“It’s like a funeral,” he said, mourning his beloved surf spot on the empty beach this week during a brief break in storms. “It seems like 100 years of history and culture is gone.”

Surfers and countless beachgoers with fond memories of the tucked-away oasis have been in shock over the access road washing out recently at the popular beach wedged between San Diego and Orange County, a place so coveted that people wait hours in line to get a parking spot right on the sand on summer days – or any time a swell hits.

While the dirt road may be repaired in coming months, the sudden closure of the parking lot into San Onofre puts a spotlight on what’s at stake as negotiations continue over who should manage this popular surf spot and surrounding beaches, trails and campgrounds.

A 50-year lease between the military and California State Parks, a gift to the public by President Richard Nixon in 1971, expired three years ago and since then officials have been negotiating the fate of the land just south of San Clemente.

A three-year lease extension sunsets in about six months, on Aug. 31, and the question remains: Will State Parks continue to be the stewards to the land, or will the military take it back – and if they do, what does that mean for the public’s access?

“It’s a family beach, it’s always been that way,” said Don Craig, a 75-year-old San Onofre Surf Club member who has been riding waves there his entire life. “We just want to keep it that way.”

A sweet deal

San Onofre State Park doesn’t stop at the iconic Surf Beach where early-era wave riders discovered long, rolling Waikiki-like waves in the late 1920s.

There are two campgrounds, an expansive network of trails for hikers and bikers, and a string of other surf breaks, including Lower Trestles, where the world’s best surfers have battled for their championship title the last three years.

Originally, it was the native Acjachemen who called the land home, but by the turn of the century the beach was a popular fishing camp, then a surfing camp.

The Marine Corps bought the land during World War II from private landowners for $4.7 million, with about 160 square miles – plus 16 miles of coast starting at San Clemente’s southern border down to Oceanside – acquired in the deal, much of it becoming Camp Pendleton.

A growing number of surfers flocking to the tucked-away beach to ride waves as the sport grew in the ’40s was causing conflicts with the military. So in 1952, surfers created the San Onofre Surf Club, a select group that were allowed on the military property provided they had a sticker on their windshield to access the surf beach.

It wasn’t long before surfers discovered the perfect, peaky waves at nearby Lower Trestles, but that area was still off limits. Military personnel who chase away the surfers, sometimes confiscating surfboards or handing out citations.

When Nixon set up his “Western White House” on San Clemente’s southern border in 1969, the idea was raised to open a portion of the Camp Pendleton land to the public.

It would become the first in Nixon’s “Legacy of Parks” program, which sought to give the public a place to escape urban sprawl, a way to make use of surplus federal land that wasn’t being used.

The San Onofre Surf Club lobbied to also add Trestles to the State Parks jurisdiction.

In 1971, the State Parks system got a sweet deal from the Department of Navy for 6.5 miles of coast, plus some inland space to create the San Mateo campgrounds and trails  – the lease was $1.

Over the next 50-some years, the area became a respite from urban overdevelopment, a quick escape to nature that draws an estimated 2 million visitors per year.

Surfing nirvana

Talk to just about any old-timer at the beach at San Onofre, and they’ll tell tales of long summer days on the sand, a place filled with community and culture like no other surf spot they know.

Craig’s father, Doug, was one of the early surfers in the area – he was on the beach in 1941 when Pearl Harbor was bombed. Growing up there was a “kid’s nirvana,” Craig said.

The masses have taken up surfing. Sprinter vans and campers line the area as “van life” gains in popularity and families mix in on the sand.

Craig, now 75, shows up nearly every day, watching the crowds from the sand or sitting on his surfboard waiting to catching waves at “The Point” or “Old Mans,” as he’s done for so many decades.

“Surfing is the fountain of youth,” he said. “I think we’re hopefully passing on this legacy to the younger generations and they will pass that on to their children.”

When it comes to California surf culture – the state’s official sport – San Onofre is as important as the famed Malibu surf break, Craig said.

“It’s an iconic place,” he said. “People from around the world come here.”

