In mid March, 2011, Highway 1 between Carmel and Big Sur was closed due to a landslide. At that time the estimated length of closure was 2-3 weeks. If anyone has more updated info on this please post.

Here's something from yesterday:
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/articl...BAT81IF03A.DTL

News reports a contract for a temporary repair to reopen the road by April 16.

http://www.sanluisobispo.com/2011/03...by-slide.html#

bookmarking, as I'm planning to drive that stretch in late May.

latest update at: http://tinyurl.com/4m74e36

So this is an additional slide, right? We are planning to drive late May from Carmel to Santa Barbara in a day. And, part of the point of the trip was that I have not been on the section from Nepenthe to Santa Barbara.

Check here for official updates (use SR1)

http://www.dot.ca.gov/cgi-bin/roads.cgi

hopingtotravel: same slide that occurred a couple weeks ago

They mention 'alternate routes'. Are there any alternate routes going south from Carmel that cut back over to the SR1 north of Moro Bay and the Hearst Castle area etc?

I think there was another slide on Sunday:

http://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/201...big-sur-coast/

An update from Nephenthe's FB page -

Nepenthe Big Sur
Another day of sunshine! Caltrans successfully opened the highway at LimeKiln, so wIth Nacimiento Ferguson Road open folks can come and go. What was a 45 minute drive to town now takes 4 hours, but it is a chance to enjoy breathtaking displays of wildflowers and some of Big Sur's most beautiful and under appreciated views. And yes, we are open for business!

4 hours from which town?

Probably Monterey/Carmel as the road closure is north of Nepenthe, which means the road south to Santa Barbara is fine.

So if it's still closed when we leave Carmel, we have to go over to 101 and down through Atascadero or something to get to Santa Barbara? Darn.

If you are going in late May, don't despair. It may all be repaired by then. Keep checking the link given by mlgb as you get closer to your trip. Even if there is a closure when you go, you can still drive south from Carmel for a few miles then turn around and come back to Carmel and continue your trip down 101. You will still be able to see some spectacularly beautiful coastal scenery even if you can only drive a few miles south of Carmel.
Have fun!

I'll be hoping its repaired. 12 years ago we stayed at Ventana and had lunch at Nepenthe. In 1969 we camped in a cow pasture near where the foghorn blows.

But I've always wanted to see the stretch south of Big Sur.

Four hours to get to Nepenthe from Carmel? Now there's a waste of time.

For some.
Not for others.

Latest estimate by CalTrans is end of April.

Yay for end of April! We're traveling from the Boston area to LA for son's college commencement mid-May and staying for a drive up the coast to SF as well as visits to state and national parks along the route, including several days in Yosemite.

It would be incredibly poor timing after waiting four years to travel for the road to be closed!