Malpaso Creek

Mal Paso Creek ("bad step",[1] or "bad crossing"[2]) is a small, coastal stream 5 miles south of Carmel in Monterey County, California, USA. It is the northern border of Big Sur in central coastal California.[3] It also defines the northern border of Garrapata State Park. The mouth of the creek is located at Little Mal Paso Beach where there is a small white sandy beach, tide pools, and a narrow cave.[2] The American film actor, director, and producer Clint Eastwood has spent much of his life in this area and named his film company Malpaso Productions after the creek to the north of his 200-acre property on the former Victorine Ranch.[1][4]

Etymology

Before a bridge was built across it in 1935, the abrupt canyon was difficult to cross, inspiring its name.[2]

Geography

Located in the Carmel Highlands,[5] immediately south of Yankee Point, Mal Paso Creek forms the natural northern boundary of the Big Sur coast.[6]

Beds of coarse sand and conglomerate containing coal occur in Mal Paso Creek.[7] The abandoned Mal Paso Coal Mine (or Carmelo Coal Mine) is located on the creek's north bank.[8]

Fauna and flora

The best known locality for Monterey pine is on the Monterey Peninsula, extending south as far as the creek.[9] Local distribution of Pelvetiopsis arborescens occurs in the rocks near the creek,[10] as does Rhodophysema elegans var. polystromatica. Callophyllis linearis occurs on rocks north of the creek, Gloiopeltis furcata and Callophyllis crenulata occur near the creek, Dictyota binghamiae occurs at the 1 foot (0.30 m) tide level near the creek, and Fucus distichus subspecies edentatus f. abbreviatus occurs in the creek's exposed areas.[11] Cucumaria curata has been found in tidepools on exposed rock areas near the creek.[12]

Along the creek's south shore, anglers fish for surfperch and rockfish.[13]

Mal Paso Creek Historic Bridge

At a cost of $24,000, Mal Paso Creek Bridge (No. 44-17)[14] was built in 1935 with an open-spandrel concrete arch design, similar to the famous Bixby Creek Bridge, located 8 miles to the south.[15] It is 210 feet (64 m) long and 24 feet (7.3 m) wide.[16]

The bridge is situated 4.5 miles (7.2 km) south of the Carmel River on California State Route 1.[17] Along with six other Monterey County bridges on Highway 1, Mal Paso Creek Bridge has been determined to be National Register of Historical Places eligible. As a group, they are referred to as the Big Sur Arches, and may be the best works example of the California Division of Highways' Bridge Department.[18]

References

  1. 1 2 "Clint Eastwood Biography". thebiographychannel.co.uk. Retrieved 13 January 2011.
  2. 1 2 3 Parr, Barry (1 July 2007). Explore! Big Sur Country: A Guide to Exploring the Coastline, Byways, Mountains, Trails, and Lore. Globe Pequot. pp. 22–. ISBN 978-0-7627-3568-6. Retrieved 13 January 2011.
  3. ↑ Surfer Magazine (21 February 2006). Surfer Magazine's Guide to Northern and Central California Surf Spots. Chronicle Books. pp. 97–. ISBN 978-0-8118-4998-2. Retrieved 13 January 2011.
  4. ↑ Eliot, Marc (29 September 2009). American Rebel: The Life of Clint Eastwood. Random House, Inc. pp. 89–. ISBN 978-0-307-33688-0. Retrieved 13 January 2011.
  5. ↑ McGilligan, Patrick (19 August 2002). Clint: the life and legend. Macmillan. pp. 162–. ISBN 978-0-312-29032-0. Retrieved 13 January 2011.
  6. ↑ Norman, Jeff; Big Sur Historical Society (4 October 2004). Big Sur. Arcadia Publishing. pp. 10–. ISBN 978-0-7385-2913-4. Retrieved 13 January 2011.
  7. ↑ California State Mining Bureau; California. Division of Mines and Geology (1921). Bulletin. pp. 84–. Retrieved 13 January 2011.
  8. ↑ "Unknown title". Robinson Jeffers newsletter. Occidental College, Robinson Jeffers Committee (90–100): 57. 1994.
  9. ↑ McClintock, Elizabeth; Turner, Richard G. (April 2001). The trees of Golden Gate Park and San Francisco. Heyday Books. pp. 157–. ISBN 978-1-890771-28-7. Retrieved 13 January 2011.
  10. ↑ Smith, Gilbert M. (1993). Marine Algae of the Monterey Peninsula (Second ed.). Stanford University Press. pp. 643–. ISBN 978-0-8047-2628-3. Retrieved 13 January 2011.
  11. ↑ Hollenberg. Supplement to Smith's Marine Algae of the Monterey Peninsula. Stanford University Press. pp. 19, 33, 53, 55. ISBN 978-0-8047-4019-7. Retrieved 13 January 2011.
  12. ↑ Morris, Robert Hugh; Abbott, Donald Putnam; Haderlie, Eugene Clinton (1980). Intertidal invertebrates of California. Stanford University Press. pp. 137–. ISBN 978-0-8047-1045-9. Retrieved 13 January 2011.
  13. ↑ Parr, p. 148
  14. ↑ "District 5, Post Miles for Location Identification". dot.ca.gov. April 19, 1999. p. 3. Retrieved 13 January 2011.
  15. ↑ Emory, Jerry (6 April 1999). The Monterey Bay Shoreline Guide. University of California Press. pp. 266–. ISBN 978-0-520-21712-6. Retrieved 13 January 2011.
  16. ↑ Hanchey, C. (March 6, 2009). "Mal Paso Creek Bridge". bridgehunter.com. Retrieved 13 January 2011.
  17. ↑ Parr, p. 33
  18. ↑ "Corridor Inventory-Executive Summaries" (PDF). dot.ca.gov. Caltrans District 5. December 2001. p. 4. Retrieved 13 January 2011.

Coordinates: 36°28′52″N 121°56′13″W / 36.48111°N 121.93694°W / 36.48111; -121.93694

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