High Sierra Topix

Doesn't sound great. My family has vacation time reserved for a backpacking trip from 9/7-9/12. We were going to hike Emigrant Wilderness to see all the granite we couldn't see on our last Emigrant Wilderness trip during the worst of the Rim fire in 2013. The smoke was so back we couldn't see far enough to determine which granite ramps would be passable.

Do you think Emigrant Wilderness will be badly impacted by smoke? How about a northern Yosemite loop out of Robinson Creek trail head by Twin Lakes?

A 3rd option would be a Ruby Mountains trip if the Sierras are too smoked out.

Just got back from the Lodgepole + Jennie Lakes areas. No smoke smell or haze in the Tokopah valley, although the moon had an orange hue on the night of 8/29. With the number of people burning campfires in Lodgepole, though, it's hard to say why the moon was orange.

I climbed Mt Silliman on 8/28...no smoke smell, no ash, no haze...crystal clear summit view from Kings Canyon to Mt. Whitney to Mineral King.

Hiked to Pear Lake on 8/29...no smoke smell, no ash, no haze.

I went to Weaver Lake in the Jennie Lakes area for a dayhike on 8/30, and there was a slight smoke smell but no ash or haze. There were announcements posted that two small, lightning-sparked wildfires were burning in the area, so that was probably the origin. There was a decent rain shower that lasted about 20 mins, and the smoke smell was gone after that.

Thanks Franklin. I'm planning on going up to the Lodgepole area in one week and you're making me feel better about the conditions. Fingers crossed no fires pop up between now and then.

Fingers crossed no fires pop up between now and then.

It's those southeast and southwest winds, and the thunderstorms forecasted for next week, are what you need to keep an eye on.

South winds blow south to north, yeah? At least that's how it works with surfing!

Well, the winds right now are from the NE in petaluma, and the smoke is thick from the fires way up North. Only supposed to be 106 tomorrow.. sigh.

Well, the winds right now are from the NE in petaluma, and the smoke is thick from the fires way up North.

Bay Area too.

PS Look at the smoke/fire maps, North California and Oregon are horrible.

Thanks for the confirmation/commiseration about the exponentially spreading fire activity. I think flexibility is going to be the key to finding someplace to hike next week. I'd been hoping to take public transportation & utilize the YARTS Hwy 120 weekend (as of Sept) service, but it looks like I'll drive so I can keep my options open.

Two years ago I hiked over Baxter pass into 60 Lakes and Rae Lakes Basins while that huge fire was burning in Sequoia (I don't remember the name of the fire, but it started near Hume Lake). It was horribly smoky going over Baxter and we passed a group that had particle masks on. I wished I had brought one. But just like Wandering Daisy said, the mornings dawned clear and beautiful every day. Then in the afternoon, almost like clockwork, a huge cloud of smoke climbed over the ridges from the west and descended upon us. On the return trip at Baxter Lakes, we couldn't even see the opposite lake shore. By the end of the trip I was breathing through a bandana during the evenings in camp. We found ash on our tent every morning. For better or worse, this has NOT dissuaded my partner and me from continuing with our plans to hike Taboose Pass two days from now. But I did go to the hardware store and buy us a couple of $8 respirators in the hope that breathing will be a bit easier.

I used to be concerned about mosquitoes, stream crossings, snow in the passes and cold rain. It's kind of odd, but now my attitude is sort of, "Oh well, whatever; I'll deal with it."

The thing nowadays that concerns me most of all in the Sierra Nevada is smoke. I carry a couple of painters masks with me; light weight insurance in case something nasty shows up unexpectedly.

Peace