San Onofre was the reason Gerardi moved to San Clemente from Canada more than two decades ago.

“This is where we landed. This is what I think of when I dream of California in the ’50s. It’s the most special place in the world,” he said, looking at the empty beach left by the washed-out road.

San Onofre, like many other spots along the Southern California coastline, has had its share of erosion, with strong swells and high tides shrinking the sand space.

But one area that became apparently worrisome in recent months was near the Surf Beach’s entrance.

By late November, yellow caution tape was up as the beach eroded so much it cut into the dirt road. A concrete slab at the beach shower fell, palm trees toppled.

The section of beach was becoming vulnerable not just from the strong surf hitting it, but likely from a drainage system meant to keep the bluff above from eroding where a fairy shrimp vernal pool habitat existed, officials believe. The Navy had attempted repairs in November.

While, in theory, the system would help slow bluff erosion by diverting water, it couldn’t withstand the massive amounts of water from recent storms, said State Parks environmental scientist Riley Pratt.

The trifecta of big swells, heavy rain fall and a failed drainage system was too much for the road. By Tuesday, it was gone.

Environmental teams from State Parks and Camp Pendleton met on Friday to discuss fixes to the drainage pipes and the road damage, Pratt said. Repairs will likely be a collaboration, but it won’t be a quick fix, as they still have to figure out permitting and hire contractors.

“I think everyone is in agreement that it’s an urgent matter and we need to fix it as soon as we can and restore public access to the surf beach,” he said.

A swell of concern

Then there is the looming Aug. 31 lease deadline, with no word from either parties about how the negotiations are going or any plans set yet, said Steve Long, founder of the San Onofre Parks Foundation.

Seven years ago, the foundation started a lease renewal task force to be a liaison between the state and military.

Both sides are tight-lipped on the matter, unable to give details due to ongoing negotiations.

There’s two likely scenarios: either the land continues with a lease to State Parks, or the military choses to operate the area themselves, Long said.

What if the military opts to not allow, or to limit, public access?

“There would be a tremendous outcry if access is restricted,” Long said.

Surfers on the sand are starting to buzz about the looming deadline, wondering about what the future holds.

“We are concerned that we’re not hearing anything. The public isn’t hearing anything,” Long said. “I monitor the  grapevine from the beach, people want to start writing letters and if necessary, having public gatherings.”

Long said he hopes it doesn’t come to that. The surfers, state and military have always been amicable in their partnership, and he hopes that continues.

“We’re not adversaries, but we just wish to hear something,” he said. “I know there’s so many things the Department of Navy deals with, but this is critical. The time is growing short. We’re at a point where there’s a very real sense of urgency.”

San Onofre is where Congressman Mike Levin had his family holiday card taken this year, a place he, too, grew up visiting as a kid.

While he can’t speak to the details of the current negotiation, Levin said he is in constant contact with both the state and military officials.

“I do know all parties want a resolution to extend a lease,” he said. “And I’ve expressed my desire that a long-term lease is agreed upon.

“I think we have to come to an agreement so the military can continue their operations without disruption and the State Park can maintain the public access as a result of the extension,” he said. “I hope that they can work this out.”

The area – where two homes were already affected by unstable soil – is an active landslide on private property that has had ongoing movement for several decades, said Dave Rebensdorf, the city’s assistant engineer who went out Friday to check on it.

“Unfortunately, the recent movement has furthered damaged the end of the city’s Columbo cul-de-sac,” he said. “City crews have installed sandbags to route drainage from the cul-de-sac to an existing storm drain.”

Dave Peterson, who lives on Columbo but not on the failing end, went there to see the damage for himself.

“It’s not yet impacting houses, but there are houses to the left and right that are close to the slide,” he said. “I’m concerned about those.”

Councilmember Steve Knoblock also visited.  He is familiar with the area and said, a few years ago, the city had to red-tag a house that was later condemned and bulldozed down the hillside because of the slope’s instability.

