What better way to end the storms than with a view like this. It was taken earlier this month, but doesn’t it just express the hope that comes with the end of these storms? We are in for a dry week, and temperatures climbing into the 70s and possibly 80s by Thursday. Sing Hallelujah!

And I have a couple sunsets I took tonight and one or two from Ken Cowan. Feel free to send yours for me to add tomorrow. No more tonight. I am beat! I’ll add mine, and any others I get (if a reasonable number) tomorrow. And then, I am back to my paying job, and getting things picked up around here after these horrific winds and rains. Blessed be.

Here is one of the Big Sur River near River Inn, which is fine, did not have to evacuate, and is putting on the locals night as planned tonight. Who is that crazy guy? (Hint – he’s related to me)

And here are some sent to me by Mark Readdie of Big Creek taken yesterday by Terry and Feyner.

Yeah, it is tough, but someone’s got to do it. Yesterday, Avis went out and about and reminded us of the beauty we live among here on the south coast. Ken Cowen did the same yesterday up north and he, too sent some photos for us to enjoy. There are 5 I will be uploading, and then one of the Big Sur River taken this afternoon, if the internet Goddess is kind to me. She is being feisty at the moment.

The sun will come out tomorrow.

It has been pouring down here and the wind is howling. Rocks continue to fall and the hoped for hour opening is not going to happen. Cal-Trans won’t be issuing another update until tomorrow.

Also, got a report from county (which I think I posted below, but I am losing it – the “it” being my mind- , so I’ll post again) that there is a slide on Nacimiento-Fergusson Rd. at mile marker 7. It is passable and crews are working on it, but be cautious. This also underscores that if taking this road, be on the look out for slides. You could come upon them before the county is even aware of it.

Also, Colin indicated that a helicopter service is being instituted Monday. “Community officials are coordinating with Caltrans and CHP to provide limited helicopter shuttle service from Rocky Point restaurant to Little Sur River Bridge beginning Monday, March 28 @ 10 am.”

Lots of rumors about a 6 pm opening – that has not been confirmed from any official source, it is rumor only at this point. Colin Jones just called to adamantly deny that rumor – “at this point.” Remember, folks, this is a fluid situation, just like the darn mud, and everything changes

Also, if I might indulge on a personal note? While this is personal to me, and is something I am quite aware of, I am willing to bet that all up and down this coast local businesses are doing the same thing for their employees and locals alike. These just happen to be the ones I’ve heard about today. Lucia has been providing my son with a place to stay last night and tonight, even when he only gets to work an hour, as there is not enough business to justify keeping the kitchen open. Thank you Ken Harlan! Alan Perlmutter has encouraged him to hang in front of the fireplace at the River Inn and enjoy the company of others, and has also instituted great dinners for locals so that we don’t feels so isolated. Thank you Alan and Janet!

To our entire business community – I salute you for making the best of a horrific situation and shining in the midst of this grayness like the stars that you are! Blessings from this isolated mountain top.

11:30 am – skeleton staff at River Inn, kitchen at Lucia closed, businesses helping out locals when and how they can, pulling together, making it through until at least one direction is open. I have heard nothing re the very southern portion of Highway One, which I am assuming is good news.

*IMPORTANT* Also, just in from County re Nacimiento-Fergusson Rd. it is open but there is a slide about the 7 mile marker the county crew is working on, so use caution.

10:30 am – LOCALS AND STRANDED TOURISTS CAUGHT INSIDE THE TWO SLIDES ONLY, there will be a one hour opening to get home or out between 2 and 3 pm. Of course, this is dependent on the weather, and it has been pouring down here since dawn. Please, if you live out of the area and just want to see if the road is “really closed” – stay home. We need this small window of opportunity to get supplies, medical attention, to get to family and friends. We will welcome you next week when the weather is predicted to be great, assuming one end of the roadway is open for traffic, which the south should be.

See you then?

Hello everyone. Avis here again.

I managed to get out and about today. My first stop was at Lucia to see how everyone was doing. My timing was spot on when I ran into our local Park Ranger who offered to take me on a ride-a-long to get some pictures. The first shots are of the slides to the south of Lucia. The first one is as you head down the hill towards Limekiln. We call this spot Paul’s Slide.

They made a lot of progress today on the Limekiln Chimney Slide.

Before dark, they managed to get a hole poked through for about an hour and hundreds of cars went through. The cars were parked along the side of the road since last night. I spoke to some of the stranded people and some even slept in their cars last night. Many people missed flights, deadlines on car returns, meetings, conferences, and other reservations. But all in all, they were treated to Big Sur hospitality and we kept them safe, warm, dry and fed until they could slip out in that one hour window.

The Ranger & I headed down into Limekiln State Park. It’s so beautiful down there. If you have never been camping at Limekiln, I highly recommend it!

While I was there I wanted to check out the where the Limekiln Creek empties into the ocean. I always love where the fresh water meets the sea water.

The next two shots are to the North of Lucia on Highway 1.

It was a beautiful , sunny day here. Just what we all needed. And with the progress they made today it sounds like they may get the Chimney Slide closure open sometime tomorrow. I just want to say how much we all appreciate the highway workers. They all look so tired. They have been working long hard hours trying to get this road open again. Be safe, and thank you one and all!

