A cyclist attempting to cross a severe landslide in Big Sur on Friday morning fell greater than 100 feet toward the ocean, sustained injuries and needed to be flown to a hospital by helicopter.
Cody Mortensen, a 28-year-old from the San Bernadino town of Lucerne Valley, was warned that there was no protected way through Regent's Slide, in accordance with the California Highway Patrol. It is against the law to ride a motorbike or walk past a “road closed” sign.
The landslide, triggered after heavy winter rains, is steep and has no path. It is positioned at postmile 27.5 and remains to be lively. Video shot last month by Mark ReaddieDirector of Big Creek Natural Reserve in Big Sur, shows earth and rocks falling into the ocean.
As Mortensen approached the landslide around 9:30 a.m., a construction employee told him the road was impassable “and if he tried to cross it, he would probably die,” CHP reported. “Mortensen said he would try anyway.”
About an hour later, State Park Ranger F. Bettencourt arrived on the scene. Looking to the side, he saw a backpack and a bloody arm below them.
Mortensen, who survived the autumn, abandoned his bike and climbed all the way down to the beach, where he was rescued by Bettencourt and Big Sur firefighters.
An eyewitness said he appeared confused and complained of a head injury. in accordance with Kate Novoa, resident of Big Sur. He said he fell on the slide, hit his head, and had a rock roll down his arm. He was treated for a cut on his forearm and possible head trauma, then taken by ambulance to Post Ranch and flown by helicopter to Natividad Medical Center for treatment of his injuries.
Mortenson faces not less than two charges: willfully disobeying the orders of a traffic controller and disregarding traffic signs and signals. He also endangered the lives of emergency responders who needed to cross an lively landslide, CHP said.
The landslide is one in all three landslides attributable to winter storms. The other two, Paul's Slide and Dolan Point, have been repaired and reopened.
This has transformed the stunning coastal Highway 1 into two dead-end roads accessible only from the north and east, stopping travellers from travelling the complete route along the world-famous coastline.
The closure has meant tough times for businesses within the village of Big Sur, which depends upon tourism from Santa Barbara, Los Angeles and other Southern California cities.
Caltrans expects to reopen the section of highway affected by Regent's Slide in the autumn. Work has been delayed as a result of the danger and each day unpredictability of the positioning. Novoa said staff are checking above and below the work bench each day for brand new cracks. The “spider excavators” are wired to bulldozers in case the hill collapses.
Road information and updates might be found on Caltrans District 5's social media platforms: Twitter at: @CaltransD5, Facebook at: Caltrans Central Coast (District 5), and Instagram at: Caltrans_D5.
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