Current Blowdown Info In Western Ansel Adams Wilderness

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maverick
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Current Blowdown Info In Western Ansel Adams Wilderness

Post by maverick »

Here are the most current updates from the Cover Meadow Ranger Station for
those of you who are considering visiting or passing through the Western Side
of the Minarets.
-Crews all working on the Mammoth Trail area.
-Family of five reported 52 trees down on Mammoth Trail to Clover Meadows.
-No work done or current reports of situation in northern section toward Hemlock
Crossing, Stevenson Meadow, or Bench canyon area.
-Water is still flowing, though at lower levels. Long and Chetwood Creeks are
flowing.
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I don't give out specific route information, my belief is that it takes away from the whole adventure spirit of a trip, if you need every inch planned out, you'll have to get that from someone else.

Have a safer backcountry experience by using the HST ReConn Form 2.0, named after Larry Conn, a HST member: http://reconn.org
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Re: Current Blowdown Info In Western Ansel Adams Wilderness

Post by Electra »

I need to post a trip report but i went out of Isberg Trailhead towards Hemlock but continued cross -country to Long Canyon, going over Sadler Peak and to Isberg lakes/Isberg Pass.There were hundreds (probably 200+) of trees down from the crossing of granite creek to the area where the trail descends to Hemlock Crossing. I did not descend to Hemlock so i cannot comment on that section.
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Re: Current Blowdown Info In Western Ansel Adams Wilderness

Post by chrisdiercks »

Thanks for posting this up. Up to now, all the reports I have seen focus on the East side of the Minarets with emphasis on Red's Meadows. Now I know for sure that the "blowdown" extends west as well.
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Re: Current Blowdown Info In Western Ansel Adams Wilderness

Post by rlown »

Was up at Clover Meadow last week. The FS is cleaning up the well-used pack trails quite well. All trails were cleared to Vandeburg, Lillian and Rutherford. The blow-down near Lillian was extensive and we chose to cut the corner on the trail running into lots of down trees on the approach to Lillian. Luckily they were all down in the approximate direction of travel and didn't pose much of an issue.

I've no clue further East.
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Re: Current Blowdown Info In Western Ansel Adams Wilderness

Post by Pietro257 »

I was in the western Ansel Adams from 7/30 to 8/4 (2012), from Isberg trailhead to Hemlock Crossing to the confluence of Bench Canyon Creek and the North Fork San Joaquin to Bench Canyon and back (I'll write a trip report soon).

The blowdown was extensive and is really something to behold. A ranger told me that winds in the December 2011 storm that caused the blowdown reached speeds of 170+ miles per hour! Seeing healthy young trees ripped from the soil like that makes the mind reel.

Except for a couple of snarls, the trail is clear from Isberg trailhead to Hemlock Crossing. From Hemlock through Stevenson Meadow to the confluence, the blowdown was not severe. I counted three snarls in lower Bench Canyon (this is a cross-country route and will not be cleared). In upper Bench Canyon, above the timberline, there were no blowdowns.
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Re: Current Blowdown Info In Western Ansel Adams Wilderness

Post by Fran »

I just got home to SoCal from a 4 day stay at Mammoth. We hiked the loop trail from Horseshoe Lake to Upper Crater Meadows. The destruction was unbelievable. In places, especially the upper trail on the way back, it seems like half the trees are down. Of all times to forget my camera.. I took some phone video and my sister took pictures so I'll put together a video in a few days to put on YouTube. I really loved that forest last summer with all the huge trees. I know it's natures' way but was a very sad sight.
They have cut through all the fallen trees to maintain the trail, but so far have not removed anything.
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Re: Current Blowdown Info In Western Ansel Adams Wilderness

Post by Fran »

http://www.youtube.com/my_videos_edit?n ... 5honzQ87qU" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Some scenes from the Crater Lake Trail.

On a happier day, we discovered the little green lake at the base of Blue Crag!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qje0oQTeOnk" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
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Re: Current Blowdown Info In Western Ansel Adams Wilderness

Post by tomba »

Here is a corrected link to the first video "Some scenes from the Crater Lake Trail": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L5honzQ87qU" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
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Re: Current Blowdown Info In Western Ansel Adams Wilderness

Post by Fran »

Thanks Tomba. Must have still been "high" when I posted that. Should have said "Crater Meadows" not Crater Lake. That's a lake up near Tahoe (besides the one in Oregon).
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