In Dana Point, some mud and debris slid from a cliff next to the Ocean Institute near the tidepools, said City Manager Mike Killebrew.

“There are no structures jeopardized at this point, and it looks like no impact on the lateral beach access,” he said.

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 of the area.

The list of pathway closures now includes:

– North Beach to Mariposa

– Linda Lane to Corto Lane

– Boca Del Canon to Lasuen

The trail sections are expected to be closed at least through the weekend, city officials said.

OC Fifth District Supervisor Katrina Foley weighed in on the closures, urging 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,” she said in a statement.

Soil and debris where a landslide occurred more than two weeks ago continued to inch toward the track below, pushing into the rail right-of-way near Mariposa Point, according to an Orange County Transportation Authority update Thursday evening.

Debris had already damaged the bridge at that stretch of the coastal walking path and sections had to be removed.

The track itself remains stable, according to Metrolink, and freight trains were set to run again overnight but passenger service remains halted through the area. The OCTA and Metrolink team will continue to assess movement of the slope and inspect the track, officials said.

The team removed on Thursday most of the plastic tarps covering the landslide that were damaged by the recent rain and wind to get a better look at the condition of the slope – some cracking was observed, OCTA officials said. Some areas were still too muddy.

The California Transportation Commission has finalized authorization of OCTA’s $2 million request for debris removal and other pre-construction services, which will be used to continue cleanup once the storms pass.

OCTA and Metrolink also continue to plan for construction of a barrier wall “to protect the track and work toward determining when at least limited passenger service can safely resume through San Clemente,” the latest update said.

At a city meeting earlier this week, Councilmember Chris Duncan noted that he would like to ensure city staff coordinates with OCTA on the plans for the barrier wall so the pedestrian bridge destroyed in the initial slide on Jan. 24 can be rebuilt.

“If you put it in the wrong place, it would basically interrupt any chance for our beach trail to be rebuilt,” he said.  “That barrier wall might be in the middle of where the bridge was … we don’t want something done that would impede us rebuilding our beach trail.”

San Clemente resident Benny Caday was out for his brisk morning stroll Thursday morning when he learned the northern end of the beach trail was closed. Instead of the usual scenic trail walk he typically does, he planned on lapping the parking lot.

“It seems to be accelerating, as far as the times there are slides and interruptions,” he said. “It’s disappointing, I’m trying to look at some of the other routes and trails – although there’s nothing that beats the scenic beach trail to the pier. It sets me for the day – it’s very serene, you see the ocean waves when you are walking down and you get the sunshine.”

A group of teens saved the ducklings’ day when they stumbled upon the 11 babies, who had been separated from their mom, helplessly stuck and unable to get out of the deep hole.

“This one is hopping away, bro,” Will LePalme, 18, said as he reached in the hole and scooped the babies into his palm to bring them to safety.  “Wait, this one is really cute … there’s some more.”

The heart-warming moment when LePalme, 18, his brother Drew, 15, and friend Jake Reisender, 16, saved the ducklings was caught on video, now making its rounds on social media.

“Oh my god,” Reisender’s mom Katie Duvall is heard saying in the video, the birds chirping as they are brought to safety. “Look at them. They’re so scared.”

The boys came across the ducks after a late-evening workout Monday, Feb. 5.

Jake Reisender saw the mother duck hovering around the small, but deep hole that formed in the parking lot near his home, then looked inside to see the ducklings.

The teens worried if they touched the ducklings, the mom might reject them, said Will LePalme.

“Eventually, I just shoved my hand in the hole and grabbed them, because they weren’t getting out anyway,” he said. “They were falling deeper and deeper in the hole so I was like, ‘I’m just going to grab them.’”

Each duckling was only about 3-inches long, likely just weeks old, all with “fluffy feathers,” he said.

After scooping them out of the sinkhole, the ducks started following LePalme.

“I think they would have followed anything, but they followed me, I guess they knew my scent,” he said.

At first, LePalme wanted to take them home and put them in a bathtub for safe keeping. But a friend who works with animal control advised the best course of action was to put them in a box that had an opening so they could be retrieved by their mom.

