Good morning everyone,
This is NOT the noontime update, but rather, an new FYI.
There is 1-way controlled traffic due to slide removal SR-1 near Nepenthe (North entrance), MON-1-43.91 is expected to last until 2 pm today. Caltrans lead worker says rain is coming around 10-11 am today so closure probably won’t last until 2pm. I’ll provide the regular update this afternoon.
Susana Z. Cruz
Caltrans District 5
Public Information Officer/
CALTRANS
HIGHWAY 1 UPDATE
January 17
2:30 PM
Good afternoon,
This is an aerial of Mud Creek (PM 8.8), our active slide with a full closure in effect . Our local Geotech is meeting with Geotech from San Francisco today to find the best fix for Mud Creek (PM 8.8) It may be a longer than desired process, but we’re looking for the best and safest solution.
This is just the very bottom portion of the slide area. For those interested, I have a google earth screen shot, but for most of us, it is difficult to realize what one is looking at. I will see if I can learn to annotate it with what Rock Knocker has to say – will be in steep learning curve for me, so don’t look for it tonight, and maybe not even tomorrow.
FROM BIGSURKATE AND ROCK KNOCKER – NOT OFFICIAL CAL TRANS INFO – What a lot of people don’t realize when they see that slide on the mountain or on the highway, is that this is not the true problem. There is movement pushing from way up above that can be seen on google earth or a very long climb or by helicopter. This is just the tip of the proverbial iceberg.
THIS AFTERNOON’S UPDATE REMAINS THE SAME AS THIS MORNING:
State Route 1 continues to be closed from Ragged Point (SLO PM 72.87) to Lucia (MON PM 23.00) due to rock/mudslides in multiple locations.
Motorists may travel south on Hwy. 1 from Carmel to Lucia or travel north from Cambria to Ragged Point.
In addition there is a full closure on Hwy. 1 at Mud Creek (MON PM 8.88) due to a mud/rock slides within the existing boundary of this closure.
For the time being, Hwy 1 is open to LOCAL RESIDENTS traveling south from Monterey who can safely get around through the an open lane at Paul’s slide (MON PM 21.6) down to Gorda (PM 10) until 4 pm this and each afternoon.
There are no crews currently escorting at Paul’s Slide as all crews are working down at Mud Creek. Another update will be provided tomorrow afternoon, Wednesday, Jan. 18.
We will continue to work with you in maintaining the roadway safely open as much as possible. The forecast says Big Sur is expecting rain beginning tomorrow Wednesday, Jan. 18 through next Tuesday, Jan. 24, so no telling how Hwy. 1 will fare. We thank you for your patience, cooperation and understanding.
Susana Z. Cruz
Caltrans District 5
Public Information Officer/
A friend spent a lot of hours creating this map for my readers. What I will do is post the jpeg version first, so you can visualize, and then the link to the interactive pdf version below it. Eventually, there will be three maps – South, Central, and North. These will also be included in the History of Highway One at the top of the page so they are easy to find. You could also print out a version to keep near your internet device.
This is very, very cool. My friend won’t let me give him credit, but what he did is dynamite! When you open up the pdf link below, you get a new tab in your browser that has the interactive map. When you click on one of the white boxes for the slide name, you will get the choice of a split screen showing the full map on one side, and the photos of that particular slide on the other screen. It is a great tool we will use often in the years ahead. Thank you, my friend. And Rock Knocker says: “Outstanding.”
A number of people have requested a small map of the slides and their names. I posted in 2014, and will post again here. This is the map that Don Harlan created by hand in January of 1971. I have a old xerox copy of that map which I scanned. The ori9ginal is no better than you see here, and I can’t improve on it. I warn again, no one could read Don’s handwriting, which is why he typed when he could. This is no exception. As far as I know, this is the only map in existenance of the slide namesake locations. If you find a different one that is more legible, please let me know.
I received this from a local (South Coast) businessman:
“Sorry kate..i don’t follow the ‘local vernacular names of slides..’ not sure where ‘Paul’s Slide’ is.” Hmmm… You don’t follow?? What does that mean? You think these are just the names we locals made up for each other? Paul’s Slide is north of the Rock Shed, and south of the Hermitage. It is listed on Cal Trans – and many other Mile Markers guides. As I was answering him/her, I realized that many of you are relatively new to my blog or the South Coast and may not know the history of the names of our most re-occurring slides.
