Mariposa Alert!

[John Kasaian]

Big fire!

The historic town of Mariposa has been evacuated. Hwy140 into Yosemite reported closed as well as a portion of Hwy 49. The power lines that supply electricity to Yosemite are in the path of the fire (last I heard) which could make issues for tourists.

If you're on your way to Yosemite or the Gold Country this week I suggest checking conditions before leaving and have a Plan "B"

[John Kasaian]

A map---
http://google.org/crisismap/google.com/2017-detwiler-fire

FWIW the air is really bad here in Fresno---ash on cars parked outside---unhealthy we're warned.
I'd guess the air in Yosemite valley might be far worse. Check before you go.

[Preston]

From our local news in Tuolumne County as of 0700, 7/19: "The incident management team overseeing*the Detwiler Fire reports that the blaze is now 45,724 acres and seven-percent contained."

We have a lot of smoke here in Columbia/ Sonora area this morning. If we get a NW breeze, this will push the smoke SE, which will certainly affect Yosemite and the Sierra.

Be safe out there, everyone!
--P

[Drew Wiley]

There are two fires around there now. The main one could easily become far bigger. So far, it's in lower hill country brush containing lots of creosote which burns like crazy. If it jumps uphill into all those dead pines, it will really explode. A lot of smoke is no doubt siphoning upcanyon into Yosemite. My only family member in that area is about fifteen miles south of the fire, but has been very concerned about how, when new transmission lines were put through, they never bothered to come back and remove their brush piles.

[tgtaylor]

Coulterville and Greely Hill added to the evacuation order: http://abc30.com/news/evacuation-ordered-for-coulterville-and-greeley-hill-area-due-to-the-detwiler-fire/2229350/

There are a couple of 8x10 shots for alternative printing that I need to take and yesterday I was on the park's website and saw the smoke alert but I couldn't find any information where it was coming from even though I googled. From today's webcams it appears that the smoke is heavily impacting the west side of the park (up to El Cap) but little impact so far on the eastern side.

Thomas

[Drew Wiley]

The smoke seems awful. My nephew & family just headed for vacation to San Diego to get away from the smoke, after checking with the Forest Service. The fire is headed the other direction. If it's near Coulterville, it's jumped the river. Sure glad I got my dream hike on the Lyell Fork Upper Merced last yr. The other fire is lower Cherry Cr area, which will smoke impact northern Yos and Emigrant.

[tgtaylor]

What route did you take Drew: up the Merced; over Vogelsang and then up Lyell Fork? Did you do a loop e.g., over the pass by Electra peak or something else?

Thomas

[Drew Wiley]

I went from Granite Cr over Post Peak Pass, dropped into the upper gorge. Just recently printed a couple of color shots. Didn't see anyone else for a week (two wk trip). Then a nice cross-country loop around Harriet bench. Again, nobody. Almost no evidence of humans except obsidian chips. Lots of fresh bighorn sign. Trying to get in shape for a visit to TunemahBasin in Sept. At my age, that will be a long slog. But as always, I'll have a Plan B&C due to fire issues. Still amazes me - 30,000 people in Yos Valley at the same time I had a place even more scenic all to myself (and the person hiking with me), on the very same stream. That kind of experience has happened five years in a row now.

[Drew Wiley]

Well, the smoke is over the top. Lots of it. The previous Coulterville fire a couple summer's ago, I could see and smell smoke halfway across Nevada. You'd have to get well south of Mono Basin on the East Side I imagine. Do what I did - go to the Ruby Mtns in Nevada. They're gorgeous and uncrowded.

[David Karp]

Hey Drew! Thanks for the additional updates. Good to see you posting. You have not seen Randy Moe anywhere lately, have you? Miss him too.

[xkaes]

Do what I did - go to the Ruby Mtns in Nevada. They're gorgeous and uncrowded.

