High Sierra Topix

Wow, check this out.
http://www.nasa.gov/image-feature/godda ... rnia-fires

Over 39,000 acres, and only 3% contained.
http://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/4456/

Just a heads up to anyone going out this weekend.
In Mammoth today, awoke to hazy (at best) skies - where yesterday totally blue, today smoke fills the area's sky - visibility, maybe a mile.
Wind from the southwest and driving in tons of ash...sigh.

Was supposed to do the Rae Lakes loop, but the Rough Fire had other plans for us. Went up to Hamilton Lakes on the HST instead. Smoke not too bad at Hamilton, Got worse the closer you got to Crescent Meadow. Noticed ash on the tent at Hamilton.

I was at Lodgepole campground on Tuesday night of this week ahead of a 5=day trip I was going to do over Silliman Pass to the Tablelands and back out via Pear Lake. The smoke was so bad on Tuesday and Wednesday morning that the closest ridges were barely visible. Later I learned 7,000 more acres had burned Monday afternoon. I had ash on my tent Tuesday night. I decided not to go because the air quality was so poor and I didn't think it would be good for me to exert and breathe the smoky air. It was for me the worst smoke conditions I've experienced while at a trailhead ahead of a backpack trip . Still, it wasn't an easy decision not to go (other people were involved). But indications (at least my assessment of them) were it (smoke conditions) probably weren't going to get better. You never know for certain, though, and the conditions could have been better in the high country, but it looked socked in up there too. I had a smoke cough for a day when I got back to Fresno. In all my years of backpacking I've never dropped out of an organized trip due to smoke.

markskor wrote:Just a heads up to anyone going out this weekend.
In Mammoth today, awoke to hazy (at best) skies - where yesterday totally blue, today smoke fills the area's sky - visibility, maybe a mile.
Wind from the southwest and driving in tons of ash...sigh.

Mark, any better today? (hopeful)
I have a permit out of n.lake/Paiute tomorrow. Call the white Mtn Ranger Sta; says air is unhealthful. *sigh* Need to go to plan B whatever that is.

Austex,

Two webcams for you:

Mammoth mountain caltrans cam: http://www.dot.ca.gov/dist9/cctv/

Bishop towards Mt. Humphreys: http://bishopweather.com/

Looks yucky.

Thanks Russ. I have my Klymit LWD all set to go to Puppet. In PHL flying to LAX tonight; will have to do some thinking!

austex wrote: Mark, any better today? (hopeful)
I have a permit out of n.lake/Paiute tomorrow. Call the white Mtn Ranger Sta; says air is unhealthful. *sigh* Need to go to plan B whatever that is.

Better today - wind abated.
Whatever, I would still go but expect some smoke regardless.