Lifeline of the Big Sur Coast

The Big Sur Coast– rugged, picturesque, remote– every winter, storms batter the exposed stretch of Highway 1, etched into the cliffs of the coast itself, sending streams of rocks and debris onto the road or undermining it altogether.

A diligent team of workers stands guard to keep the road clear.

“Mother Nature controls. She makes the decisions. We just pick up after her,” explained Ray Ortega, CalTrans Maintenance Lead for the area. Not only has he worked the road for 28 years, but he’s lived there as well. In that time, he’s seen it all.

“We’ve had slides every winter,” he added. “We’ve had plenty of road closures.”

But with a very strong El Nio affecting our weather this winter, the potential for more frequent and stronger storms is real. I rode along with Ray on the 35 mile stretch of road that he and his five person crew manages.

I asked him if he planned on being busy this winter.

“We’ll pretty much run from dark to dark,” he responded. “We’re going to be very busy. I just have the feeling of busy-ness coming our way.”

During the dry season, the crew works to maintain the road, clearing out culverts and debris. On our trip, he pointed out some of the trouble spots– past landslides that forced the road’s closure for weeks and sometimes months.

Of course, maintaining the road is dangerous. He’s lost friends and had close calls himself over the years.

“One of my co-workers and I were cleaning up a slide and we were struggling with moving a big rock,” Ortega recounted. “So, we pulled off to the shoulder and within ten seconds a humungous rock just came crashing down right where we were at.”

A near miss that he credits to instinct.

“You get this feeling in you and you just get off the road and I think you do need to listen to your instincts and on this crew, everyone seems to have good instincts about their work environment and that’s what keeps us safe.”

Despite the hazard, Ortega knows his work is important.

“Our main concern in the safety of the traveling public,” he said several times over the ride.

Locals rely on the road and so do tourists, because in Big Sur, the stunning view is big business. Over these past few dry winters, business has been booming for Nepenthe General Manager Kirk Gaffill.

“We prefer sunny, clear weather,” explained Gaffill. “Dry weather is great for us. We’ve been through big El Nios and big heavy winters before with multiple storms and associated road closures, so we’re pretty well experienced in being able to prepare for that.”

Those road closures can shut down business for long periods of time, so owners and locals appreciate the work done to keep the highway open.

“California devotes an enormous amount to maintaining highway coast route 1. It’s such an incredibly important route to not only the general driving public and the economy, but also the residents. It’s really our lifeline,” said Gaffill.

And Gaffill says that being prepared is a must.

“The West Coast is crubmling into the ocean geologically. We’re just trying to keep ahead of it,” he laughed.

Ortega gave some final advice to anyone who wants to drive to Big Sur in the winter : “Be very careful and if we have a road closure, stay away. Be safe and stay away.”