Per the CHP. Note, the MM 32.60 is not 5 miles north or Esalen, but at Hot Springs Bridge between the north and South Gate.
| 00379 | 6:24 PM | Mud/Dirt/Rock | Sr1 / Esalen | SR1 5 MI JNO ESALEN , MM 32.60 | Monterey |
No highway closure today
Both Mud Creek (PM 8.9) and Paul’s Slide (PM 21.6) sites looked good this morning and the forecast for today/tonight has gone down so there will be no preemptive closure today. Crews will assess again tomorrow.
Winter is here, there is a line of storms in the forecast, there is a possibility we may need to preemptively close Hwy. 1 with less than 48 hours’ notice. Crews will continue to assess the sites, monitor the forecast, and provide an update as conditions warrant.
Storm Report, Sunday, 1/6/19
3:45 pm – I just came across an excellent article by John Lindsey, a meterologist in SLO on several possible reasons why the storm door is now open. It is worth your time to read.
https://www.sanluisobispo.com/news/weather/weather-watch/article223980785.html
10:45 – From NWS – Radar indicates a strong cell near the Point Sur lighthouse. Heavy rain may cause localized flooding. Strong winds to 40 mph possible as well.
Photo Sunday – Tenacious Tomatos
These guys are doing their damnest to produce fruit right up until the first snow. A week’s worth of below freezing temps, and they STILL hang on. In case you are wondering, my tomatoes of choice for up here are Champion, Celebrity, Ace, and Early Girl. All proven producers for my environment. This was taken on Friday, before the storm. I’ll pick all the remainder during the next break in the weather and let them finish indoors. They gave me a lot of salsa, tomato sauce, and BLTs.
Photo Sunday, 1/6/19
From our trip to Hesperia. This was taken on the way home, 46 East a week ago Friday. Wish our roads were like this…sigh… (not straight, just deserted.)
Temporary Closure of Highway One likely by Sunday 5 pm.
The storm forecast has changed and gone up significantly with heavy rain predicted Sunday evening and overnight, Jan. 6th into Jan. 7th. Crews will assess tomorrow morning (Sunday, Jan. 6) and continue to monitor the forecast.
There is a high likelihood Hwy. 1 at Mud Creek (PM 8.9) and Paul’s Slide (PM 21.6) will each close by 5 pm tomorrow, Sunday, Jan. 6.
An update will be provided by noon tomorrow after staff assessment is made.
Storm Report, 1/5/19
2 pm –
9:30 am – still a bit windy, but also a steady rain for the last hour or so. Loving the sound. Due to the generosity of a teacher at Pacific Valley School and her husband, I now have a truckload of firewood to see me through these storms. I am feeling rich, so splurging with a little fire during the day, which I normally don’t do. Thank you Ellen & Bill. And thank you to Rock Knocker who delivered it and stacked it, much inside in my fireplace room so I don’t have to brave the cold, windy, rain.
5:45 am – from the NWS: “Those along the northern and central California coastlines, including the Bay Area, should keep their eyes open for strong to briefly severe thunderstorms, especially, later today. Severe thunderstorms may contain damaging winds, waterspouts, and tornadoes.”
I will add to this post as necessary throughout the day, but weather forecasters are saying “the storm door is open” and expect rain for much of this next week.
Controlled Burns today, 1/4/19
There are two noticed controlled burns today. One is on FHL, the other is on the Hearst Ranch. This last one is to be quite large, 1400 acres I think the notice said. Sorry, I forgot to post it yesterday. Here is a photo by Anni Agren taken today down toward the Hearst Ranch.
Upcoming Storm
Off to stock up on supplies, but wanted to post this first:
Friday will be a transitional day with increasing clouds, warmer overnight lows and southerly winds as an intense storm develops off the Northern California coastline.
The models are indicating that a 975 millibar low-pressure system will be centered about 100 miles west of Cape Mendocino on Friday with the associated cold front moving through the Central Coast on Saturday with moderate gale-force to strong gale-force (32 to 46 mph) southerly winds along the coastline and moderate to heavy rain. Rain showers are expected on Saturday night into Sunday afternoon. Total rainfall amounts are forecast to range between 1.00 and 1.75 inches. This storm will also produce snow across the Sierra Nevada above 5,000 feet with more than a foot of snow possible over the higher terrain.
Partly cloudy and dry weather is expected on Monday, before another low-pressure system brings additional wet and unsettled weather next Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.