“The boys were so concerned,” said mom Katie LePalme. “They were so sweet, they were just so nervous about the ducks. They were so helpless.”

When Reisender and his mom checked on the babies the next morning, two ducks, which appeared to be the parents, were lingering nearby.

They moved the box enough for the ducks to get out and then watched from a distance as the family waddled away, the babies following the parents down the street.

Katie LePalme said it was a nice moment during the storms, especially because young kids can get such a bad reputation these days.

“They have good hearts,” she said, “and they just wanted to be good citizens.”

San Clemente officials gave an update Tuesday, Feb. 6, on the project, which remains in limbo after the first attempt resulted in more cobble and rocks being spread near the pier than expected and the city asked for a pause last month to address its concerns about the quality of the sand being delivered.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which is spearheading the $14 million project, is evaluating alternate dredging sites that may be better suited with sand and is looking to see if the original Oceanside location tapped is still viable, Mayor Victor Cabral said during Tuesday’s update at the City Council meeting.

With the contractor finishing up a similar replenishment project in Solana Beach, and then set to head to Encinitas for its next scheduled project, it’s likely the dredger couldn’t come back to San Clemente until about May, at the earliest.

“Even if more delay is needed, our position is that in order to complete the 250,000 cubic yards of beach-quality sand, we take the time necessary to find the right borrow site, rather than delivering rocks and gravel that were delivered previously,” Cabral said.

Cabral gave a recap of what led the city to ask the project be halted about three weeks into the dredging, which started in December, with several delays due to the contractor’s dredger breaking. The city had waited some two decades for the project to be approved and funded.

The city has no direct authority to provide guidance to the contractor, since the work agreement is with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, he said.

“Under the direction of the Army Corps of Engineers, they developed and chose the borrow site,” he said. “It was studied, numerous core samples were collected, all during the period of 20 years when we started this project.”

The studies showed a layer of cobble and gravel, but beneath a large quantity of beach quality sand, he said. The contractor was dredging at about 6 inches, but the studies show the sand at a depth of about 3 feet, he said.

The city is in discussions with the Army Corps almost every day, Cabral said.

“It’s been a process that we have searched – almost on a daily basis – to find the answers,” he said. “We all have concerns.”

The sand is not just for San Clemente residents to enjoy, but acts as a buffer to help stabilize bluffs to protect the rail line that runs through town and has been vulnerable to landslides in recent years.

“We are listening to the city’s concerns and are continuing to collaborate with the city and all of our partners to come up with a solution for San Clemente. There are a few courses of action being considered, but an overall decision has not been made on those courses of action,” Army Corps of Engineers spokesperson Dena O’Dell said. “The biggest takeaway is that we all want the same thing – sand on the beach at San Clemente and project completion. We also want to ensure we get it right.”

Councilmember Chris Duncan asked if there’s a possibility the project won’t be done this year.

“No one is throwing in the towel at all, everyone is investigating every course of action,” said Leslea Meyerhoff, the city’s coastal administrator. “That could include placing sand in the summer season. It’s not ideal, but there could be reasons to do that. I am confident they are exploring all opportunities to come back soon to bring sand.”

The slipping slopes have halted passenger train service through the town for nearly two weeks; the Mariposa Bridge over the city’s popular beach trail was also damaged and a section had to be removed.

Because of the slope movement Tuesday, Metrolink has advised freight train operators still using the tracks during evening and early-morning hours that no train movement was possible.

An engineering team has installed an array of sensors to confirm ongoing soil movement, which has increased during the storms, Johnson said.

In the 24 hours leading up to Tuesday afternoon, Metrolink’s project team measured a foot and a half to 3 feet of hillside movement and was reporting debris from the hillside nearing the train track’s right-of-way.

The soil and debris was expected to reach the tracks by early Tuesday evening. Metrolink’s operations team informed BNSF Railway that no train movement will be possible at night and additional assessments and inspections will take place Wednesday to determine the status of the rail and right-of-way.