Paul’s slide was named after Paul Collins who worked with Rock Knocker in the 80’s and 90’s at Willow Springs. Some of these names have persisted for over 60 years. Long before many of us were even here. Paul’s Slide, as a name, has only been around a bit over 30 years. I have been sworn to secrecy as to WHY Don Harlan named this one Paul’s Slide.
Here is what I responded to the South Coast business man.
“XXXX, these aren’t “local vernacular names of slides.” Don Harlan named them. And all Cal Trans and the locals follow the tradition Don started.
Don Harlan was born and raised here. His family dates back to the 1800’s. [He watched the North and South sections of Highway One get connected in the 30’s.] They had equipment on the ranch which he learned to run as a child, and when Cal Trans needed an equipment operator, they hired him. He was sent up to Livermore, where he was a lead worker, and then he was returned to the South Coast as Supervisor at Willow Springs in the 50’s until he retired in the 80s. He taught Rock Knocker every thing he knows. He came to Rock Knocker’s and my wedding (in 1993) wearing his hard hat when he was in his 80’s. He was never without it.
Don Harlan typed up the names of all the slides in an 11 page document, how the names came to be, and a hand drawn map of the area indicating where they were. I scanned and posted all of this in a continuing story on my blog a few years ago. Don Harlan was an Original Road Warrior, and there was no one like him then, and none now. Cal Trans has a copy of this historic document, as do I. I scanned it.
If you are interested in the area in which you live, look it up on my blog. Then read it….”
Here is my introductory piece to get you started. Now it is up to you to learn the rest. (Enter Don Harlan or Personality One in the search box for more.)
How Elephant Trunk Got its Name
Also, one might be interested in reading the geological history and definition of terms about rock falls, rock slides, debris flows etc. with maps etc. which can be found in the pages links to the right on the History of Highway One.
This is an absolutely fascinating study on the history of mud and rock slides along Highwsay One in Big Suri from the opening of the hiway until 2000. MUST read for all of us interested in this,
History of Closures of Highway One in Big Suro (Thanks Jeff Mallory for finding this and sharing it.)
Subject: RE: Hwy. 1 Closure Update as of 10:20 am
Full Closure on Hwy. 1 to everyone (including local residents) at Mud Creek (MON PM 8.88) due to an active mudslide at this time.
There is no estimated time when this section of Hwy. 1 will re-open.
There is no limited access through this location at the present time.
Next Update this afternoon, Friday, Jan. 13, around 3 pm
– The northern closure moves down to Lucia (PM 23) at 8 am today and the southern closure remains at Ragged Pt. (SLO PM 72.87)
>>
There is also still an active slide at Paul’s Slide (PM 21.6).
Caltrans Afternoon Update – Monterey Hwy 1 Closure Update at 3 pm
State Route 1 is closed from Ragged Point (SLO PM 72.87) to Lucia (MON PM 23.00) due to rock/mudslides and trees down in multiple locations. Motorists may travel south on Hwy. 1 from Carmel to Lucia or travel north from Cambria to Ragged Point. In addition, there is a full closure on Hwy. 1 at Mud Creek (MON PM 8.88) due to a mud/rock slides within the existing boundary of this closure. Hwy 1 is open to local residents traveling south who will be escorted through Paul’s slide (MON PM 21.6) to Gorda (PM 10) until 4 pm this afternoon. This escort will also take place from 8 am until 3 pm Saturday, Jan. 14 and Sunday, Jan. 15. An update will be provided at 12 noon tomorrow.
Jim Shivers
Caltrans District 5
High water on Rocky Creek forced a culvert to fail and cause a section of Palo Colorado Road to slide on Thursday. (Vern Fisher – Monterey Herald)
10 am –
For Immediate Release
January 13,2017
PALO COLORADO ROAD CLOSURE AT APPROXIMATELY MILE POST 3.3
The Monterey County Resource Management Agency – Public Works announces the closure of Palo Colorado Road as a result of a culvert/road section failure. The failure is due to flooding on Rocky Creek associated with the recent storms. Palo Colorado Road will be closed until further notice at approximately Mile Post 3.3, which is past the Fire Station but before Long Ridge Road.