Good idea. Get there and take some shots before they are burned into ashes as well. In many ways, we are the recorders of history, but don't know it. I can't tell you how many places that I've photographed that are no longer there -- and never will be again. But it's not just fires and global warming. The National Forest Service here in Colorado is planning a major change for the Conundrum Hot Springs near Aspen. It's a ten mile hike to get to it, but so many people have been trashing it out, the Forest Service crews take out over 100 pound of human shit every month -- no kidding. And these "users" are supposedly people who love the Earth.

[Drew Wiley]

Oh, I rarely online anymore. Resting my feet today after a good hill workout with wonderful light in the redwoods. Gotta start lugging heavy ladders again and keep the outdoor painting going. But I've also got a couple of the enlarges loaded.

[John Kasaian]

The sky here in Fresno looks like the sky in Riverside County because of all the smoke. I also heard reports that Half Dome, Glacier Point and El Cap are obscured from the valley floor. A crummy deal for tourists on their first trip to YNP.

[Drew Wiley]

Our news here has had plenty of shots of the smoke in Yosemite. The veil of haze is well across Nevada now, and this fire is just getting traction. This is just a foothill fire. With tens of millions of dead pines at mid elevations, things could get a lot worse. It utterly amazes me how little is being done proactively. Twenty foot brush clearance around structures??? You gotta be kidding. I kept a 3-acre perimeter, and still it was a close call at times.

[John Kasaian]

I just heard from a friend on a ranch in Midpines that they have been with intermittent power for a few days and some neighbors have already been evacuated.

[Drew Wiley]

Lots of coverage on tonite's news again. Hope Coulterville survives. It has some interesting old blogs. Drove thru there in Apr. All the pine zone above there burned almost completely two or three years ago. I got some nice shots of the burn area soon after. The lower hill country will recover fine. There will be fabulous green and wildflowers in a couple of years, the brush will all be back in 30 or 40 years, and everyone will forget and get burnt out again. I feel sorry for the people of course. The pine dieoff is an entirely different story and climate change related. We might be losing the lovely sugar pines for good, since they live in such a narrow zone.

[tgtaylor]

I went from Granite Cr over Post Peak Pass, dropped into the upper gorge. Just recently printed a couple of color shots. Didn't see anyone else for a week (two wk trip). Then a nice cross-country loop around Harriet bench. Again, nobody. Almost no evidence of humans except obsidian chips. Lots of fresh bighorn sign. Trying to get in shape for a visit to TunemahBasin in Sept. At my age, that will be a long slog. But as always, I'll have a Plan B&C due to fire issues. Still amazes me - 30,000 people in Yos Valley at the same time I had a place even more scenic all to myself (and the person hiking with me), on the very same stream. That kind of experience has happened five years in a row now.

Looks like an interesting trip Drew. My big USGS Typo shows a road crossing Miller creek to the south and north to what appears could be a TH just shy of Granite Creek. A foot path heads NW from there towards Fernandez Pass branching at West Creek with the NE branch leading over Post Peak and Isberg Pass. Is that the route that you took going in? I guess that by Harriet Bench you mean the area around Harriet Lake. Did you skirt around Foerster Peak towards Electra Peak or did you drop down to the foot path crossing Foerster Creek about 2 clicks to the east and follow it to the Lyell fork? Finally how did you get back to the car?

I heard on the news a little earlier that they are going to let Mariposa residents back in starting sometime today. Although the fire is only 15% contained, it is heading in a southerly direction and they have the town's southern edge protected. Meanwhile there's plenty of camp space available in the valley - 35 tent spots in Camp 4 alone.

Thomas

[Drew Wiley]

There are lots of potential variations, depending on how comfortable on off-trail travel, schedule, and type of year (last yr was drought, so some stretches without water). This trip I wanted to shoot.weird Porphry Lk, so went over Post Peak Pass instead of Isberg. Easiest trailhead is Norris Cr, which is also convenient for lakes on the S side of the Clark Range. Post Peak is a long ridge with fantastic views; but you obviously don't want to be up there during a storm. You drop straight down to big meadows, and from there tot a trail fork. The quieter "high trail" eventually hits the rim of the canyon and switchbacks down to the Lyell Fork. It's an easy upstream across slabs to the famous but pristine meadows, near the confluence of Hutchings Cr. I got meet someone for lunch, so will post about Harriet Bench later.

