Ignoring warnings that he “will most likely die,” a bicyclist tried in useless to cross a stretch of Freeway 1 in Huge Sur that was buried beneath a landslide — and promptly plummeted down the sheer rock and filth face, based on the California Freeway Patrol.
Cody Mortensen, 28 of Lucerne Valley, suffered a number of accidents however survived, CHP spokesperson Saul Perez stated in a information launch.
That picturesque part of Freeway 1 is infamous for frequent rock slides and land motion, which have brought about a number of closures since January 2023. A number of sections have reopened after cautious repairs, however one of many largest slides, referred to as Regent’s Slide, continues to overwhelm the two-lane roadway, blocking all visitors by means of the realm.
Friday morning, Mortensen blew previous highway closure indicators earlier than encountering a development employee, Perez stated. The crew member defined that the highway was closed because of a rock slide.
The employee advised Mortensen that “the highway will not be satisfactory, and if he tried to cross he’ll most likely die,” based on Perez. “Mortensen stated he was going to attempt anyhow.”
About an hour later, a state park ranger visiting the landslide space noticed a backpack and bloody arm about 100 toes under the slide, and requested a search and rescue workforce.
The rescue crews discovered Mortensen on the seashore, the place he’d been in a position to climb right down to from the steep incline, officers stated. First responders handled him for a reduce on his arm and potential head trauma earlier than he was airlifted to a hospital.
Mortensen will face visitors citations for failing to obey visitors indicators and failing to obey an individual directing visitors, Perez stated.
“He additionally endangered the lives of rescue personnel who needed to traverse an energetic slide,” Perez stated. “Street closures are put in place for the protection of the general public in addition to for the crews working.”
Repairs on Regent’s Slide are scheduled to be accomplished in late fall, based on Kevin Drabinski, a California Division of Transportation spokesperson, and the highway will likely be closed till then.
In March, the slide despatched an estimated 300,000 cubic yards of filth, rock and different particles over the roadway throughout among the season’s intense atmospheric river storms.
“The restore at Regent’s Slide is difficult partially as a result of the slide begins some 450 [feet] above the roadway and due to the steepness of the slope,” Drabinski stated. It additionally “includes a top-down elimination of slide materials.”
“Crews are repeatedly monitoring and adjusting their strategy primarily based on website circumstances,” he stated. “The slide materials that falls naturally or is pushed from above not solely covers the roadway, however continues right down to the seashore and ocean under.”
When Regent’s Slide is repaired, Freeway 1 will likely be cleared for an uninterrupted seaside journey between Cambria and Carmel — one thing that hasn’t been potential since January 2023.