Local and through traffic will not have vehicular access beyond that location.
Palo Colorado Road will be closed for an extended period of time (at least 30 days). However, RMA Public Works engineering staff will be evaluating damages to the road and will develop a plan to provide needed repairs as swiftly as possible. This is a major issue, and will require substantial road reconstruction.
For additional information, please contact County of Monterey Resource Management Agency Division of Public Works at (831)-755-4925 and our County website listed below.
8:30 am – and from the Mid-Coast Fire Brigade:
Cheryl Goetz, Mid-Coast LEAD
Anyone living above the Rocky Creek-crossing approx 3 miles up the road on Palo will be hard closed! Only emergency equipment allowed due to the road base deterioration. Plan accordingly for a possible long closure!
8:00 am –
Good morning everyone,
Thank you for your patience in receiving our updates.
Update to the Public and Locals:
Thankfully, the slide at Esalen (PM 33.10) was cleared last night, so the northern closure will move down to Lucia (PM 23) at 8 am. 200 cubic yards of slide material came down Mud Creek (PM 8.8) last night, so the southern closure remains at Ragged Pt. (SLO, PM 72.87).
LOCAL RESIDENTS, EMERGENCY SERVICES AND EMPLOYEES will have access to
and from Ragged Pt. to Pitkins (PM 21) but will most likely have to be escorted around Mud Creek. There is also still an active slide at Paul’s Slide (PM 21.6).
HWY. 1 REMAINS CLOSED from Ragged Pt. (SLO PM 72.87) to Lucia (PM 23) as of 8 am.
5 am – fortunately we have several days of clear weather in which to recuperate and clean up. The highway is still closed to the motoring public from the Fuller/Grimes area to the County Line. LOCALS ONLY MAY be able to get through from south of Paul’s Slide to Ragged Point, and from Lucia north, but Paul’s Slide is problematic. If you are NOT a local, please do not try to travel in the closed areas, as you could be a ticket, get stuck, or worse, and cell reception is virtually non-existent.
There is also a slide at Esalen, which requires driving on the shoulder. The Willow Springs crew managed to open one lane at Mud Creek before dark last night, but did not expect it to stay open over night, as it continued to ooze. Moon and stars were quite bright after all the cloud cover. IF you are out and about at all today, be patient, obey closure signs, and thank a Cal Trans worker.
Here is the slide at Esalen, photo by Dawn Fielding of Esalen.
Since I am able to upload photos, I suspect my satellite is sufficiently recovered to be back to what passes for “normal” for me.
Good morning Again, everyone!
1/11/17
9:00 AM
LOCALS now have access to and from Ragged Pt. to Pitkins (PM 21.3). There is still the residual slide at Mud Creek (PM 8.8) but LOCALS will be allowed around it. Paul’s Slide (PM 21.6) is still active and closed. Slide clearing is still being done at Fernwood (PM 47.03)
The below info. remain the same:
To accommodate LOCALS, this morning, January 11, starting at 8 AM and EVERY TWO HOURS thereafter Caltrans is going to accommodate LOCAL TRAFFIC ONLY through the Fernwood Closure area for up to 15 minutes if conditions allow.
The plan is to have school buses do their usual routes–without having the parents meet the kids on the north side of the closure this afternoon–If anything changes, we’ll let you know.
As for the update TO THE PUBLIC, HWY. 1 STILL REMAINS CLOSED from Ragged Pt. (SLO PM 72.87) to Fernwood (MON PM 47.03). The hotline recording will remain the same. Another update will be provided this afternoon around 4 pm.
Susana Z. Cruz
Caltrans District 5
Public Information Officer/
********************************************
8:00 am from Cal Trans:
Good morning everyone,
Although the slides are still at multiple locations, things are starting to look brighter.
To accommodate LOCALS, this morning, January 11, starting now (at 8 AM) and EVERY TWO HOURS thereafter Caltrans is going to accommodate LOCAL TRAFFIC ONLY through the Fernwood Closure area for up to 15 minutes if conditions allow.
The plan is to have school buses do their usual routes–without having the parents meet the kids on the north side of the closure this afternoon–If anything changes, we’ll let you know.
