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C A R M E L M A G A Z I N E • S P R I N G / S U M M E R 2 0 1 4 97 attracted independent, unconventional and rugged types, especially in the early years, before Highway 1 made it easily accessible. It was a long and arduous journey, so residents had to create ways to fend for themselves. That kind of isolation can create a deep sense of community closeness, and in the case of Big Sur, it created a tight-knit social structure that endures to this day. "We have a culture of peo- ple who, like the pioneers, want to live close to the land," says Pfeiffer Ridge resident Marty Morgenrath. "That means you have to be cre- ative and resourceful with what you have." Morgenrath came to Big Sur in the late 1960s, a period that saw a Bohemian, "back to the earth" movement blossom. Big Sur was a center of that scene. "I lived in cabins, in a teepee on Partington Ridge and worked at Nepenthe before marrying my late husband Helmuth and settling on land at Pfeiffer Ridge," she says. Morgenrath marvels at the sense of closeness here. A fire broke out in the middle of the night a week before Christmas, 2013, eventually destroy- ing 34 homes. "Although we were supposed to evacuate, a bunch of us stayed to help each other protect our homes," she recalls. "We saved 10." Erin Gafill recalls that the Red Cross came to help, but had little to do. "The community had absorbed the need," she says. "The displaced fam- ilies were getting help from their neighbors. This under-the-radar community of people showed up with clothing, food and offers of a place to sleep." Indeed, for all its bucolic beauty and natural splendor, Big Sur is a place that has disaster dealt to it on a regular basis. Torrential winter rains regularly trigger landslides that can close or nar- row the sinuous, cliff-clinging Highway 1 for weeks, months—even years—at a stretch. The 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake shook apart the bridge over the Carmel River, cutting off access for several months until a replacement was erected. Fire is a constant threat; in addition to the Christmas 2013 Pfeiffer Fire, the devastating Basin Complex Fire of 2008 burned over 130,000 acres and closed Highway 1 just before the busy July 4 weekend. Not everyone is cut A European-Style Children's Boutique featuring Collections by the World's Premier Children's Wear Designers, A Fabulous Selection of Clothing, Gifts, Footwear & Accessories Lincoln Street btwn Ocean & 7th, Carmel-by-the-Sea 624-6550 heavenincarmel.com Visit us on Facebook at Heaven and Starchild A CHILD'S BOUTIQUE Newborn - 14 Years O N A I L S + B E A U T Y SALON O Salon 112 Crossroads Blvd, Carmel O Nails + Beauty 139 Crossroads Blvd 831.620.0288 Hours: Tues-Fri 10am to 6pm, Saturday 10am t0 5pm Like Us On • Hair • Blowouts • Nails • Make-up • Brow Bar • Organic Spray Tanning • Mobile Services Available G I F T C E R T I F I C A T E S A V A I L A B L E Kérastase Exclusive Salon 090-098 Big Sur_152-161 Garcia story 4/26/14 11:16 AM Page 7