The Big Mess That Is Big Sur’s Highway 1

So, picture this: a beautiful scenic highway winding along the California coast, offering breathtaking views of the ocean and sky. Sounds idyllic, right? Well, welcome to Highway 1 in Big Sur – where Mother Nature has decided to turn this picturesque road into her personal playground.

A Series of Unfortunate Events

Last January, a series of atmospheric rivers swept through California like they were auditioning for an action movie. And poor old Highway 1 didn’t stand a chance. It got swamped faster than you can say “landslide.”

Now, let me paint you a picture here: imagine driving along this iconic stretch of road and suddenly finding yourself face-to-face with piles of stones, mudslides that could rival your favorite amusement park ride, and debris scattered all over the pavement like confetti at a rock concert. Yep, that’s what happened at Paul’s Slide – creating not one but two charming cul-de-sacs that even suburban neighborhoods would envy.

Sisyphus Would Be Proud

To make matters worse (or funnier depending on your perspective), ten months have passed since then and guess what? The road is still closed! It’s like watching a never-ending sitcom where every episode ends with the characters stuck in traffic on Highway 101 or Interstate 5.

And just when you think things couldn’t get any more dramatic – cue El Niño making its grand entrance! Will it bring chaos or comedy? No one knows! Stay tuned for the next thrilling episode!

The Geology Soap Opera

Cue Jim Shivers from Caltrans’ District 5 who describes Highway 1 as “dynamic” due to its constant state of movement. I mean, sure Jim – if by “dynamic” you mean being as predictable as an earthquake during an office meeting.

A Tale of Two Landslides

Mud Creek had its shining moment back in May 2017 when it pulled off the ultimate landslide extravaganza – dumping enough rocks and mud onto the highway to put Mount Everest to shame. Meanwhile Paul’s Slide is more subtle; think slow and steady wins the race… or closes down a highway indefinitely.

The Neverending Story

If geology soap operas were a thing (and trust me they should be), then Paul’s Slide would be front and center stage stealing hearts with its slow yet persistent movements underneath all that weighty water gravity drama!