High Sierra Topix

Delilah and Park Ridge Lookouts are closed due to the fire.

Per SEKI update: "8/17 - Smoke conditions have worsened because of the Rough Fire. Wilderness travel is not recommended in the Middle Fork of the Kings river drainage due to severe smoke impacts. In the Bench Lake and LeConte Canyon areas, smoke is not longer dissipating in the mornings and evenings. There are periods of raining ash. The smoke ceiling is approximately 10,000ft and visibility is usually about a half-mile. Conditions are worst in the afternoons, when visibility can be a low as a quarter-mile. Smoke has traveled as far south as Atwell Mill in Mineral King. The Great Western Divide is also seeing significant impacts."

http://www.nps.gov/seki/planyourvisit/trailcond.htm

I'll doing the High Sierra Trail the first 10 days of September. Any ideas on how this is going to affect that area?

I was at Wishon Res on Monday and the smoke from the Rough fire was dense and quite irritating to the eyes. We only tolerated the smoke for about 2 hours before heading off to find another area. The whole Woodchuck area appeared covered in a thick cloud of smoke. The northern extent of the fire is near Rodgers Ridge adjacent the Geraldine Lakes and SPanish Lakes aeas out of Wishon. We proceeded to drive down to Blackrock Res. with an idea to do some fishing there. The sky was orange as the smoke treied to drown out the sun and we knew the fishing would be limited as we saw several Helicopters (something ski's) using Black Rocj Res. as a rewatring spot as we approced from above. At the Res, we watched several heli's come in and fill up with water. A few minutes later a Fresno County Sheriff (someone I knew as well) pulled up announcing the area was under an evacuation order and to get out. We didnt need any prodding. Got back in the car and headed out. Sure hope it rains soon. The west side is bone dry.

Sure hope it rains soon. The west side is bone dry.

Yeah that would be great, as long as it does not include thunderstorms. All of CA is dry, and we still have the rest of Aug, Sept, and Oct (Santa Anna winds) to go before we get out of the fire season.

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.