Metrolink staff members continue to work on planning for a barrier wall and other solutions to protect the right of way.

“Over the past two weeks, Metrolink’s track department and project team have continued to monitor and inspect the affected hillside in collaboration with the city of San Clemente and the private property owners (and) as the second round of heavy rains entered Southern California Sunday,” he said in an email update.

There has been no active construction or grading taking place on the hillside during the rain, he noted.

Mike Laubach, who lives in the condominium complex just above the latest landslide, said the residents have been concerned about the heavy rain falling this week.

“We’re watching it,” he said. “But what we see is really not much, because everything is covered in plastic and we can’t see anything beyond the edge of the bluff. You can’t see below.”

Homeowners in the seven-unit complex are planning on meeting with the city on Wednesday about plans moving forward, he said.

The Orange County Transportation Authority, which owns the railroad, last week announced plans for the retaining wall to help hold back the slide so rail service isn’t affected.

While their building seems to be safe, according to the HOA’s engineer, water is making its way into their garage, Laubach said.

“It’s seeping into the garage, it’s going into some of the areas we’ve never seen it below,” he said.  “The dirt is filling up with so much water, it’s now seeping into the garage. I’ve been here 13 years, that’s never happened.”

With the hillsides soaked and vulnerable, some area residents are concerned as large freight trains continued to pass through the area earlier in the week.

Resident Garth Taylor said he’s seen multiple, mile-long freight trains go through the area each night and worries vibrations could damage the slope.

“In spite of its slow speed, the bridge was vibrating and rattling under foot,” he said. “It made me wonder if there is any relation between the vibrations of passing trains and loosening the soil on the bluffs.”

BNSF officials said in a statement the trains that have been moving through the area were carrying freight of all kinds including automobiles going to and from the San Diego Port and local area. “Tracks are inspected by Metrolink.”

Johnson said freight and passenger rail have been operating on the track since the right-of-way was originally constructed in the late 1880s. OCTA acquired this portion of the tracks in 1993, but the freight operators BNSF Railway retain track rights.

Hillside movement has been occurring when there is little or no rail movement, Johnson said.

Rep. Mike Levin said he has been communication with OCTA about the landslide in San Clemente and the “importance of fully reopening that section of the LOSSAN corridor as quickly and safely as possible.”

“I’m confident that OCTA will take the appropriate precautions when determining the usability of the tracks and resuming freight train service, but we need long-term solutions,” he said. “The longer the corridor is out of service, the greater the impact this landslide will have on our region.”

Orange County and the rest of Southern California got hit with a steady rainfall Monday, when a storm parked itself over the region.

Officials along Orange County’s coast were carefully monitoring vulnerable sections of their hillsides Monday where tarps already covered several previous landslides.

“We’re just telling everybody to be incredibly cautious,” said State Parks Superintendent Kevin Pearsall. “Get updated before you go to a destination. Just check and make sure you can get there. Keep safety in mind.”

Bolsa Chica State Beach was closed due to flooding and campers at Doheny State Beach were asked to voluntarily evacuate as Monday’s storm slammed the region.

“There’s literally no access to Bolsa,” said Pearsall, noting that Pacific Coast Highway was also flooded and closed.

Some campers at Doheny State Beach set up in RVs opted to stay, while others who wanted to cancel their reservations were given a refund, he said.

State Parks also issued a notice that backcountry closures were in place at Crystal Cove State Parks to mitigate trail erosion.

In San Clemente, there continued to be some visible movement in the soil where a landslide Jan. 24 damaged a section of the Mariposa Bridge along the city’s popular beach trail and cutoff train service south to San Diego because debris was reaching the nearby train tracks. But restoration of a culvert system appears to have been effective, according to an update by Metrolink spokesperson Scott Johnson.

Passenger train service continues to be halted through San Clemente, but freight rail traffic has resumed.

“There are continual visual and electronic measurements taking place of the hillside,” Johnson said of the hillside monitoring that continues.

