[pct-l] Oregon Fires

[Wayne Kraft]

For good information regarding fires in the northwest  and a healthy  
dose of a professional forester's strong opinions,  I recommend  
http://www.sosforests.com/

It is pretty clear that what is happening in the Deschutes NF along  
the east side of the cascade crest from Bend to Santiam Pass and  
north into the Willamette NF and Warms Springs reservation is that  
the entire forest in this vast region is burning piece-by-piece and  
year-by-year.  At the moment the PCT is reportedly closed from  
McKenzie Pass north to Santiam Pass and it sounds to me like the Lake  
George Fire is burning right up to the trail in places like  
Washington Ponds.  The PCT is also closed from McKenzie Pass "south  
to the 500 Road."  I have no idea where the 500 Road is.  Going south  
from McKenzie Pass, I don't believe the PCT crosses any roads until  
Irish/Taylor Lakes at the southern boundary of the Three Sisters  
Wilderness.

Assuming a hiker makes it to McKenzie Pass and finds Hwy 242 closed,  
I'm not sure what said hiker is supposed to do at that point.   
There's fire ahead, trail closure and maybe fire behind and 20 miles  
of road out to Sisters.  There won't be any trail angels there and  
I'm not sure what the USFS has done to plan for this contingency, if  
anything.

For my part, my current plan is to hike the PCT from Timberline Lodge  
to Cascade Locks starting about a week from today.  So far there are  
no fires burning along that route.

Wayne Kraft