April 2, 2024 – Arguably the most famous restaurant between San Francisco and Los Angeles, Nepenthe in Big Sur, is all set to host its 75th anniversary celebration later this month (April 24).
That comes will all the elemental thrusters—fire dancing, book signings, birthday singalong, cupcakes. artisan crafts and ample art—that Nepenthe epics are known for, with flowers from the property, silk streamers and imported rugs adding celebratory context.
Only now other elements have interceded.
Late last week, after the latest round of rains, a section of Highway 1 south of Rocky Point Bridge slid down into the Pacific, activating closures and twice-daily caravan crossings for residents and essential workers.
Meanwhile, Highway 1 is also shut down to the south, at Paul’s Slide, and from Limekiln State Park to Lime Creek.
It could seem like bad luck that the closures jeopardize the Nepenthe anniversary.
Or it could seem appropriate.
Some of Nepenthe’s most meaningful moments, after all, come amid the South Coast’s darker and most isolated times, whether El Niño in 1983 and 1998, the Kirk Complex, Rat Gorda Complex and Marble Cone fires, or Pfeiffer Bridge’s cracking in 2017, or more recent slides that cover the first ever State Scenic Highway like a massive wet blanket.
In moments like these, Nepenthe general manager and Big Sur Chamber of Commerce president Kirk Gafill assumes a familiar role as hub for information and material support, working the phones nonstop, and leading regular group Zooms with fire officials, county emergency task force leaders and local business owners.
At the same time, Nepenthe offloads food reserves to the Big Share to distribute among residents.
“It’s stressful and challenges one’s ability to manage professional and personal obligations that don’t go away,” says Gafill, who cut his volunteer teeth with the upstart Big Sur community ambulance in his 20s. “On the other hand, that’s part of the reward of being in an independent community where we’ve all benefited from the leadership and health of others. In Big Sur, for those of us who have been lucky to grow up here, volunteerism is a big part of the experience.”
When Highway 1 shut suddenly, that left—depending on who you ask—at least 1,600 and as many as 5,000 people stranded on the south side of Rocky Creek.
When it reopened to one-lane crossings, scores and scores of cars, hundreds perhaps, lined up.
In the interceding hours, Big Sur Lodge transformed into a stuffed evacuation center. River Inn General Store’s shelves were emptied, Ripplewood Resort’s too. And a banger of a hang assembled at Fernwood.
“It was a total scene,” reports one attendee, who requested anonymity after adding, “The entire place was pretty tuned up.”
When Mother Nature unplugs access, Big Sur residents tend to embrace the respite from tourist traffic. Longtime resident and restaurant pro Matt Peterson gets that.
“I love the romantic side of having Big Sur to yourself for a couple weeks—everyone’s at the [Big Sur] Taphouse, out in the street, catching a sunset on the cliffs, throwing renegade parties, going down to Pfeiffer Beach for first time in years because it is not clogged with tourists. That’s fun for a week or two. Then it comes to the point where we need to make rent.”
The timing of the closure takes on heightened drama for Peterson and the team behind forthcoming restaurant-bodega-coffee bar The Village, which was originally slated to be called Solstice.
They still hope to open the coffee-provisions section of the business by May, with the restaurant coming online for peak summer business.
And…that all is predicated on access, which has also thrown April’s annual Big Sur International Marathon into uncertainty.
“Thank you for your patience as we continue to monitor the Highway 1 slip out at Rocky Creek along the Big Sur Marathon route,” BSIM’s website reads. “While we do not have an update to share about the impact to the [marathon], we are in active communication with our agency partners…[and] will be in touch again by 4pm on Thursday, April 4, 2024 with another event update. Thank you for your continued patience and understanding.”
Peterson notes that the stakes are elevated for a majority of businesses that, thanks to a steady buffet of closures over the last decade, and COVID, are finding emergency funds near empty.
“We can’t take another mass road closure again,” he says. “Even businesses that have been here for decades are on their last [legs] because they haven’t had a big summer to resupply rainy day funds. Everybody is worried about it.”
Unofficial word, according to several different stakeholders, is that within two weeks a stoplight will be installed at the Rocky Creek slip-out to allow public visitation.
Colin Twohig serves as GM at Big Sur River Inn, and lives in Palo Colorado south of Rocky Creek, so he’s been a regular on the 8am and 4pm convoys, which haven’t been limited by vehicle weight or quantity.
“Northbound appears quite solid,” he says. “Things are looking up.”
Carpenters, plumbers and electricians commuting to The Village—which sits next to River Inn—are volunteering to shuttle goods to other businesses and Peterson sounds a hopeful note, followed by a message to patrons further north.
“We’re determined to get open for the summer, which is why everybody in Big Sur is pushing to have the road open to the north,” Peterson says. “We have to get going. We have to do business.
“This situation is scary, but it’s not a disaster. Big Sur will be open again soon. Please come back and make the effort to see and support Big Sur.”
More at Monterey County’s Emergency Rocky Creek Slide update page.
About the author
Mark C. Anderson, Edible Monterey Bay's managing editor, appears on "Friday Found Treasures" via KRML 94.7 every week, a little after 12pm noon. Reach him via mark@ediblemontereybay.com.
