As reported in this morning’s Herald, recently released 2010 Census figures show Big Sur gaining 530 residents and 233 housing units over the past 10 years; making Big Sur the fastest growing rural area in Monterey County.
These numbers ought to help to assuage the fear, expressed by some, that government land acquisitions are reducing Big Sur’s population and housing stock, and threatening its survival as a community.
4 Comments | 
Big Sur, Coastal Development/Erosion, Santa Lucias | 
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Posted by xasauan
With temperatures more than 30 degrees higher than just one week ago, we head for the Pinnacles Read the rest of this entry »
Leave a Comment » | Gabilans, On Foot, Plants, Wildflowers | Tagged: Pinnacles National Monument | Permalink
Posted by xasauan
With a very snowy Pimkolam and Piñon for a backdrop, cyclists ascend through green hills along Lonoak Rd. Read the rest of this entry »
4 Comments | Cycling, Diablo Range, Santa Lucias | Permalink
Posted by xasauan
On January 1, 1980, Jeff Norman, then 29, moved into the Overstrom homestead, Alta Vista, in Big Sur. Overlooking the ocean from a 2,700-foot-high perch on Michael Ridge, and accessible only by trail, Alta Vista was an ideal location for observing and experiencing the beauty and power of the natural world. Jeff lived at Alta Vista until his death, at age 56, on October 31 2007. All structures associated with Alta Vista were burned to the ground eight months later in the Basin Complex Fire. Read the rest of this entry »
8 Comments | Big Sur, Fire, Flood & Apocalypse, Fungus, History, Insects, Plants, Santa Lucias | Permalink
Posted by xasauan
The Nacimiento River is normally a placid little creek
With most of the rain from the recent storms falling, as it so often does, on the South Coast ridges, the Nacimiento River is on the rise this morning. As of 8:00 AM it was at 12,000 cubic feet per second, and quickly climbing. By contrast, the impressive looking flows in the Big Sur and Carmel Rivers this morning amount to only 572 and 547cfs, respectively. Read the rest of this entry »
2 Comments | Fire, Flood & Apocalypse, Santa Lucias, Water | Permalink
Posted by xasauan
Big Sur Gold: New Year’s Day in the Throne Room of the Chanterelle Gods.
A very happy New Year to everyone, from all of us at Xasáuan Today. We wish you could all join us in feasting on these chanterelles tonight – although we imagine many of you have all the chanterelles you can handle as well.
If the first day has been any indication, the coming year should be a good one!
See you in the woods …
1 Comment | Big Sur, Fungus, Santa Lucias | Tagged: cantharellus cibarius, chanterelles | Permalink
Posted by xasauan
When we noticed, last week, that a 6 foot high tide was projected to arrive together with a 14 foot swell on the morning of December 20, it wasn’t hard to predict what we would find if we headed down to the Carmel River Lagoon this morning …
Sure enough! Waves have been overtopping the bar and creating yet another Carmel River Lagoon “emergency.”
For more information on this continuing series of unforeseeable “emergencies,” see our previous Carmel River related posts.
Leave a Comment » | Carmel River, Coastal Development/Erosion, Fire, Flood & Apocalypse | Permalink
Posted by xasauan
There’s nothing quite like the sight of chanterelles (Cantharellus californicus) pushing up through wet leaves. Read the rest of this entry »
1 Comment | Big Sur, Fungus, Santa Lucias | Permalink
Posted by xasauan
Public officials and amazingly well-informed and articulate members of the public (together with a smaller number of “agreement-as-written” proponents) waste their time by packing the Monterey City Council Chambers on June 28, 2010, to explain to a member of the PUC and Administrative Law Judge, Angela Minkin, the multitude of problems with the desal agreement.
The long spring and summer of public hearings and public debate over the governing agreement for the new desalination plant were all, it turns out, just public participation theater. Yesterday, the PUC approved the agreement pretty much as originally written, acknowledging none of the serious problems and rejecting even the weak improvements recommended by their own Administrative Law Judge. Read the rest of this entry »
Leave a Comment » | Politics, Water | Permalink
Posted by xasauan
The new cut angles to the north. The lagoon is currently held back by a small sand dam. Read the rest of this entry »
Leave a Comment » | Carmel River, Coastal Development/Erosion, Fire, Flood & Apocalypse | Permalink
Posted by xasauan
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