(Graphic by NoCal NWS. Prediction by John Lindsey of PGE, SLO)
Tourist Tuesday on a Wednesday, 1/2/19 – Big Sur is a health hazard
National Parks during the government shutdown – several examples from CA:
Joshua Tree National Park:
“The government shutdown has left America’s national parks largely unsupervised. No one is at the gate. No one is collecting a fee. The visitor centers are closed. There are some law enforcement and emergency personnel on site, but certainly nothing as standard as a park ranger who can answer a question.
People are streaming into the parks, enjoying the free access, but they’re finding trash cans overflowing and restrooms locked. Vault toilets are not serviced, and there’s hardly a flush toilet to be found anywhere. If nature calls — well, the woods are over that way.”
Read more of this article here: https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/in-shutdown-national-parks-transformed-into-wild-west–heavily-populated-and-barely-supervised/2019/01/01/db51564e-0d3b-11e9-84fc-d58c33d6c8c7_story.html
Joshua Tree National Park campgrounds will close at 12:00 p.m. Wednesday, January 2 “to take…action for health and safety concerns as vault toilets reach capacity,” according to a National Park Service news release.
“In addition human waste in public areas, driving off road and other infractions that damage the resource are becoming a problem,” reads the release.”Additional closures include Lost Horse Mine Road due to illegal activity and Rattlesnake Canyon in order to reduce the number of search and rescue events for rangers already spread thin due to the government shutdown.”
Joshua Tree business people and volunteers have tried to take over for the furloughed rangers and maintenance staff as best they can.
About 35 people pitched in Saturday during a volunteer event, while businesses in downtown Joshua Tree tried to help incoming visitors looking for information.
Volunteers including retired park ranger Caryn Davidson, Stone Adventures co-owner Annie Semmelroth and Coyote Corner co-owner Ethan Feltges manned a makeshift information booth outside Coyote Corner through the weekend.
One of their main concerns by Saturday afternoon was where to put all the trash generated by the thousands of visitors.
“Our dumpsters are full,” Feltges said.
It pointed out a larger problem with the volunteer effort. “It’s not sustainable for the long haul, and the cash isn’t going to be here,” said Seth Zaharias, co-owner of Cliffhanger Guides.
He estimated he and other business owners had paid several thousands of dollars over the past week to stock bathrooms with toilet paper, buy cleaning supplies and rent portable bathrooms.
Park Superintendent David Smith praised the efforts of locals who have been working to help park visitors. (http://www.hidesertstar.com/news/article_d9cf37c0-0d2a-11e9-9f7c-e7e542e5ea9f.html)
Yosemite National Park
Yosemite visitors turn roads into toilets as shutdown crises mount at national parks
Mountains of garbage and human waste are challenging efforts to keep U.S. national parks open during a partial shutdown of the federal government, National Parks Traveler reported.
In California, Yosemite National Park officials have closed the Wawona and Hodgson Meadows campgrounds, along with the Mariposa Grove of redwoods, after finding human feces and urinebeside Wawona Road, the Los Angeles Times reported.
“With restrooms closed, some visitors are opting to deposit their waste in natural areas adjacent to high traffic areas, which creates a health hazard for other visitors,” National Parks Service spokesman Andrew Munoz told the publication in an email.
“It’s a free-for-all,” said Dakota Snider, 24, a Yosemite Valley resident, reported The Associated Press. “It’s so heartbreaking. There is more trash and human waste and disregard for the rulesthan I’ve seen in my four years living here.”
Sequoia or Kings Canyon National park
The partial federal government shutdown, now into its 11th day, has forced furloughs of hundreds of thousands of federal government employees. This has left many parks without most of the rangers and others who staff campgrounds and otherwise keep parks running.
The lack of staff and unsanitary conditions have led to the closures of several areas of Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks.
The closures went into effect at 6 p.m. on Monday, according to Sintia Kawasaki-Yee, Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks public affairs officer.
Closer to home is Pinnacles National Park
“Park rangers will close the eastern park entrance… due to impacts from human waste and increased vehicle congestion,” the press release says.
All of the above listed California National Parks are now closed (or partially closed) due to trash and human waste, which are health hazards. Sound familiar? Big Sur has become a health hazard. Just ask anyone who lives or camps here. Trash, feces and toilet paper everywhere. Big Sur, one of the most beautiful and healing places on the planet is now a health hazard. How did we let it go this far?