cut off too .
To Kate , is their a surface water flow to “Mud Creak” , further upstream ? And gee was that a Sierra Club , Planted Tree in that photo ?
Great post Kate and Rock! Keep the pics coming!
Dream photos for a 4th grade earth science teacher’s dream. Nightmare photos for Caltrans though.
Sorry if it was already mentioned… is this not the same slide known as the ‘Duck Pond’ in the early ’80s?
No, Duck Pond is another slide, south of Mud Creek, Dave.
bigsurkate
OK thanks. I think I remember them putting in a huge new drain to fix that.
That is correct
bigsurkate