The recent storms and yesterday’s fire reminded me that some residents off segments D and E are not aware that in 2019 the cut-through connecting upper Higuera Rd with Balcom was repaved. It provides emergency access for residents in case of fire or other issues that prevent ingress/egress past the intersection of Higuera Rd and Quail Canyon. This road is an existing easement across several properties that was revamped after the September 2018 grass fire between Quimby and Balcom/Higuera. The cost of this repaving was covered privately by two residents.

aerial view of the cut-through from Higuera down to Balcom

Located near the end of both roads, it can be used when Higuera past Quail Canyon is blocked: such as this past February when several trees fell across the road. It is also available for residents off Balcom should something block that road.

tree blocking road on Higuera Highland
tree blocking road on Higuera Highland
tree blocking road on Higuera Highland and flooding due to blocked drains higher up the road
tree blocking road on Higuera Highland and flooding due to blocked drains higher up the road
tree blocking road on Higuera
tree blocking road on Higuera
residents clearing the debris
residents clearing the debris

Thank you to Alex for the images above and big thanks to the handful of residents who came out with their chainsaws to clear the roads. Because Higuera Rd and its stubs are all private, it is up to residents to handle all issues.

Back to the details regarding the emergency access road. While the entrances are gated, they are not locked. This is to deter non-residents from using the route as there have been problems with delivery drivers getting lost and non-residents speeding up and down the road.

Bottom of cut-through at Balcom end point with gate.
bottom of cut-through at Balcom end point
bottom of cut-through at Balcom end point with gate
Top of cut-through at Higuera end point
top of cut-through at Higuera end point
Top of cut-through at Higuera end point with gate
top of cut-through at Higuera end point with gate

In addition to the cut-through, should an emergency event occur which blocks the lower sections of Higuera Highland, a route exists across 4012 Higuera Highland which residents can use to reach upper Higuera Rd and then the cut-through. This route is not paved and must be taken slowly by non-4wheel-drive vehicles, but it is option of last resort should something really bad happen up here.

Entrance at 4009/4012/4107 HHL
South out towards HR
Out to south hillside pasture
Down south hillside track
Down south hillside track
Down south hillside track
Exit to HR
HR to the cut-through

HR to the cut-through and down to Balcom


One final detail: in the above images you will have noticed the new truck entrance at the bottom of 4012 Higuera Highland/4012 Higuera Rd. This entrance was built as part of the final grading to fix the very large, deep and problematic pit that was created back in about 1966 when Doc Richards owned all of the upper hillside. Originally Higuera Rd did not extend past where the cut-through is located, so Doc Richards removed dirt from the hillside to create a road bed and extend Higuera Rd to reach his property. The winding evacuation route mentioned above was actually the original driveway his family used, but because he had created the pit, that path became a bit treacherous for daily use so he bulldozed Higuera Highland Ln and moved his driveway. Over the next fifty years this pit became a huge problem as water ponded, trash accumulated and the hillside was slowly tumbling down. It was also the major contributing factor to a landslide that swept down that bit of hillside in 1983-ish. Now that the pit has been restored to grade not only will water stop ponding, but the truck entrance will remain to become a permanent turn around/staging area for emergency vehicles should we have another incident similar to the 2018 grass fire.

In Case of Emergency: Evacuation and Alternative Access