PCT 16 - Fires of California

PCT 16 - Fires of California

Smoke has filled the air pretty much since we left Lake Tahoe. Each
day we walk north another section of trail closes as new fires are
found benieth the haze of old ones. The first real fire that we saw
was the American River Complex just west of the trail at Donner Pass.
That fire was burning about 10 miles away yet causing the sky to turn
an orange haze that covered most of the Tahoe Basin. Luckly we passed
that fire high above along Squaw Valley Ski Resort.

The next fire was actually a complex of seven fires, called the Butte/
Canyon Complex. This one was more of an impediment. When we arrived in
Sierra City, about 130 miles of trail were closed, with the towns of
Belden and Bucks Lake on fire. It was then that the full impact of the
California fires could be felt. It was not so much that there were
fires, this is a normal part of Western Wildland Forests. But that
there were soo many all started on the same day, summer solstice. That
storm hit while we were on Muir Pass (11500'). A dark cloud growing in
mass as it hit the Sierras, in the end only snow came of it for us.
Yet for the rest of California, it hit like Thors Hammer.

We had to hitch and take a bus to get around that complex of fires.
Along the roads and towns we saw the small armies set up to attack the
blazes. Schools and roads filled with the green forest service
engines. Finally we were back on trail after Chester. Behind us that
evening the smoke was thick in the air and we could see the orange
glow from the fire behind us. We were back on trail at the half way
point heading into Lassen.

Three days later we have decided to jump the last of California 250
miles. Smoke has moved in from the Coastal and Kalamth Fires. Most of
that length
Is closed to a series of fires just discovered that have gone un-
noticed due to the high amounts of smoke from the Shasts-Trinity
Complex. It is best to take the out to Oregon and call the 1377 miles
hiked in California good. We after all have still about 1000 miles
more to walk for Oregon and Washington. On to the Cascades and thier
snow.

-- Ridgewalker
山武士

From the backcountry mile
Ridgewalker
山武士
Http://ridgewalkernw.blogspot.com