I’ve gotten a number of photos these past 10 days, and while I have tried to upload and post as many as possible, some have gotten lost in the shuffle of the various bulletins and emergencies, including this photo of the funnel cloud/water spout by Kristy Sullivan taken from near the Post Ranch:

And here is another by Dan Clark from the Coastlands

Next is one from Simon Eagar of the Carmel River mouth and parking lot along scenic drive:

And lastly, here is tonight’s view of Cone Peak by the usual suspect. I hope I haven’t forgotten anyone’s photos. It has been quite a time these last 10 days, and while it isn’t over – we have some good weather headed our way. I would like to remind everyone that just because the rains stop doesn’t mean the sliding has. My experience is that when the soil dries out, it contracts, and then it moves – somewhere new.
]

Can you save me one? I’ll be right there – when I can!

5:30 pm – CHP website says this:
2:10PM IF IT IS RAINING CALTRANS WILL NOT BE WORKING ON RDWY
2:10PM GOOD CHANCE IT WILL BE CLOSED TOMORROW
2:10PM PER WAYNE/CALTRANS-RDWY WILL BE CLOSED TONIGHT

BUT when I spoke to Colin Jones several times this afternoon, he stressed that crews WOULD be working tomorrow, even if it rained. He also said he would be checking in in the morning with his office and hoped to put out a press release with good news.

Also, reports of a bottle-neck at the slide with people hoping to get through from both directions. This is what we called in the Army a SNAFU. 5 points if you know what the acronym stands for. ;=)

4:00 pm – there has been a rumor about a one-hour opening on the southern slide this afternoon. Stan Russell and Kirk Gafill are indicating that Cal-Trans Steve Price confirms that Cal-Trans “hopes” to be able to do this between 5 and 6 this evening. I called Colin Jones at 3:30 this afternoon to confirm or deny this rumor, and he indicated that IF it is possible, it will be on a very, very limited basis, for emergency supplies ONLY, and not to let trapped guests or locals through at that time. So, there you have it. Even Cal-Trans is not consistent on this one. You could get down here only to be turned away.

2:30 pm Cal-Trans update re Limekiln: “CURRENTLY, THERE IS STILL NO ESTIMATED TIME OF REOPENING Hwy. 1 to at least one lane of traffic. Several tons of mud and rock have fallen on the roadway and while crews and contractors are making good clean-up progress today, conditions are changing. Caltrans will issue another update around 5 pm this afternoon.” Don’t hold your breath that this puppy will be open, but who knows? Crews will be working all day tomorrow, even in the rain (which is supposed to be a much lighter storm, and our last for a while) so let’s hope.

From Cal-Trans:

**11:00 AM PER C/T: “Several tons of mud and rock has fallen on the roadway but crews and contractors are making good clean-up progress today. Caltrans will have a better estimate this afternoon as to when at least one lane at the Limekiln slide can be opened.”

**10:15 AM PER CHP WEBSITE, CAL-TRANS HAS NO ETA FOR OPENING THE SLIDE NEAR LIMEKILN AT THIS TIME**

9:00 am – nothing reported directly to me late last night or this morning, so will be checking my online and in person sources.

CHP is still reporting Limekiln closed thusly:
12:08AM SEVERAL LARGE BOULDERS IN RDWY
12:05AM WILL BE CLOSED MOST OF DAY JSO LIMEKILN

I am waiting for my morning call from Colin Jones on this one.

Did get a report last night after 8 pm on N-F Rd that there is a slide about 1/2 way down from the summit, but able to be navigated. Also, there was lots of water on the road both on the base and through the USFS lands.

Right now, I am looking at a combination of blue skies and fluffy clouds.

Here are some photos of the Big Sur River sent to me by Debbie Reed. Thanks Debbie! Glad you didn’t get flooded!

9:00 pm – The river is receding, and all is safe. Reports this evening is that the road through Ft. Hunter-Ligett and all bridges are in good shape and open. Today, bigsurkate saw its prior record for number of visitors, set on September 30, 2008 when the Chalk Fire broke out, broken.

I am exhausted and am turning in. I might not be back online until 9 am tomorrow. *IF* we are lucky, Avis, who gets up early and has 24 hour power at Lucia, will post something about conditions in the am for me until I can get online and catch up. In the mean time, be safe and take care of one another!! Oh, damn. The rain has picked up again. It doesn’t matter, I am falling asleep at the key board and can no longer spell or type properly. Nite all.

8:30 pm “I don’t know of you can post out quick but a large tree branch is down on the south bound land mile marker 46 on a blind corner. Fire in route but everyone is busy. Could cause a accident. Keep your eyes out everyone.”

I just received these from Rain at the State Park. These first three were taken at Andrew Molera. XT posted in the post immediately below that the river peaked at 10.36 feet as was receeding.

Rob Weller has some evening photos showing the river up to the office door at Riverside and also in the lower campground. Hope there is little or no damage anywhere.

AT 5:27 pm THIS EVENING THE NWS ISSUED A FLASH FLOOD WARNING FOR THE BIG SUR RIVER. THE RIVER IS AT 9.25 FT AND FLOOD STAGE IS CONSIDERED 10 FT. WITH MORE SHOWERS EXPECTED, IT IS LIKELY THE RIVER WILL REACH FLOOD STAGE BEFIRE IT BEGINS TO RECEDE.

PLEASE NOTIFY ALL AFFECTED PERSONNEL AND TAKE NECESSARY PRECAUTIONS.

Sidney Reade

Monterey County OES

796-1902
———————————————–
Reports from locals indicate that the river is flowing quite fast and carrying some rather astonishingly large trees. One friend near the river has evacuated, others are keeping an eye out on the levels. Fortunately, many k-rails from the winter of 2008 are still in place. BE SAFE!!