Paul’s Slide (PM 21.6)
Paul’s Slide reopens this morning at 9 am to the public 24/7, with one-way reversing traffic control with flaggers; which means a lane of travel is open 24/7.
JUST A REMINDER THERE IS NO CAMPING BETWEEN THE BRIDGE AND PAUL’S SLIDE. THE CLOSEST CAMPING IS LIMEKILN, THEN KIRK CREEK, THEN PLASKETT. CAMPING IS NOT ALLOWED ON THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY. GIVEN THE ILLEGAL CAMPFIRE THAT TRIGGERED THE SOBERANES FIRE LAST YEAR, LOCALS WILL BE EXTRA VIGILANT IN REPORTING ALL CAMPERS, WITH OR WITHOUT CAMPIRES, AND CALLING 911 ON CAMPFIRES, WHICH CARRY A $5000 FINE, PLUS SUPRESSION COSTS. PLEASE SEE MARCUS FOSTER’S COMMENT BELOW FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.
ah, the testing of nacimiento road begins…..our island’s slow motion emergency circumstance now has a new wrinkle…..keep your fingers crossed….
Maybe fewer people will be up for the drive than we think. We can always hope, anyway. And yes, fingers crossed, prayers said, and utmost vigilance is needed.
https://bigsurkate.blog
Now that Paul’s is open to the public I would like to remind visitors that there are no legal campsites between Paul’s Slide and Pfeiffer Canyon Bridge. The only accommodations are at Lucia and Post Ranch Inn. I do hope people stop and support Lucia Lodge, restaurant and store as they are always the hardest hit by these historic winter events.
Overnight camping or sleeping in vehicles along HWY 1 is ILLEGAL! Monterey County Ordinance Code 3162 prohibits roadside camping along any County road. This includes Big Sur and can be enforced by Sheriff Dept., CHP, State Parks and Forest Service.
Roadside and dispersed camping in Big Sur Coastal Zone has increased beyond anyone’s expectations in just the past couple of years. Highway turnouts, of coarse, lack restroom facilities and garbage cans. This has lead to a proliferation of human waste, toilet paper, litter, loss of vegetation, dumping of hot BBQ coals, illegal campfires and other safety risks. The most concerning to people who live in this area are the campfires. In 2016 the Soberanes Fire burned 130,000 acres, 57 homes and the life of a brave firefighter. It was started by an illegal campfire in a non-designated campsite!
As locals that live in this area we need to step up our efforts to report this illegal behavior. If you see people camping in turnouts please report them to the non-emergency line that goes directly to Sheriff dispatch at (831) 755-5111. If you see a campfire or behavior that you feel is a safety concern please call 911.
All of us need to step up our patrolling as law enforcement, as we know, is stretched thin. Please help get the word out about the negative impacts that dispersed camping has on the land. Together we can protect this beautiful area for current and future generations. Thank you!
Nice one, Marcus
https://bigsurkate.blog
Thanks, Marcus for all the info and expressing the concerns of the residents. I also suggest the residents carry gallons of water and a shovel and be ready to put out the illegal campfires they come upon. Letting the people know that there’s a fine of up to $5,000 can be a deterrent. Time to be vigilant and keep our fingers crossed for the best!
Thank you, Marcus. I appreciate your eloquent directness. May I share your words on FB? with attribution, of course.
Please feel free to share my comments. The more people that we can educate about the negative and dangerous impacts of dispersed camping the better. So happy to get positive feedback and I hope we can all work together to keep our home safe. The problem is only going to get worse if we don’t step up now!