Chimney Peak Fire Aftermath Revisited

A careless and totally irresponsible person built a huge campfire in the early afternoon of June 1, 2016, which ignited the nearest tree and a fire roared up the canyon.

Chimney Peak Fire on June 1 as viewed from Kennedy Meadows

On August 6, we decided to visit the start of the fire and follow Chimney Peak Road up from the start of the fire up the canyon which more or less is close to the actual path of the fire.  It was quite something to stop and visualize how it made it's way up and over to Kennedy Meadows Road.

At one point about half-way, we stopped and walked a trail which used to go into a Pinyon forest.

Eerie but mostly extremely sad....for I will never see trees here again, I believe my grandchildren will not see trees here....perhaps my grandchildren's children because:

It takes a long time to grow a forest;
It takes a longer time to grow and alpine forest
It takes even a longer time to grow an arid, alpine forest
It takes even longer to grow a Pinyon Forest....For,
The only way to replant a Pinyon Forest is for the raucous Pinyon Jay to plant it.
They can take up to 20,000 of the peanut sized Pinyon pine nuts and bury them for future food.  But they can only remember where they put about 80% of them.  Of the remaining 20% a few may germinate.  But who knows when the Pinyon Jays will decide to start planting here??

A short distance will reveal the damage

The black sand now scorched by the sun was too hot for the dog to walk upon

Already some green, how can that be?

Stood in the center, of the burnt area, a strong breeze blew a hot wind, trying to imagine the June 2 inferno

This is what's left of a grand old Juniper, who by the looks of it, gave the fire a good fight, but it too lost

Eerily it seems the wind has blown the black ash away to guide ones way

I take many pictures of trees as I look at them as a wonderful art piece.  Sadly this tree gave its all in this sculpture.

Mountain Motorcycle Maintenance & Motoring Weekend

I have come to learn a family cannot have too many motorcycles.  I only have three, all Yamahas, a 2007 XT 225, a 1984 XT600 (cannot get it started) and my ride of choice a 1983 XT550 aka "The Beast".  Son Brian has a similar sized herd but, on average, are considerably younger than mine.

Regardless of age they all need some TLC now and then and our plan was Saturday maintenance and Sunday ride.  So some got new oil & filters, some just got looked over and The Beast got new clutch plates and pads.  I wore them out practicing the new technique (for me) of, at low speed, controlling the speed with the clutch rather than the throttle. We started on my bike at 9:00 pm on Saturday and by 12:30 am The Beast was ready!

About twelve or thirteen hours from the previous picture.....Here we are about half way to our goal of Monache Meadows.....Up the paved Five Mile Road to the Jackass turn-off and an old forest service road, and one single track behind me.  Son Brian and I enjoying the cool of the forest shade.

One more single track and then the famous undulating Monache jeep trail down to the Meadow.   

 In our ride we completed a circle of the entire meadow, including a stop for lunch in the middle.

 Here is me and The Beast and my neighbor, Max in the waaaaay back.....by choice I might add.

 We asked our relatively new neighbor, Max, if he wanted to join us.  He enthusiastically did.  I had no idea that he'd been riding and racing dirt for 50 plus years.  Let's just say his skill level is on another planet, compared to mine.  Later Max's wife would say she was using the SPOT tracking function and she was a little concerned, because our average speed was so slow....mmmm, couldn't figure out who the cause of that would be.

Had a great ride back, except for maybe when  a rock jumped in front of me and I again laid The Beast down, and broke the brake handle.  Fortunately, I had a spare.....this event took place not far from where I laid a bike down and broke a clutch handle on a trip a year or two ago....had a spare of that too.  I have come to the conclusion, that in mountain dirt riding one of the most important things to learn is how to safely get off a bike....this I am getting good at.

But the overall highlight for me was a big first for me...I managed to just keep going and jump/climb over a tree which was over the trail...not a large tree, maybe eight inches in diameter and a couple of inches off the ground...all my practice paid off....give it gas, pull up on handles, weight to the back. Magically the bike easily climbs over...hubba hubba

It was a great Mountain, Motorcycle, Maintenance & Motoring weekend!

Chimney Peak Fire Update

June 2 9:00 a.m.

Went down Kenndey Meadows Road about 13 miles and was met by the Sherif's Dept.

My discussion with Deputy:

Kennedy Meadows Road Status

1) Kennedy  Meadows Road is still closed.
2) Expect it to open today.  No idea when.  Primary reason for being closed is Fire Fighter safety as there is a lot of equipment and personnel on the road.
3) If there is a ROAD CLOSED sign at bottom of 9 Mile...DO NOT Drive up.  The Deputy said he's written several tickets to individuals who ignored the sign and came up.

Fire Status and Rumors (not given by any official statement)

1) Fire is under control but a lot of work being done to prevent a flare up, still very dangerous fire.
2) Fire rumored to have started at Chimney Peak Campground...meaning "man" or "PCTer" caused.

