I just got back from going down and back up Wildcat Canyon.
Here's the skinny. First some photos, then some observations.
Here's the barricade at Inspiration Point. I walked through this one.
There is a second barricade on the downhill side of the intersection with El Toyonal (looking downhill). I rode through this one.
Uphill end of the washout looking downhill. With the sandbags in place, there is room for one bike at a time - I'd hate to have to pass someone going the other way.
Washout at the downhill end looking up. The washout is about 3/4 of a mile below El Toyonal. If it weren't for the curve on Wildcat immediately after you turn off the Dam Road, you could see the downhill of the slide from the Dam Rd/Wildcat Canyon intersection. when you start up Wildcat, there is that straight for a bit, then it pitches up some and then there is a slight right hand turn. The washout took out that right hand turn.
Here is the barricade at San Pablo Dam Road, for completeness. I did not ride through it because I was turning around, but I watched someone else ride through it.
Observations:
1. Wildcat Canyon is now a very wide MUP. I saw several parties of walkers/hikers walking three and four abreast. Be aware of this very real possibility.
2. I watched a pick-up truck towing a horse trailer come downhill and turn at El Toyonal. He had to have moved the barricade at Inspiration Point and put it back. (No comment on whether he should or should not have been there, just reporting what I saw.) So while it is unlikely that you will see motor vehicle traffic, it it possible you will. Be alert.
3. When cars travel on Wild Canyon (and other country roads), their tires and the wind they generate helps keep debris, glass and other crap off the road. That is no longer the case. It isn't a problem yet, but it likely will become one in the coming months.
4. Dollars to donuts teenagers at both ends (but I predict especially on the Orinda side) will figure out that the closed road is a primo party location. Teens partying = broken bottles. I strongly suspect that we will see increasing amounts of broken glass on Wildcat, especially near the barricades.
5. The stretch at the washout seemed perfectly safe to ride on. It really is not very wide, though. I really don't think two riders can pass each other, and the fall into the abyss would be seriously not fun. So please be careful coming downhill; there is adequate - but only adequate - room to slow down coming around the last bend before the washout to slow or stop if someone is coming uphill and is in the stretch, but if someone is going all gonzo descender coming around that corner (and it's usually a fast corner), Bad Things could happen. As the Sergeant on "Hill Street Blues" used to say, "let's be careful out there.
6. It really is cool having no cars on the road.