As for the update TO THE PUBLIC, HWY. 1 STILL REMAINS CLOSED from Ragged Pt. (SLO PM 72.87) to Fernwood (MON PM 47.03). The hotline recording will remain the same. Another update will be provided this afternoon around 4 pm.
Susana Z. Cruz
Caltrans District 5
Public Information Officer
8:00 am – there are 25 incidents reported on CHP website, including a blockage of CVR at Tassajara of the WB lane. Santa Cruz is a mess, and other areas not fairing any better. Be safe out there.
My internet appears to be working today, but just in case it goes on strike again, please feel free to post your observations, knowledge, and information in the comments section below. Cal Trans said it would TRY to open one lane for locals for 15 minutes every 2 hours starting at 8 am, LOCALS AND EMERGENCY TRAFFIC ONLY! Of course, this would be dependent on weather and slide behavior.
Big Sur River peaked last night higher than Sunday at above 12 feet, I am told.
bigsurkate
Here is a great photo by Michael Troutman of the mess we all seem to have dubbed the Fernwood Slide.
This is not likely the end of it, though depending on the upcoming rains. IF, as I have heard, there is a chance of 10 inches in 3 days coming up, then this slide will continue and possibly get worse. Rock Knocker and I have been watching this spot since the fire, as have many of you.
Michael Troutman had this to say:
“I sought out and found a geologist/soil engineer working for Caltrans, as I was greatly interested in why the actual slide was not precisely where the debris flow was yesterday.
It turns out that there is no main water course directly above on the surface, but this is actually from water percolating out through the rock from a very large area of the huge slope above; there is so much water the rock can no longer contain it. What happened is that where I photographed it yesterday was not ultimately the path of least resistance. When the water saturation reached some sort of critical mass it found a different way through the base of the hill just a few hundred feet north of the area I was in yesterday…and so finally *BAM* the whole damn hillside just came down.”
Personally, I don’t think this is over. There is too much winter left, too much water already percolating, too much burn area affected – no matter what happens the rest of January, we are in for a rough ride, but if we are lucky, and hold our heads just right, add the necessary tin foil, this year will NOT repeat the winter of 1978.
3:30 pm – Sig Alert update SLO-1-72.9-MON-1-47.3) SR-1 Ragged Point to Fernwood remains closed overnight. CHP manning Fernwood. Emer veh ok @ Ragged Point
1pm update from Cal Tran –
Good afternoon everyone,
The status on Hwy. 1 is this: There are still multiple slides from Ragged Point (SLO PM 72.87) to Fullers (Mon PM 42.15). There are several trees down and across the Highway at Fernwood (Mon PM 47.03)
In essence, businesses are accessible between Fullers (PM 42.15) and Fernwood (PM 47.03), but in essence, to the general public outside of these post miles, Hwy. 1 is closed from Fernwood (PM 47.03) to Ragged Point (SLO PM 72.87)
Emergency vehicles will be able to get through, if safely passable at the time of need.
The recording will be updated to reflect the new closure parameters, but the Big Sur Chamber will notify the locals who may be between the Fullers and Fernwood Closures that businesses remain open.
Thank you all for your understanding and patience. Asides from Monterey County and the Big Sur Community, we have various slides, trees down and roads closed in Santa Cruz and San Luis Obispo counties. An update will be provided this afternoon after 4 pm, when I receive it.
9:15 am – closure about to be extended again to Fernwood. See photo on next post.
From Caltrans
Good morning everyone,
Thank you for your patience with these updates. It’s not looking good for Hwy. 1 today; there are multiple slides all over the place…THERE IS A NEW AND MAJOR SLIDE JUST SOUTH OF NEPENTHE—between the Henry Miller Library and Nepenthe…more than likely, an emergency contract for repairs will need to take place.
So, the Hwy. 1 Closure is from Ragged Pt. (SLO PM 72.87) to Ventana Entrance (Mon PM 44.59).
Another assessment will take place around 4 PM and I’ll update as soon as possible; I’ll also provide a picture or two when available.
Have a safe day!
Susana Z. Cruz
Caltrans District 5
Public Information Officer/
Portavoz de Relaciones Públicas
para Caltrans en el Distrito 5
805.549.3138
805.549.3326–fax
