Why Is the Big Sur Coast Prone to Landsliding?
In the Big Sur area, earthquakes can result in uplift of the Santa Lucia Mountains. Recurrent uplift, in combination with relentless erosion by ocean waves, creates extreme topography, making the area highly susceptible to landslides. Rocks that have been weakened through faulting and fracturing also help provide ideal conditions for large landslides. During the winter months, Big Sur receives both heavy rainfall (as much as 80 inches per year) and high wave energy. In summer and fall, occasional wildfires remove vegetation, making the area’s slopes more vulnerable to erosion. All these factors produce chronic landslides, such as those that block, undermine, or damage the Coast Highway. For example, a 1983 landslide near Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park resulted in closure of the highway for more than a year. Subsequent repairs cost more than $7 million and generated nearly 3 million cubic yards of debris. In all, more than 1,500 landslides have been mapped along the Big Sur coast. The
