Aspen Fire - Summer 2013

[John]

Thought this should have its own thread other than on the campfire ban thread.

Some great links from the other thread:
http://www.inciweb.org/incident/3552/
http://wildfiretoday.com/2013/07/24/california-aspen-fire/

[mike a]

thanks john, this is super helpful, the smoke in oakhusr this last weekend was bad in the moning, but by 3pm things cleared up, amy and i climbed at chiltook on fri, and it was blue sky's and real nice there, on sat we were at fresno dome and it was not smokey there as well, we are going back this thursday night, hope the fire mellows out by then.

[susan]

Thanks for the info Mike.

[John]

We are really lucky to have so many personnel and equipment resources available since there currently aren't all that many fires in Cali to dilute the efforts. The stats for this fire say 1800 people are involved! I have so much respect for all firefighters.

[mike a]

morning,grahm posted a real great up date on the fire on fb, and things look way better and he got up to the mile high vista point, so the road to that point seem open, psyched to go back to shuteye area this friday morning :-) happy climbing mike a.

[John]

So Grizzly is still closed? Beasore somewhere? All I am hearing is that you can only access the West side of Shuteye and top (via Central Camp Road, etc.)

[mike a]

morning, not sure on the beasore past the jones store, or grizzly rd, grahm did not say anything about that.

[daniel banquo merrick]

I am planning a trip to the Balls and Squaw  this weekend. Hoping the smoke isn't too bad.


July 31 USFS update:

Road and Trail Closures
Roads:
Stump Springs Road is closed to all traffic due to fire suppression activity. Minarets Road (4S81) from
Fish Creek to Jackass Rock Organization Campground, Grizzly at Beasore Road to Minarets Road are
closed to the public. Residents within the road closure are allowed into the area with valid identification.
Trails:
Per the U.S. Forest Service Closure Order Number 15-13-09, all trails within the Kaiser Wilderness are
closed.


Campground closures within the Sierra National Forest are as follows:
Sample Meadow West Kaiser
Jackass Rock Organization Lower Chiquito
Little Jackass Soda Springs
Placer Sweet Water
China Bar Rock Creek
Mammoth Pool Wagners Mammoth Pool Resort
Fish Creek
The following campgrounds are closed to house firefighters for suppression efforts:
Midge Creek, Badger Flat and Rancheria.

[susan]

Thanks Dan! Still trying to decide where we'll head, so that is great info!

[John]

Almost 18000 acres burnt as of today. That sucks.

[larsj]

Would appreciate the beta on conditions from anyone going up this weekend.  I'm heading up Monday for 5 days.

Thanks

lars

[daniel banquo merrick]

I'm headed up tomorrow. Right now it says the wind is 5-11 mph SE which is bad.

[John]

We didn't find the smoke to be bothersome at all on the ridge or out at the Balls. Grizzly is still closed at Beasore Rd but you can drive all the way around to the end of Beasore and even up Minarets as far as Jackass.

There is actually a "containment date" of August 10th. I suppose that is good that they can schedule that kind of thing.

[larsj]

Thanks for info John.  Will be in the Balls tomorrow for 5 days.

lars

[mungeclimber]

http://www.sierranewsonline.com/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=2445%3Amammoth-pool-road-and-campgrounds-now-open&Itemid=597

Mammoth Pool Road and campground now open