More Landslides In South OC Shut Down Popular Beach Trail

SAN CLEMENTE, CA — New landslides reported along the South Orange County coast have prompted more closures of a popular beach trail, officials said this week.

The landslides were reported along the oceanfront bluffs in San Clemente, mostly in the north part of town.

According to the city, stairs leading down to the coastal path at Dije Court, El Portal and Lasuen Beach were added to the list of closed access points Wednesday evening due to continuing instability in the area.

The list of pathway closures now includes the following:

• North Beach to Mariposa
• Linda Lane to Corto Lane
• Boca Del Canon to Lasuen

Orange County Fifth District Supervisor Katrina Foley weighed in on the closures and urged people to avoid the impacted areas along the beach trail as the city continues to assess the damage from the recent rainfall.

“These closures are yet another reminder of our climate reality and the effects climate change and coastal erosion have on our communities,” Foley said in a statement.

Passenger rail service between the Laguna Niguel/Mission Viejo and Oceanside stations was suspended Jan. 24, after a landslide sent boulders and debris onto the tracks and damaged the Mariposa Trail Bridge in San Clemente.

Transportation officials were uncertain Thursday when service would resume.

Orange County and Inland Empire-Orange County Metrolink link trains were only operating as far south as the Laguna Niguel/Mission Viejo Station.

"I'm grateful for the state's partnership and for recognizing what an important issue this is for regional mobility," OCTA CEO Darrell E. Johnson said.

Officials for OCTA and Metrolink are considering how best to attack the problem of landslides in the area and it is uncertain when passenger service can be restored.