The following picture is looking primarily west.  Chimney Peak Campground is way back and further to the left.  Note the current fire line on the mountain...gray vs green or dark.  Fire also went up the valley to the left (not seen in picture) and crossed KM Road. The Hot Shot said they need to stop it where it is at.

From Kennedy Meadows Road

 I had a lengthy discussion with a "Hot Shot" who was spotting and learned about how they fight fires, train, call in tankers etc. which I will write further about in a future post.

What Does This Fire Season Look Like?
Lastly, I asked him how he thought this year might be for fires versus the last couple of years, thinking that with our increased winter precipitation, it'd be much better. Much to my surprise he said, "Worse!"  The reason is:
 We need two or more years of wet winter and springs to get the "heavy" forest fuel less combustible.  With only one wetter  year it will start fairly quickly.  The kicker is that with all or our precipitation there will be an overabundance of "light" fuel (grasses and the like) which is beginning to dry out.  It takes almost nothing to get this fuel going to set off the heavy fuel.  So our wet winter is a double edged sword.

We must all be careful.

Chimney Peak Fire, (as viewed from Kennedy Meadows)

June 1, 2016, 3:57 p.m.

I looked up from my mountain perch and did not like what I saw!!!!!  

FIRE in the Distance!!!

Photos look southeast over Kennedy Meadows (Ducor and Grumpy Bears in center, slightly left).

3:52 pm 6/1/2016

A quick telephone call and I learned that the fire is ten or so miles down Kennedy Meadows Road, near the Chimney Peak Ranger Station on the west side of the road. (I was later to learn that the fire eventually jumped Kennedy Meadows Road.)

Arrrgh! Cell phone battery dies and no charger!!  I watch for a while then decide to go charge phone and return with phone and charger.

6:01 p.m., June 1 2016

6:03 p.m. June 1 2016

 About 6:20 p.m. we hear the whine of a siren coming down 5 Mile Road. From our perch, we eventually see two green Forest Service fire engines screaming down Kennedy Meadows Road.

6:25 p.m., June 1, 2016

At about 6:25 we hear the rumbling of a prop plane off to our rear and right.  To the west we see a big blue tail (and assume) it is a fire fighting tanker lumbering on.  It is flying south and as it goes beyond the distant ridge it banks left and heads directly towards the fire. It descends and it soon disappears from our sight.  

About five minutes later, two small four-engine jets with red tails follow the same path.  A quick Google search. Google photos suggest these two slow moving jets are also most likely tankers for fire fighting. 

6:43 p.m, June 1, 2016

7:37 p.m. June 1 2016

For the last thirty minutes or more we cannot see any more billowing smoke with it just hanging almost static. We are now assuming things at the scene are probably getting under control.  The scene doesn't change much as darkness overcomes the landscape.

June 2, Pre-Dawn

I awoke before light and as the dawn was coming into full bloom I hiked up to yesterday's vantage point and was pleased to see completely clear skies with no signs of smoke.

June 2, 2016; dawn 6:03 a.m.

A trip down Kennedy Meadow Road today will be in order.

More Snow

Sunday November 16 and the forecast was for snow in the late morning and then beginning again in early evening.  We were not to be disappointed.  Snowed about an inch or two late morning to our delight with temps just about at freezing.

The sun came out and the snow quickly disappeared. But just at the dinner hour, it began again and gently snowed for several hours to a depth of about 2 inches. We ventured out to enjoy the crisp air and big flakes in the light of the headlamps.

Decision time: 1) head down the hill and go to bed or 2) take the ATV out for a spin up and down the private road for a while. It was not a difficult decision:

Yours truly and son Brian

Nothing like a spur of the moment ride.

WAKE UP!

The next morning I was once again greeted with the wonderment of four inches of fresh snow.  I have learned that one has to get out and enjoy it immediately.  For as the sun nears noon, the trees have lost most of their snow coats and by late afternoon most all is gone.  But oh those first few hours!

Sunrise

Rabbit tracks from atop the hill

Even Sage Brush looks Great

In this continuing drought it is as if each needle is holding tight at a water source

Another Blessed Day. How wonderful the colors of nature are.  What a palette!!

A Move, An Old Friend, Season's First Snow

In 1901 John Muir wrote: "Thousands of tired, nerve-shaken, over-civilized people are beginning to find out that going to the mountains is going home."

Are John Muir's 100 plus year old words true for today?  It is with these words in mind our mountain experience expands from weekend enjoyment to full time.  It is now three and a half weeks since "the move" and now is the time to begin anew with some postings.

The Move
As we were about to leave our quiet San Gabriel neighborhood, with Mary at the wheel of the pick-up and me about to get in the U Haul, our neighbor came out to say goodbye and to wish us well. Her final and parting words were: "Look at you two! Just like two teenagers off on some grand adventure." These words have come back to me occasionally with cause for contemplation. ....Was she saying we are crazy and irresponsible??