Officials announced last week a wall will be built to protect the track in that area.

On Monday, officials sent out an alert that two more sections of the city’s popular beach trail were closed because of concerns over recent slope movement and the threat of more rain in the forecast.

A small slide near the El Portal steps happened early Friday prior to the storm, occurring behind the fence already in place to keep people off the trail near the previous landslide area, Councilmember Chris Duncan said.

The other minor landslide happened south of the pier, where rocks came down onto the trail.  The city closed the trail from the Boca Del Canon access point to the Lasuen access point.

“It came and spilled on the trail a bit, for safety reasons we shut down that part,” Duncan said. “That hasn’t really happened before. We’re worried that there might be other areas we haven’t had warning about that might come down.”

People should stay off the trail, even after the rain stops, he warned. “Be vigilant about staying off trials until we get some better idea after the rain about where the trouble spots might be.”

Officials are also keeping a watchful eye on homes in North Beach and on the historic Casa Romantica, where there were landslides last year.

On Monday, protective tarping that had been installed on the slope beneath Casa Romantica appeared to be helping and the slope remained in good condition, officials said.

The concern about soil saturation spans along the entire coastal region, including in Newport Beach,  Laguna Beach, Dana Point and beyond. And the worry will continue as the rain falls this week, officials said.

“One of our concerns is the duration of rain,” said Brendon Manning, emergency operations coordinator in Laguna Beach. “They’ve forecasted rain for the next three days. When it comes to saturated hillsides, we’re not relaxing.”

Dana Point City Manager Mike Killebrew said Monday morning some mud and debris had come down from the hillsides in Capistrano Beach close to the border of Dana Point and San Clemente.

K-rails along slopes in that stretch of Coast Highway are “containing the slough as they are intended to,” he said, adding there had been no lane closures.

In Laguna Beach, city officials and crews from the police and fire departments watched the town closely Monday morning, paying special attention to areas known to flood, such as Laguna Canyon Road and where South Coast Highway dips at Aliso Beach.

The Laguna Beach Animal Shelter was “proactively evacuated” late Sunday, Manning said.

The flood channel near the animal shelter has caused flooding problems in past years, but work to improve it has been effective, he said. Still, the animals were taken to the Mission Viejo Animal Shelter and to volunteers’ homes.

In Newport Beach, crews were pumping out water from some low-lying areas on the peninsula Monday, but city officials described things as under control.

Later this week, a king tide near 6.5 feet and large surf in the 6- to 8-foot range are expected and official warn could bring more flooding potential to coastal areas, especial with the additional rain water.

The city sent out the alert Monday afternoon about the closure of the trail from the El Portal access point to the Mariposa access point, near where a slope at the Mariposa Bridge fell on Jan. 24, destroying a section of popular pathway there, with debris also falling on the railroad tracks.

• For related, see: Rain map: Orange County’s wettest spots from atmospheric river

The stretch from Boca Del Canon access point to the Lasuen access point was also closed by the city on Monday, Feb. 5.

The the 2.3-mile coastal walkway stretches from San Clemente’s North Beach to Calafia.

There continued to be visible movement in the soil along the troubled hillside, but the restoration of a culvert system appeared to be effective, according to an update by Metrolink spokesperson Scott Johnson.

Passenger train service continues to be halted through San Clemente, but freight rail traffic continues, Johnson said. A wall will be built to protect the track at the site of the landslide at the Mariposa Bridge, officials announced last week.

The dirt roadway at San O, as it is called, has been eroding for months, with each swell and rain storm reducing the number of parking spaces at the beloved beach where surfers, families and beachgoers can pull their cars right up to the sand.

“It’s devastating,” said State Parks Superintendent Scott Kibbey. “We’re trying to wrap our heads around a solution to find a way to fix this as soon as possible. It’s impassible. You can not drive a vehicle around that right now.”

