Directly above this steep embankment to the Eel River
lies a deserted stretch of Highway 101
lies a deserted stretch of Highway 101
Last Monday, my sister and I were driving south on Highway 101 from Redway, and decided to make a stop at a place I had been wanting to go to for a long time. There is a spot along the Eel River where you can see that 101 once carried on along some rugged, narrow bluffs. The current highway drives through the mountain where it was carved out for the road, but gates leading to the bluffs of the old highway are still visible.It is located between Leggett and Piercy
View Larger Map
View Larger Map
(More views of that stretch available with Google Maps Street View)
Can you believe semi-trucks were able to pass each other here?
Just as I imagined, this stretch of road is extremely narrow! There were even spots where it doesn’t look like a semi truck could drive on the white, shoulder line without its load hiting the rocks that stick out from the mountain. Also, years of being unmaintained has left this road to be a prime example how nature can absolutely punish roads, especially in Humboldt County. Last week I drove the entire Avenue of the Giants and was loving how in the North stretch of the road the road was green with moss.The start of our eerie stroll
We got the feeling dozens of accidents must have occurred here
Perhaps there are car parts buried down there
We got the feeling dozens of accidents must have occurred here
Perhaps there are car parts buried down there
20 Reply to "A Deserted Stretch of Highway 101 in Humboldt"
Elly on April 4, 2009 at 1:24 PM
The Eel looks beautiful- just as I remember it. I know exactly where you are. I've never taken that stroll, but I've wanted to. How far does it go?
Ren on April 4, 2009 at 1:28 PM
It felt like between one-third, and one-half mile.
Ya, I was wishing the weather was hot so I could jump in! Thanks for the comment.
Anonymous on April 4, 2009 at 1:32 PM
That part of the road was called THE SLAB and two trucks couldn't pass each other in some spots. There were accidents there a lot.
Ren on April 4, 2009 at 1:33 PM
I should have figured it had a nickname! Another reason truckers deserve a good salary!
Anonymous on April 4, 2009 at 1:35 PM
Get my dad to tell you about it. He has some cool memories.
Ren on April 4, 2009 at 1:50 PM
I bet, it is a wonder how most of that Highway was able to be constructed.
Heather on April 4, 2009 at 2:09 PM
I left a comment on FB. I knew exactly where you were - The Slab. When my mom drove pilot car back in '79, I remember the truckers used to use their CB's to notify others that they were on it.
Anonymous on April 4, 2009 at 8:38 PM
Yep, that is The Slab. Coincidentally, this week I was taking some old photos out of the old "cling" type photo albums and ran across all my photos of the slab and the trucking people I worked with (1979). The trucks were hauling boxcars and they would stop traffic at the section of road you see in your bottom photo so all the trucks could get through. I have driven the slab many times and can absolutely verify that you took your life in your hands going around that corner!
Aunt Jackie
Fred Mangels on April 5, 2009 at 7:25 AM
By golly, you beat me to the punch. I'd planned on blogging about The Slab, once I could get around to taking some pictures of it.
I drove over The Slab a few times after I'd moved up here. It was one hairy stretch of road, even for a teenager.
Just think: If we had some of the enviros around back then that we have now (like the ones opposed to the Richardson Grove road straightening) back then, we'd probably never have been able to bypass The Slab.
Anonymous on April 5, 2009 at 8:50 AM
The enviros opposed to the re-alignment project proposed for Highway 101 through Richardson Grove are actually advocating for a bypass around Richardson Grove. Fred, you're a nice guy. But frankly the opinions you post are often badly uninformed. Perhaps if you researched the issues more thoroughly you wouldn't make these mistakes.
Fred Mangels on April 5, 2009 at 10:04 AM
They probably wouldn't even go for that if it involves removing trees, which it likely would. I think the bypass idea is just a diversion.
Anonymous on April 5, 2009 at 12:21 PM
Which shows how much you know, Fred. Sad.
Ren on April 5, 2009 at 12:31 PM
Heather> Wow, that is amazing that truckers had to communicate with each-other in order to get by!
Aunt Jackie> I'd love to see your pictures! I'm happy you survived working on such narrow roads.
Fred> I have been driving by what I now know referred to as "The Slab" a lot lately so I couldn't bear not checking it out for the first time.
Anonymous> I would be sad if there was a bypass at Richardson's Grove, though it would surely lead to quieter nights for the campers at the State Park! The most enjoyable traffic-jam of my life was when I was in a back-up during Reggae on the River through the grove. It is so beautiful!
Anonymous on April 5, 2009 at 5:39 PM
Renn, I will scan and send a couple of pix to you.
I think the Richardson Grove spot is so dang beautiful that I hate to think of any trees being removed, yet I can understand why trucks don't want/can't travel that section of road. I haven't done any researching (as suggested to Fred by Anonymous) but some type of bypass would be great, if they could do it w/o ruining another gorgeous section of trees. Of course, it all costs money.
A.J.
Ernie Branscomb on April 7, 2009 at 4:21 PM
Ren, great post! Like Fred said, you beat me to it! It's been in the back of my mind for some time to do a post on "The Slab". We called it "The Half Bridge" until the newcomers renamed it.
I see from your profile that you are looking for a job. Your job at Radio Shack in Garberville is always open, why haven't you called?
Ren on April 7, 2009 at 4:57 PM
Ernie> "The Half Bridge" is a good name indeed. That old stretch of 101 is almost as fascinating as how before the Golden Gate Bridge taking 101 from San Francisco to the north meant putting your car on a ferry.
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Jerry Levy on September 24, 2018 at 7:49 AM
Question, what year was this bypassed?
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