October 15 is the time of year many mountaineers are saying, "Goodbye 'til spring"  I have always enjoyed Minnesota winters of my youth, so it is now with great anticipation what this winter shall bring...."Bring it on El Nino!"  I hope I shall not regret these words.

This is Mary and my 14th married move and the fourth in our four California years.  Of all the moves, this mountain move has presented us with the most and varied unique challenges. The individual details are not so interesting, but being so remote, up the mountain, "off the grid", 45 miles from a hardware store and 55 to a grocery store, does require some new planning and discipline techniques. One becomes intimately familiar with solar systems, wells and pumps, water storage, generators, satellite internet and phone (NO CELL PHONES SERVICE) and then cram everything into a small space.  Oh ya, make room for and keep Mary's internet business going.  Yes challenges are many, but none yet a cause for discouragement, rather a sense of accomplishment when successfully dealt with.

This after ten trips with the pick-up and it's not going to all fit.

The Greeting 

An Old Friend at the Door
The forecast for Tuesday November 3 was one of rain, then with falling temps, snow.  It was this turn in the weather which excited  me.  We got everything ready as a slight rain began at nightfall.  It was a quiet evening and one enjoying the relaxation only a cozy cabin can bring when suddenly, not five feet away staring in our glassed French doors from our deck was the unmistakable pointed face of a fox. He just stood and stared at us, almost as if asking to come in to enjoy our warmth. As he slowly turned and left I saw the distinguishing black striped tail of a Gray Fox.  I wrote of our first sighting in an April post [The Gray Fox].  We retired shortly thereafter with an occasional dusting of snow in the pitch black air.

The First Snow of the Season
We awoke at sunrise to see a white mountain wonderland! Our electricity was out as the solar system had gone "off" on low battery.  With a fresh 3 inches of the snow, the trip to the generator in pj's, robe and boots was an enjoyable one indeed.

View from Deck as I was about to go start generator.

A little later, scrambled eggs eaten and coffee finished, the conclusion was the planned activities would have to wait...It was time for a hike.  Bright sun, wispy white clouds against the blue sky and mountains of Pinyon Pine, their boughs dressed in coats of brilliant white snow. The soft low crunch sounds my boots made in the wet snow brought me back to Boy Scout winter camping trips decades ago.

Hiked Up a Bit to get a Grand View...The Domeland Wilderness Area in the far distance

There is something extraordinary about the ordinary.

Our Cabin Awaits Our Return

We followed rabbit tracks for a time and then, later as we sat outside on the deck, without a jacket, enjoying the sun's warmth, I couldn't help but think.....John Muir just might be right!

"Girzzley Bear", or "Mojave" or "Oldman" Prickly Pear Cactus; Opuntia polyacantha var erinacea, with Bright Yellow Flowers

Prickly Pear Cactus Observations

Late June finally had an excuse/opportunity to learn something of the cactus which grows around here.  On early visits here, I noticed that there were quite a few relatively small cactus around. Often they would be in the shade of a Sage Brush or Pinyon Pine.  While it is very dry and very hot much of the year here, it quite often goes below freezing and quite often much colder. Plus, in "normal" non-drought years there can be significant snow fall. Not the place I would expect to find cactus. Up to this point I just gave this a glancing and occasional thought.

Mid to Late afternoon Saturday June 20, I was enjoying the shade of  our covered deck area when I noticed a bright yellow flower some 50 or so feet away.  All flowers I've seen nearby have been small and delicate and this was gigantic in comparison.

I had never seen such a huge flower here, so this was something to get excited about. 

Cactus #1---One Blooming Flower but Perhaps Many More to Come

Flowers Were filled with insects---ants, bees, wasps and not sure what all.

As I neared this first cactus a second cactus of six blooming flowers came into view!

Cactus # 2

This was getting even more exciting!  Looks like more buds on this one too!  

Later, in the early evening, I was very surprised to see the flower totally closed up......

but felt that tomorrow would be a grand day.

Cactus #2  Six Flowers Closed for the night---so I thought.

Next morning I awoke and walked out to see the progress on cactus #1 & #2.  Seemed like all was normal, but there would be another flower on cactus #1.  Check mid to late morning and I was surprised to only see one flower beginning to open....

Following is Cactus #2 in a sequence of three pictures......

 Begins with my first sighting Saturday afternoon.

Catctus # 2-----Mid day Saturday---6 Blooms

Cactus #2----Early Sunday Morning--But only one Bud going to Open

Cactus #2----Mid Day Sunday with but one Bloom

I thought this must be quite a unique plant which made this quite exciting!  But I was soon to discover this characteristic not so unique, for:  All cactus flowers are for but a single day.

Over the course of the next days and two weeks

I was to search and discover quite a few more plants with the same stunning flowers.

Some of the local Prickly Pear names of this are: "Grizzly Bear" or "Mojave" or "Old Man"

Its scientific name: Opuntia polyacantha var. erinacea  

AND Each flower gave us ONE DAY ONLY enjoyment with  their Yellow Brilliance!!!