Taken late Easter morning by Chris Gularte of Specialized Aviation.
Aerial Photos of Rocky Creek Slip Out, 3/31/24
Day: March 31, 2024
Urgent: Big Sur urging ALL but residents with proof of residency to stay away from the area.
Subject: Re: URGENT RELEASE 4
The County of Monterey is asking for the cooperation of visitors and residents to avoid the Big Sur Area entirely. State Hwy 1 is CLOSED at Palo Colorado. Only residents with proof of residency will be allowed in with CHP/Caltrans Escorts. The road conditions are not safe and we need to keep traffic to a minimum for our first responders and emergency personnel.
| Nicholas M. Pasculli (He/Him)County Communications DirectorChief Public Information OfficerCounty Administrative Office |
Emergency Info re Rocky Creek
CONVOYS FOR RESIDENTS AND ESSENTIAL WORKERS ONLY AND THOSE WITH OVERNIGHT RESERVATIONS FOR THE EVENING CONVOY. DAY TRIPPERS ALLOWED IN ON MORNING CONVOY.
MARATHON DAY CONVOYS: On Sunday morning, April 28, the start time of the morning convoy at Rocky Creek will be moved up from 7 am to 4 am. This early morning convoy will allow vehicles to pass through from 4 am to 4:45 am. All vehicles must travel north of Rio Road or south of Rocky Creek by 5 am when the race closure goes into effect.
Convoys on Highway 1 through Rocky Creek will return to their regular schedule starting Sunday April 28 at 5 pm.
Resources:
- Incident Webpage: https://www.readymontereycounty.org/emergency/rocky-creek-slide
- Emergency Alert Feed: https://www.readymontereycounty.org/emergency/rss
- Incident Map: https://montereyco.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=905a9458324b4868804d96b5593eb978
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*All State Parks in Big Sur are closed until further notice.*
The County of Monterey Department of Emergency Management has created an information page for the Rocky Creek Slide incident.
The page includes current information on closures, resources and road closures.
We will update this page as conditions change.
https://www.readymontereycounty.org/emergency/rocky-creek-slide
Convoys OUT at 12 and 4 today
| Date: | Sunday, March 31, 2024, at 11:30 a.m. |
| District: | 05 – Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, Monterey, San Benito, and Santa Cruz Counties |
| Contact: | Kevin Drabinski or Jim Shivers |
| Phone: | (805) 549-3138 or (805) 549-3237 |
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
UPDATE #2
CONVOYS TO BEGIN TODAY TO ALLOW CONVOY TRAVEL ON HIGHWAY 1 THROUGH SLIPOUT SOUTH OF ROCKY CREEK BRIDGE
MONTEREY COUNTY– Caltrans engineers have completed initial assessments this morning at Highway 1 south of Rocky Creek Bridge where a full closure is in place due to a slip out of the roadway which took place on Saturday March 30.
Engineers have determined that under close supervision, travel will be possible in the remaining northbound lane.
A convoy will be initiated at 12 pm today to allow for vehicle passage through the closure. At 12 noon today, the convoy will lead vehicles first in the northbound direction. After vehicles clear in that direction, a convoy will lead vehicles through in the southbound direction.
A second convoy operation will be scheduled at 4 pm today, again with travel first in the northbound direction.
On Monday April 1, and for the next several days, a convoy will lead vehicles through the slip out area at 8 am and again at 4 pm.
Crews will be on site to observe the roadway as convoys pass alongside the slip out area.
Updates on the status of the closure of Highway 1 at the Rocky Creek Bridge will be provided as more information becomes available.
Road information and updates can also be found on Caltrans District 5 Social Media platforms: Twitter at: @CaltransD5, Facebook at: Caltrans Central Coast (District 5) and Instagram at: Caltrans_D5.
Trust — lean into the arms of Mother Nature
Big Sur Valley is full. First responders were busy last night notifying people who were stuck in Big Sur Valley with no place to stay, that they could gather in the Big Sur lodge Conference Center. People will be unable to reach loved ones due to a lack of cell service, unless they are lucky enough to be guided to one of only a few places where there is reception, and people were busy helping the tourists in that fashion. People will be missing their flights home. But they will be taken care of.
In going back to March of 2011 on my blog when a similar thing happened, I saw that after a couple weeks, people were able to be escorted over the slip out area on foot. Helicopters were brought in in the days after the slip out to evacuate tourists and bring in supplies. We have been here before and we have shown the resilience and compassionate nature of the local citizens and responders. The one very big difference, is that the route to the south is closed by Dolan, Regent, and Paul’s Slides. Nacimiento is also closed due to damage repairs. So, this slip out is more like when the Bridge went out and parts of Big Sur were isolated from others. We are experienced. Our County is experienced. Our first responders train for these scenarios.
Trust. Lean into the arms of Mother Nature and know she will take care of you — with a little help from the locals. Enjoy the rare experience and focus on the beauty and kindness of Big Sur. You will come to see her as few others have. How wonderful is that?