High Sierra Topix

This link wildhiker posted earlier below on this thread is quite useful. More so than satellite views.

http://www.firedetect.noaa.gov/viewer.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Shows air above the whole central and northern Sierra has at least thin smoke and having been that way on the weekend can believe it. At best it looks hazy most everywhere. Anyway, there is yet another fire now in the Central Sierra a bit north near Beardsley Reservoir, the Power Fire. Rather interesting looking at the wide view of the map showing all of North America. Oregon fires blowing smoke eastward is plaguing huge areas across several states. And western Canada is looking even worse.

Mammoth Lakes -
Wind from WNW with heavy gusts last night -
Cleared the smoke out, first time in a week can see the peaks.
About time.

As long as no Southern winds, East-side will have excellent hiking.
Expect isolated thundershowers tomorrow (always blows in) but hopefully good all next week too.

Looking at the map. the fire made it all the way up t Pryor lake

We were in Little Lakes Valley last weekend. Smoke from the Aspen Fire moved in the afternoons, totally engulfing peaks, passes and valleys. Here are some pictures from Saturday 3 August from Mt. Morgan:


Zoom in to Red Slate Mountain from summit of Mt. Morgan, just before 1pm; unable to see anything beyond


Little Lakes Valley, with Bear Creek Spire, Dade, Abbot and Mills lined up behind, looking ok around 1:20 pm


Looking west from NW Ridge of Morgan, shortly after 4pm - Abbot, Mills, Ruby Wall barely distinguishable through the haze


Descending the Tamarack Lakes trail back to Rock Creek Lake, around 6:30pm - can barely see Mt. Starr just across the valley

Heading to Mt. Lyell this weekend - hopefully they get a handle on the fire by then.
(80% containment as of 8 August)

As of Thursday, it was much better. Some smoke haze in Bishop, but nothing like the photos from a week ago. No visible smoke in the Rock Creek area. In the afternoon, 4th Recess Lake was hazy, but it dissipated. No smoke at all on Friday or Saturday (Pioneer Basin, then out to Mosquito Flat), although looking down Mono Creek I could see a smoky/smoggy layer in the distance. Driving up 395 yesterday it was hazy but not terrible.

Aspen fire smoke plume showing on above link is about nil, increase in acreage burned has been static for last few days, and status shows 90% containment with full containment forecast for August 24. Also apparently will allow some parts to continue to burn and smolder as related can expect some smoke locally in canyon for rest of summer. Would expect the residual smoke to most likely to effect Middle and North Fork of the San Joaquin River canyon areas most like Mammoth and the Ritter Range and less so areas of the South Fork. Fish Creek areas south of Silver Divide may be iffy. This is all good news for this person that had been delaying reservations on a wilderness permit for later this month in that zone.

Yosemite and Mammoth -
Best conditions possible...(except for that low water issue.)
If thinking about backpacking our Sierra...Go now!

Another major fire just started in the lower Clavey River.

inciweb page:

Growth Potential: extreme

============================
The Rim Fire is burning up a north facing slope to the south of the Clavey River towards Jawbone Ridge on the Groveland Ranger District of the Stanislaus National Forest. Firefighting aircraft are on scene with ground units en route to the very isolated and steep Clavey River Canyon area about one and a half miles east of the confluence with the Tuolumne River.

The fire continues to move up the south slope on the Clavey River drainage. The spread appears to be caused by material rolling out with up slope runs on Jawbone Ridge. Fixed wing aircraft have been successful in holding the fire to the top of Jawbone Ridge between the Tuolumne River and the Clavey River but is expected to continue it’s up canyon spread.

Direct line suppression efforts are impeded by difficult access and steep inaccessible terrain. A combination of direct and indirect attack will be uses on this incident. Active fire behavior today raises safety concerns for crews adjacent to the fire’s edge. Smoke exposure within the deep drainage of the Clavey River will be an issue for fire crews as well.

The Rim fire has now crossed 120 and is at 10,000 acres
http://www.inciweb.org/incident/3660/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Hi,

The Rim Fire is reported to be affecting air quality in northwestern Yosemite.

Anyone know the extent to which it might be affecting air quality in adjacent areas? - NorthEASTERN Yosemite; Sonora Pass; west or central sections of Emigrant Wilderness; etc.

- Elizabeth