The latest blow – and possibly the reason the area has seen such drastic erosion in recent months – is believed to have come from a fairy shrimp vernal pool habitat that sits above on the cliff. A drainage system, for decades, has funneled water coming down to a concrete outlet near the ocean, where water would simply flow back to the sea.

But recently, the drain broke and runoff water was instead flowing down at the toe of the slope, eating away at the roadway. With the latest storm sending high velocity streams of water from the hillside, the dirt road washed away.

“We haven’t had large surf, or massive high tides, there’s clear indications that drainage is causing the road erosion,” Kibbey said, noting that engineers will also be looking at the impacts of the ocean on the erosion.

The parking lot at San Onofre will remain closed until the next series of storms clear. By then an upper concrete lot with 30 or so spots will likely open, Kibbey said.

But the 175 or so parking spots along the beach will not be accessible.

“We’re anticipating it’s going to be a pretty expensive project and may take us time to get this fixed, we’re hoping with the partnership with the (Camp Pendleton) base, they can help us get this opened back up,” Kibbey said.

The land is owned by the Department of the Navy, but has been leased to State Parks since 1971. The lease expires on Aug. 31, 2024, negotiations are already underway for future use.

The popular beach has a storied history, once a fishing camp before early-era surfers discovered it in the 1930s, drawn to the rolling waves.

Still today, it’s a step back into the past, the large cliffs hiding the tucked away beach from the rest of the world – but it’s no kept secret, with people lining up for hours on warm summer days just to get a parking spot.

The first step will be to work with the military to fix the drainage so the erosion is stopped, Kibbey said.

“Then, we will have to work with the appropriate agencies to do emergency road work to ensure we have access to the Surf Beach,” he said. “I’m hoping we will be able to move relatively quickly, after we are able to get some heavy equipment in there.

“I think we’re very motivated to get this repaired as soon as possible,” he added, “that way people can get back there to enjoy the iconic Surf Beach they’ve been enjoying for decades. We’re just not sure how long it’s going to take to get it reopened.”

The state on Thursday issued an official emergency declaration for the landslide threatening a regional rail line where it passes through San Clemente, following a slope failure Jan. 24 that also destroyed a popular pedestrian bridge along the neighboring coastal trail.

Orange County Transportation Authority CEO Darrell E. Johnson sent a letter to Caltrans Director Tony Tavares, asking for the declaration that will allow OCTA to access up to $10 million in emergency funding to help with protecting the track and restoring passenger service as soon as possible, according to an announcement.

“I’m grateful for the state’s partnership and for recognizing what an important issue this is for regional mobility,” Johnson said in a statement.

The 351-mile Los Angeles-San Diego-San Luis Obispo Rail Corridor, or LOSSAN, runs beachfront through parts of San Clemente. The OCTA owns the train tracks in Orange County and they are managed by Metrolink, which along with Amtrak has not been able to offer passenger service further south than San Juan Capistrano since last week’s landslide.

Freight trains have been able to resume use of the rail line at very reduced speeds at night and in the early-morning hours.

“Though minimal, hillside movement continues to be recorded and, with the ongoing heavy rain, there is still no definitive timetable for passenger rail service to resume at this point,” OCTA officials said. Limited passenger service could be restored during construction of the wall, officials said.

“I’m tremendously appreciative to all of our partnering rail agencies and, of course, to the state, for the partnership and working together to deal with the emergency and pursue a solution to restore service,” Johnson said. “We all know how vital this rail line is for Orange County and for the region.”

Plastic tarp has been set out on the slope and storm-water mitigation measures were been put in place as storms batter the region this week.

Over the past three years, San Clemente’s eroding bluffs have repeatedly forced the closure of the rail line, which had “operated largely uninterrupted for more than 125 years,” according to OCTA.

The latest barrier wall will be the third built to secure San Clemente’s slipping slopes and protect the tracks from sliding land.

Costs are mounting for the continued slope failures. 

Already, OCTA and the state have spent $27.7 million responding to landslides in San Clemente since 2022. The city has also spent an estimated $8.5 million to secure the slope at the historic Casa Romantica following a landslide last year.