valleys. At the mouth of the Little Sur river are some of the largest sand dunes on the Big Sur coast. About 50 streams flow out of the mountains into the sea. A few of them, including the Big Sur and Little Sur Rivers, Big Creek, Garrapata Creek, and Salmon Creek, are large enough to support anadromous and resident fish. Transportation California State Route 1 runs along the Big Sur coast on the coastal slopes of the range, while U.S. Route 101 lies in the Salinas Valley to the East, and crosses the southern Santa Lucia Range over Cuesta Pass to reach San Luis Obispo. The only other road across the Santa Lucia Range is Nacimiento-Fergusson Road, connecting Lucia to Jolon. Folklore Since at least the 1930s, accounts of encounters with Dark Watchers or Los Vigilantes Oscuros have been associated with the Santa Lucia Range, described as shadowy figures which watch hikers from atop mountain ridges. Contemporary history Pacific Southwest Airlines Flight 1771 crashed in the mountains near Cayucos on December 7, 1987 after a gunman killed both pilots, causing the aircraft to crash. A total of 43 people were killed with no survivors. Wine The Santa Lucia Highlands AVA, an American Viticultural Area and producer of California wine, is located on the southeastern slopes of the mountains, above the Salinas valley. Winds Like the well known Santa Ana winds of Southern California or the Sundowner winds of Santa Barbara, Santa Lucia's Cuesta Grade on Highway 101 has potential to produce some powerful katabatic winds. Temperatures have been recorded jumping 40 degrees F, to 110 F, in just three hours. See also Tierra Redonda Mountain References External links Los Padres National Forest — official Monterey Ranger District website — recreation maps, locations, and info. Ventana Wilderness Alliance — dedicated to the protection, preservation, enhancement, and restoration of the wilderness qualities and biodiversity of the public lands within California's northern Santa Lucia Mountains. California Coast Ranges Mountain ranges of Northern California Mountain ranges of Monterey County, California Mountain ranges of San Luis Obispo County, California Monterey Ranger District, Los Padres National Forest Los Padres National Forest