Big Sur highway is open, but check before you go

Highway 1 in Big Sur reopened to traffic last week, allowing travelers to drive the coastal route without having to take cumbersome detours.

Those traveling the coastal highway should check before heading out. Caltrans now closes the road when it receives notice from the National Weather Service of “a significant storm” and reopens it after crews have completed safety inspections.

Both the three-mile stretch called Paul’s Slide south of the community of Lucia, where workers removed heavy mud and boulders blocking the road, and a second slide area at Mud Creek, about 34 miles north of Cambria, reopened last week.

The National Weather Service was predicting more snow this weekend for Mono County, home to Mammoth Mountain and June Lake ski resorts. It said road conditions could be hazardous again today. For real-time road updates, dial 511, go to quickmap.dot.ca.gov or download the Caltrans mobile app.