[Drew Wiley]

If you're still tuned in, Thomas, I did a clockwise 4-day clockwise loop hitting all the lakes on Harriet Bench except one. Once you're above timber it's easy to plan a route; below that, a GPS might be handy. Don't try it from way down in the Lyell Fork, but well before the dropoff into the swichbacks. Some areas require care, but not bad except for no protection from wind around Harriet Lk itself. Even thr eagles and dragonflies were nearly tame. Not many people get in there. If you want to cross over the top to Blue Lk and Bench Can it can be dangerous if you don't cross at the right spot above Harriet. We didn't have enough time. Another trip. Meanwhile, lots more fire coverage on the news. They're expecting another 50 homes to burn tonite, which is saying a lot, since property is spaced a long ways apart in that area. They just stated that it will probably take another month to contain, at a million dollars a day.

[Preston]

The Detwiler Fire (http://www.fire.ca.gov/current_incidents/incidentdetails/Index/1672) is 76,500 Ac. and is 50% contained as of this morning, 7/24.

If you plan to travel in the area, be sure note any road closures.
--Be Safe!
--P

[DavidFisk]

There is one ironic benefit to this smoke invasion. I encountered it a few years ago when the fire was to the east of the valley. Yes, it made photographing the iconic shots a no-go. But early morning along the Merced, the sun shone through the smoke and gave a really nice warm glow to Ansel's tree (no longer there) that would not be otherwise the case.

[Drew Wiley]

I got wonderfully surreal shots of Mono Lk during the June Lk fire, but I also sneezed about a week. It seems that most of the smoke has cleared from Yos Valley, but that could just be due to a temporary shift in wind direction. On the upper Merced last yr there was just enough veil of smoke over the peaks to create a wonderful sense of atmosphere, both with color and b&w film.

[Preston]

Smoke production from the Detwiler fire is much reduced due ongoing containment efforts. There will likely be some smoke generated when unburned islands torch out as time goes on. The fire is 81,826 acres - 90% contained as of today.

There are two fires in the Sonora/ Jamestown area; the Twist and Jacksonville fires. The Twist Fire is 180 Ac and 50% contained. The Jacksonville Fire is 690 acres - 73% contained. Both fires are still producing some smoke that may drift into the higher Sierra.

If you plan to travel in these areas, be cautious of fire apparatus and personnel.

Be safe out there, everyone.
--P

[Drew Wiley]

Thanks, Preston. I hope you still have opportunities to slip up to Sonora Pass. I'm still keeping my fingers crossed about a lengthy west-side trip next month. I still recall your "death march" story about a single dad east to west crossing over Forester Pass. It would sure be nice to have that kind of energy again. I might be a lot slower now, but I'm certainly not any smarter!

[tgtaylor]

Crossing the San Joaquin near Muir Ranch a few days ago:


https://youtu.be/OcPfvxqliZ8

Thomas

[Preston]

Drew, it is good see you back here again!

In fact, Lon Overacker and I headed up to Sonora Pass on Saturday for a couple nights. We will be digital capture this time around.

Yeah, I wish I still had the kind of energy I had then! Forester Pass at night, in a storm was pretty awesome!
--P

[Vaughn]

Starting to get more smokey up here in NW CA. Tis the season...

[Drew Wiley]

Here on SF Bay, it's the reverse airflow of monsoon activity over the SW and southern Sierra that is importing smoky haze and some heat. My own place is up ten degrees to around 65F, but that rapidly climbs not far away. Once normal flow resumes, some smoke might head back toward Yos. We have a few fires of our own too.

[Drew Wiley]

Preston, my main backpacking partner over the past several years likes to do nighttime digi videos of men storms. We've been in some humdingers! I still pack a film 4x5 on those long trips, though I now also have the option of a Fuji 69 RF.

[Drew Wiley]

Weird typo, sorry. This dumbphone shifted mtn into men automatically.

