[pct-l] Fire along the PCT from Whitewater R to upper Mission Creek

[Rob Langsdorf]

I was studying the map of the fire area tonight. It looks
like the fires have hit two stretches of the PCT. The first
starts about where the trail drops north into the
Whitewater River Canyon and continues north to the stream
crossing. The maps show the fire as staying west of the PCT
through this section. So I suspect that the fire crews used
the PCT for their fire break here and they have probably
made a mess of the tread. 

Once you cross the "river" it appears that the trail hasn't
been burned from there over the next ridge to the West Fork
of Mission Creek. This appears to be where they took as
stand yesterday. We will have to see if the fire managed to
continue south today.

At this point, where the PCT climbs out of the West Fork of
Mission Creek it climbs into the area that the current map
shows as burned on Sunday. From this point the fire seems
to have been given a free shot at Mission Creek all the way
up past Trail Fork Springs to within about 2 miles east of
the Mission Creek Trail Camp near Fish Creek Saddle.

Currently the trail beyond here appears to have avoided
being burned, but it sounds as though the fire crews have
probably cut fire breaks as far north along the trail as
the Deer Springs Trail Camp north of Onyx Summit.

Here is the URL for the best map I have come across of the
fire in the last few days:

http://www.esri.com/disaster_response/firemaps/graphics/fireprogressionmap0716_lg.gif

    I have had too much experience with the work of fire
crews along trails in the last 4 years. We have probably
spent close to 10 trail crew days repairing the damage the
bulldozers do. I think that it is very important for
someone from the PCTA to contact those overseeing the
fighting of this fire to insure that they will restore the
tread as part of their fire restoration work. Action needs
to be taken before they declare the fire to be out and the
money is cut off.

           Rob

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