Nature
Pico Blanco, a prominent Big Sur mountain in California’s Santa Lucia Range, is nearly encircled by the Little Sur River and is named for the pale limestone near its summit. In Esselen tradition, it is a sacred place of origin, the only land left above a world-destroying flood before life was renewed. The mountain is also notable for an unusually pure limestone deposit, which prompted quarrying plans after Graniterock bought land and mineral rights there in 1963, leading to prolonged regulatory disputes. Surveyors, travelers, and local folklore have further shaped its history, especially the enduring tale of Alfred King Clark’s supposed hidden cavern.
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California · United States