I'm sure everyone knows by now that a 30 mile stretch of California hiway 1 is closed thru Big Sur by a washed out bridge and a mudslide. Is there any legal landing area along this stretch (private strip, crop duster or pot grower strip, etc.) to land on? This is California, should I assume that landing on the hiway will cause CHP and/or local cops to get their panties in a bunch even if there are no cars using it. Are there any roads over the mountains that are being used to get access to the area or is it really completely cut off like the press is reporting? I can't see any obvious places to land on Google Earth, but plenty of stretches of the road look usable.

Just go land on PCH . Post some photos and let us all know how it went . Seriously?.... yes it is actually cut off like the press says . If you drive to the end there is a trail that will take you about a 1/2 hr hike to get to the other side of the closure .

I'm surprised they havent designated portions of the highways as runways at this point to aid the people who live there.

Dale Moul wrote:.... This is California, should I assume that landing on the hiway will cause CHP and/or local cops to get their panties in a bunch even if there are no cars using it....

Yes, you should absolutely assume such, and include a few federal agencies as well.

Unless your name is Hearst, the closest strip is Schoonover Airstrip at Jolon, near the eastern terminus of Nacimiento-Ferguson Road. Schoonover used to lie within the fenced bounds of Fort Hunter Liggett, but I do not know its current status except to say there was nothing stopping me from driving on it earlier this year. Might lie within R-2513, come to think of it.

A helicopter is much easier for this particular section of coast, and even then there are wilderness areas, an NOAA Marine Sanctuary, the California Sea Otter Game Refuge, and politically-connected-well-funded residents; it would not be a "beg forgiveness instead of asking permission" landing situation.

Still, it is my favorite area to fly over.

Fly safely,
Pat

iPat wrote:

Dale Moul wrote:.... This is California, should I assume that landing on the hiway will cause CHP and/or local cops to get their panties in a bunch even if there are no cars using it....

Yes, you should absolutely assume such, and include a few federal agencies as well.

Unless your name is Hearst, the closest strip is Schoonover Airstrip at Jolon, near the eastern terminus of Nacimiento-Ferguson Road. Schoonover used to lie within the fenced bounds of Fort Hunter Liggett, but I do not know its current status except to say there was nothing stopping me from driving on it earlier this year. Might lie within R-2513, come to think of it.

A helicopter is much easier for this particular section of coast, and even then there are wilderness areas, an NOAA Marine Sanctuary, the California Sea Otter Game Refuge, and politically-connected-well-funded residents; it would not be a "beg forgiveness instead of asking permission" landing situation.

Still, it is my favorite area to fly over.

Fly safely,
Pat

Schoonover LZ is a military airstrip. C-130s and C-17s use it for training. It is in R-2513, definitely not a good idea to land there!

Thanks for the information. I guess having the view all to myself from the hiway pullouts would be nice, but not realistic. I'll just stick with flying past with a camera.