[tgtaylor]

Latest from the trail:

Just did Silver Pass three days ago [Thursday]. Pass had about 150 yards of snow and about 50' steep with good boot tracks. Great glissade for NoBos. Crossing at the waterfall is easy wade or you can make it rock hopping with good balance. Just after that (SoBo) there is a crossing flowing fast over the trail. Spur trails leads about 200 feet downstream to slower flow crossing. Need to feel for deep holes with your poles because you can't see the bottom (bubbles in the water from fast flow above). I crossed about 24" deep without falling in any of the holes at noon. It didn't seem dangerous to me and no need to divert to Goodale unless for other reasons. There were thunderstorms with lightning stricking the passes, so as always, keep your eyes on the weather when doing a pass. Should also not be dangerous as long as you are safe and don't try to race a storm.

Thomas

[Drew Wiley]

Wow! The Silver Divide is my old backyard. I had two first ascents up there, and innumerable other misadventures. Hard to imagine there were still several live glaciers up there when I was a kid. Hope you got some nice shots. Last time I was there was maybe six years ago, but I got pinned down in a blizzard for four days, and got only two shots.

[Drew Wiley]

Oh, just noticed your earlier post... The Muir Trail Ranch was founded by a "next door neighbor" (five miles away with quite a hill and cliff in between. Then it was inherited by the daughters I went to school with. I sold my ranch a few years ago in anticipation of endless catch-up repairs here on the coast. Anyway, during their teen years, those two gals would disappear on horseback into the high country entire summers at a time, living off their fishing poles.

[Preston]

Just thought I would add a note here about Sonora Pass. Lon and I had a great time this past weekend! Saturday was very smoky due a fire near Eureka Valley, but a big T-storm cell came through late in the day and dumped about 2 inches of rain in a hour that cleared out the smoke.

Sunday and Monday were beautiful with some cloudiness and T-storm activity East of the crest out near the Sweetwater Range. The amount of water in the creeks was amazing given it is August, and there are still decent snow patches on the peaks. Right now, the lupine and corn lilies are plentiful and very beautiful in the meadows above 9,000 feet. We did not see any bug killed trees, since the trees up there are lodgepole, western juniper, whitebark pine, and red fir.

If you have an itch to see the high country without the crowds of Tioga, Sonora Pass will fill the bill in spades.
--P

[tgtaylor]

If you will be on the Eastern Sierra this weekend, you may want to check out Bodie Day at Bodie State Park: http://www.bodiefoundation.org/friends-of-bodie-day/

Thomas

[John Kasaian]

FWIW the Mariposa Fair is Sept 1,2,3 & 4th. IIRC they've really good Indian Fry Bread(taco,) if you're into that.:cool:

[Drew Wiley]

I tweaked my back pretty good shoveling concrete on a cold day (it's barely 50 here right now). So I've got less than a month to get used to a heavy pack again. The camera gear gets packed last, so if I have to, I'll resort to the "nuclear option" and carry a 6x9 Rf, but would prefer a view camera. I've only taken one trip in the high country in the last 35yrs with MF gear, but do use it quite a bit for dayhiking and quickie road shots. There are quite a few spots in NV i'd like to spend more time with, particularly with the 8x10, incl some of the new Natl Monuments before they potentially get dismembered by the usual suspects. Once they let in ATV's and other off-roaders, it won't be long till a lot of the pictographs and petroglyphs get pock-marked with bullet holes and vandalized with spray paint. That was possible before, of course; but now these are heavily publicized places due to all the controversy. Alas, my truck AC is still not fixed.

[John Kasaian]

Drew, if I see you at the Mariposa Fair, I'll buy lunch---( Indian fry bread)

[Vaughn]

Just did a quick overnight hike in the redwoods. Just took the Rolleicord. Nice to get out and away!

[Drew Wiley]

I'm staying around here all month. Lots of projects and need to work out with heavy packs again getting ready for the high country. Printed some Nikon and 6X9 shots today, taken over the past ten days pampering my back. Won't be much eclipse visibility here - lots of fog lately.