A large crack has opened along a coastal bluff beneath one of California’s most exclusive resorts, prompting concern that approaching storms could trigger a collapse onto a busy beachside trail.
The fissure is located directly below The Ritz-Carlton, Laguna Niguel, in Dana Point, overlooking the heavily used Salt Creek Point trail. Hundreds of beachgoers, walkers and surfers rely on the path each day.
Local videographer Craig Whetter, of Breaking Even TV, recorded the fracture in mid-November. His footage shows a pronounced split running through the bluff above Salt Creek Beach.
“There is a new crack in town, ladies and gentlemen, and it lives right above that Salt Creek Point trail,” Whetter said in the video. “It’s right above a very, very popular walkway that people use all day… it’s putting a lot of people in danger.”
With atmospheric rivers, intense rainfall and heavy surf approaching, local residents and surfers are increasingly concerned that the unstable bluff could give way.
Water entering the fissure could saturate the soil and increase the weight of the bluff, while waves repeatedly striking the shoreline could remove the sand supporting its base.
The trail below leads to several popular surf breaks, including the Point, Middles and Gravels.
Authorities have not yet released a geological assessment establishing how deep the crack is or determining whether the luxury resort above is facing an immediate structural risk.
The discovery comes as Orange County deals with a separate coastal erosion crisis.
In October, a fissure measuring about 360 feet long and 2 feet wide opened beneath Pacific Coast Highway near El Morro at Crystal Cove State Park.
The damage prompted closures of southbound lanes and led to a $4 million emergency stabilization effort. Crews used massive sandbags and tarps to protect the historic beach cottages below.
The National Weather Service initially forecast rain and strong winds for Orange County beginning Friday, while warning that additional coastal impacts could follow.
Forecasters also predicted King Tides from Nov. 22 through Nov. 27. The unusually high water levels could accelerate erosion at the base of already fragile coastal bluffs.