High Sierra Topix

First, a little over a week ago, a child contracted the plague at a campground, which then caused them to close down a campground in Tuolomne Meadows.

http://abc30.com/news/tuolumne-meadows- ... ue/930646/

Then, a fallen tree limb killed a couple of kids last night in a campground.

http://abc30.com/news/2-minors-killed-i ... nt/930474/

Both stories are terrible. The fact that they both happened so close to each other must be a nightmare for the park.

Many people have died there - lots from health issues, some from drownings and/or rock related activity. It's no shocker that tree branches are falling - we've been extra careful since so many trees have died over the past few years. Oaks have always been prone to losing a branch or even half the tree in normal years....

Still, it sucks that they are having unusual upticks in plague reports. I wonder if it has anything to do with the drought? Perhaps drier conditions are somehow more conducive to flea population explosions?

Fleas thrive in warm, moist environments. Without moisture, flea larvae dry up and die. It is possible that the unusually wet late spring and early summer gave Sierra flea populations a boost. The drought if anything would have the opposite effect.

I have some very good friends who normally camp host at Upper Pines. I am glad that they have taken this year off to travel the country. The death of those two boys has to take a huge toll on the hosts and other workers in the parks.

A few years ago, while car camping at Azalea Sequoia NP we had a large limb come off a tree and land on the top of the camper shell my sis and bro-in-law where sleeping in. Had that been a tent it would have been bad.

Just now walked in the door - took the evening Yarts from Yosemite/Tuolumne to Mammoth.
To add to the bleak weekend, a fire is now active in the next canyon down, east (Walker Canyon?) from Tioga temporarily closing Tioga Pass at 4:30 this evening...all while we were waiting for the 6:45 bus back to Mammoth - CHP said closed due to smoke/visibility. 120 was (thankfully) re-opened at 6:00 with CHP escorting cars down the grade. (cars backed up for miles.) From the bus window right side, you could see 100 foot flames cresting the next ridge over as we inched down Tioga...Saw a few DC-10 tanker drops too - winds are heading east...lots of smoke seen.

First the two Valley tree limb deaths, then having Tuolumne campground closed till Friday due to plague, now fires...WTF?

Man, incredibly sad. I'm hoping for no lawsuits but I'm certain it will happen.


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So sad. Here are a couple of photos from that area, including one looking down on Walker Lake. The other is Lower Sardine Lake, further up the trail towards the Yosemite boundary.