Southern Yosemite Climbing Discussions

Southern Yosemite Categories => General Discussion => Topic started by: John on July 29, 2013, 06:47:17 am

Title: Aspen Fire - Summer 2013
Post by: John on July 29, 2013, 06:47:17 am
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://www.inciweb.org/incident/3552/)
http://wildfiretoday.com/2013/07/24/california-aspen-fire/ (http://wildfiretoday.com/2013/07/24/california-aspen-fire/)
Title: Re: Aspen Fire - Summer 2013
Post by: mike a on July 29, 2013, 07:51:42 am
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.
Title: Re: Aspen Fire - Summer 2013
Post by: susan on July 30, 2013, 06:08:05 am
Thanks for the info Mike.
Title: Re: Aspen Fire - Summer 2013
Post by: John on July 31, 2013, 08:05:38 am
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.
Title: Re: Aspen Fire - Summer 2013
Post by: mike a on July 31, 2013, 09:46:24 am
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.
Title: Re: Aspen Fire - Summer 2013
Post by: John on July 31, 2013, 10:36:54 am
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.)
Title: Re: Aspen Fire - Summer 2013
Post by: mike a on July 31, 2013, 11:21:59 am
morning, not sure on the beasore past the jones store, or grizzly rd, grahm did not say anything about that.
Title: Re: Aspen Fire - Summer 2013
Post by: daniel banquo merrick on August 01, 2013, 09:09:28 am
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.
Title: Re: Aspen Fire - Summer 2013
Post by: susan on August 01, 2013, 09:52:12 am
Thanks Dan! Still trying to decide where we'll head, so that is great info!
Title: Re: Aspen Fire - Summer 2013
Post by: John on August 02, 2013, 07:29:47 am
Almost 18000 acres burnt as of today. That sucks.
Title: Re: Aspen Fire - Summer 2013
Post by: larsj on August 02, 2013, 02:26:12 pm
Would appreciate the beta on conditions from anyone going up this weekend.  I'm heading up Monday for 5 days.

Thanks

lars
Title: Re: Aspen Fire - Summer 2013
Post by: daniel banquo merrick on August 02, 2013, 05:07:02 pm
I'm headed up tomorrow. Right now it says the wind is 5-11 mph SE which is bad.
Title: Re: Aspen Fire - Summer 2013
Post by: John on August 04, 2013, 09:19:47 pm
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.
Title: Re: Aspen Fire - Summer 2013
Post by: larsj on August 04, 2013, 09:36:28 pm
Thanks for info John.  Will be in the Balls tomorrow for 5 days.

lars
Title: Re: Aspen Fire - Summer 2013
Post by: mungeclimber on August 07, 2013, 11:00:50 pm
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
Title: Re: Aspen Fire - Summer 2013
Post by: John on August 08, 2013, 07:06:37 am
Great news. Let the healing begin I suppose.
Title: Re: Aspen Fire - Summer 2013
Post by: susan on August 08, 2013, 09:24:34 am
Yeah!
Title: Re: Aspen Fire - Summer 2013
Post by: John on August 19, 2013, 06:04:05 am
We were surprised to see the flames still visible at night from so far away. Then, on sunday we saw a dark weather patch of thunder and lightning pass through and start a small fire a little north of Mammoth Pools. I sure hope it got put out.
Title: Re: Aspen Fire - Summer 2013
Post by: susan on August 19, 2013, 02:30:46 pm
This is the new fire that had started.
(http://i956.photobucket.com/albums/ae47/setageus/P1030262.jpg)

Here's a shot showing the smoke still brewing from the old Aspen fire
(http://i956.photobucket.com/albums/ae47/setageus/P1030232.jpg)
Title: Re: Aspen Fire - Summer 2013
Post by: DaveyTree on August 19, 2013, 10:51:50 pm
Cool shot. Looks like fog.
Title: Re: Aspen Fire - Summer 2013
Post by: mungeclimber on August 23, 2013, 12:00:25 am
How are smoke conditions in the region right now?

thx for any beta
Title: Re: Aspen Fire - Summer 2013
Post by: susan on August 23, 2013, 01:31:40 am
A ok, Munge, Cmon out and text us....
Title: Re: Aspen Fire - Summer 2013
Post by: mungeclimber on August 23, 2013, 04:54:23 pm
Got the message. heading out tonight.

anyone else going to be in the area next week?  Got time off and I'm going to climb some stuff.

Title: Re: Aspen Fire - Summer 2013
Post by: susan on August 26, 2013, 10:35:05 am
Friday was clear except we could still see a couple of wisps of smoke from the Aspen blaze. Saturday the wind blew in a light haze of smoke but nothing too bad at all. Sunday we couldn't spot any lines of smoke, but the air quality was not quite back to the usual pristine clarity though much improved.
Title: Re: Aspen Fire - Summer 2013
Post by: susan on October 01, 2013, 11:10:31 am
The hillside visible from Minaret's Road across from Mile High and westward look ravaged right now. Saw a thick column of smoke rising out of those hills east of the overlook last Sunday. Nothing too bad I guess. Though there are many miles of evergreens still standing out there that don't look like they'll ever be green again.

Title: Re: Aspen Fire - Summer 2013
Post by: John on June 17, 2014, 08:01:45 am
This is out on Stump Spring Rd amongst the carnage from the Aspen Fire. I think it was originally put up at a time that there was lush growth and the sign was celebrating the process of replanting after a big fire. Someday another sign will hopefully replace it and will be amongst thriving young trees.

(http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g388/jhgodar/P1060739_zpsd665afc0.jpg)