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Big Sur Slide Spectacular Part 3 (CA 1; Mud Creek Slide Closure south to SLO)

Started by Max Rockatansky, August 10, 2017, 09:50:36 PM

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Max Rockatansky

Just finished my photos of my third expedition (AKA Disaster Tourism) out to Big Sur today.  This time I went up to the Mud Creek Slide Closure north from Ragged Point.  I have my photos up so I'll share the link for now:

https://www.flickr.com/gp/151828809@N08/L36936

The short end of this before I get my narrative going is that I took CA 46 to reach CA 1.  For CA 1 north of CA 46 I noticed the following:

-  Tons of Caltrans workers were heading to Ragged Point, I've never seen this much truck traffic out on 1.  I'm really looking forward to see what Caltrans has worked up for tackling to the Mud Creek Slide.
-  The eroding highway immediately north of San Simeon is being replaced by a new alignment further inland.  The new highway is almost complete and has several new bridges which I captured in the photos.
-  CA 1 is actually open 5 miles north of Ragged Point now at Salmon Creek.  Apparently there are still some people who don't realize 1 is shut down as the Caltrans worker present appeared to be explaining to an elderly group that they couldn't go further. 

IMG_3425 by Max Rockatansky, on Flickr

-  Ragged Point was packed, I'm not sure why?....maybe discounts at the resort so people will actually come out that far?

I also back tracked southward down to San Luis Obispo and US 101.  I took as many original CA 1 alignments as possible through Cambria, Harmony, Cayucos, and Morro Bay. I wasn't sure about San Luis Obispo otherwise I would have tried to find the original alignment through the city.  All that's really left is to wait for the Pfeiffer Canyon Bridge to open up so I can use the Nacimiento-Fergusson Road to reach Monterey on 1 through Big Sur.  I'll have a road blog/recap of today's activities probably some time tomorrow or the weekend.


Max Rockatansky

Finished my Road Blog entry today on Part 3 of the Big Sur Slide saga which can be found here:

https://surewhynotnow.blogspot.com/2017/08/california-state-route-1big-sur.html

I didn't go as hard core into alignment histories given that I have really limited map links of San Luis Opispo County after the 1930s.  If anyone has anything that shows the county in detail after that time period I would love to see them.

AndyMax25

I was just up on Hwy 1 yesterday in San Simeon. Just as in your first photo, the were no orange CLOSED inserts used. I though that's what this sign is supposed to be for. They would normally have all green OPEN inserts. Maybe it's because it a new replacement sign and they are waiting on the replacement inserts. Granted there were message boards deployed but strange to not see them in use. There are 2 like that along NB Hwy 1.

Max Rockatansky

Quote from: AndyMax25 on August 19, 2017, 12:32:26 AM
I was just up on Hwy 1 yesterday in San Simeon. Just as in your first photo, the were no orange CLOSED inserts used. I though that's what this sign is supposed to be for. They would normally have all green OPEN inserts. Maybe it's because it a new replacement sign and they are waiting on the replacement inserts. Granted there were message boards deployed but strange to not see them in use. There are 2 like that along NB Hwy 1.

From Carmel heading south they are still in use but the placards are actually white:

IMG_9943 by Max Rockatansky, on Flickr

Really the whole operation is odd north of San Simeon.  Things were far more clear heading out from G16 as regards to where to expect the closure to be and when to turn around at Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park.  Maybe the traffic coming from Monterey to visit places like the Bixby Bridge and such is just more substantial than from Cambria northward?  I just noticed that the Caltrans QuickMap was updated to reflect the new closure point north of Ragged Point.

relaxok

Gosh, that is a once in a lifetime photo.

Has there ever been a road closure that 'long' where so many destinations are unreachable?  I can't think of where else it would be.

Max Rockatansky

Quote from: relaxok on August 21, 2017, 06:18:22 AM
Gosh, that is a once in a lifetime photo.

Has there ever been a road closure that 'long' where so many destinations are unreachable?  I can't think of where else it would be.

I believe there has been several actually and 1 used to seasonal with what winter closures because of the slides.  But then again that's why I was so persistent in getting out there despite the closures, everything is totally unique right now and one of a kind.



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