[pct-l] Angeles National Forest Closure Extended

Thu Oct 7 12:51:10 CDT 2010

L-rod is en point.  I didn't enjoy all the road walking this year, but I did see a part of So Cal I would not have seen otherwise, and I met some really nice folks - Trail angels, prison guards, Indian tribal folks at a Pow-Wow at KOA, and the folks at Blum Ranch.  I'm guessing that when the Trail opens back up through the Station Fire area, it will look like other desolate areas for a few years, such as the ridge between McDonald's and Wrightwood and the last ridge before dropping down to the South Fork of the Kern R., just south of KM.  Those were as depressing as any road walk.  But safer, I'll admit. 

Mango 

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "dsaufley" <dsaufley at sprynet.com> 
To: "Cosmic Cat" <cosmic.cat144 at gmail.com>, "Thelma Fredricksen" <thelma.fredricksen at gmail.com> 
Cc: Pct-L at backcountry.net 
Sent: Thursday, October 7, 2010 12:41:00 PM 
Subject: Re: [pct-l] Angeles National Forest Closure Extended 

I can truly relate -- I went through some very genuine depression when the 
fire occurred, and all the places I love in the San Gabriels burned.  It's 
not just where I can most easily go to play and restore my soul, it's the 
view I have on my porch facing the northern flank of the range.  I think of 
it every day, and the two precious lives that were lost in the fire near Mt. 
Gleason. Homes and fire stations burned to the ground, and people lost 
everything.  It puts things into perspective. 

What I understand from those who have been inside of the closure is that it 
did not burn everything within the burn zone.  There are patches of trees 
and shrubs that did not burn, and some trees burned but will survive as it 
is part of their cycle of life. This past season grasses and flowers came 
up, as they hopefully will again this coming spring. They are certainly 
needed to keep the sandy soils from eroding. 

It's substantially further to road walk down to LA, and around to where the 
trail opens in Soledad Canyon. Know that the current recommended alternate 
around the back side has some highlights, and some great stops (Devil's 
Punchbowl, Littlerock, Blum Ranch, and the KOA) that the hikers spoke highly 
of this year.  It seems that if people were talking, laughing, and playing 
games with their fellow hikers, the road walk wasn't that bad at all. 
Conversely, those who chose to have a bad attitude about the road walk 
certainly did.  As Abe Lincoln said, "People are as happy as they make up 
their minds to be," or something like that. 

We also have a stretch of the Angeles Nat'l Forest to the north of us that 
burned several years ago ("Buckweed" fire).  They closed those areas for two 
years, so I wasn't surprised that the Station Fire closure was extended for 
a second year.  It's my hope that they will reopen in the third year, so if 
you can wait to hike that section until 2012, I'm willing to wager Section D 
may be open by then. 

Expectations usually disappoint us. If we expect something to be just like 
it was before, chances are good it will not be.  If we open our minds to 
accept the reality presented to us, we can discover the new and wonderful.   

L-Rod 

-----Original Message----- 
From: pct-l-bounces at backcountry.net [mailto:pct-l-bounces at backcountry.net] 
On Behalf Of Cosmic Cat 
Sent: Wednesday, October 06, 2010 9:03 PM 
To: Thelma Fredricksen 
Cc: Pct-L at backcountry.net 
Subject: Re: [pct-l] Angeles National Forest Closure Extended 

Last night, I woke up in the middle of the night and was sad about this. 
Section D is the best PCT hiking in SoCal IMHO. What is really sad is that 
much of my good memories are now completely history. That PDF is crappy 
quality and it took me a while to fully grasp the extent of the fire. That 
is half of the entire section, completely trashed. 

How much is really gone? What about that cute little scout camp with the 
spring? We went past there early in the morning and the owner and his lady 
friend offered us whiskey. Messenger Flats with its water and 
shade? Humongous slept in the shitter there, after he encountered a cougar 
after dark. Is anything left after the fire? 

I was looking forward to seeing these places again, and overlaying a whole 
new chunk of good memories over the top of it all. 

Now I have a big road walk to look forward to. In the desert. 

Has anybody given thought to a different alternate route? Like perhaps 
through the urban jungle of the greater LA area? No shortage of water, food, 
shade or interesting things to see. Heck, you wouldn't even need to carry 
food. You would have to scout out the route to go through the safer, more 
affluent bits (near the mountains I hope). You would also need a general 
idea of where the motels are along the route. Sleeping outdoors in the LA 
jungle is reserved for only the most adventurous of Thru Hikers. The only 
challenge would be finding a place to pee. 

Would any of the folks that live in that area be bold enough to propose a 
route? 

Goodness 

On Tue, Oct 5, 2010 at 11:00 AM, Thelma Fredricksen < 
thelma.fredricksen at gmail.com> wrote: 

> I like your lyrics..... 
> 
> On Mon, Oct 4, 2010 at 10:24 PM, AsABat <asabat at 4jeffrey.net> wrote: 
> 
> > How many roads must a man walk down 
> > Because the trail is banned 
> > How many cars must a hiker dodge 
> > Because "they" say hike we can't 
> > How many times must the people try 
> > Before they are forever banned 
> > The answer, my friend, is blowing in the wind 
> > The answer is blowing in the wind 
> > 
> > Sigh... 
> > 
> > AsABat 
> > 
> > 
> > On Mon, Oct 4, 2010 at 8:00 AM, <gwschenk at socal.rr.com> wrote: 
> > 
> > > The Station Fire closure has been extended until Sept., 2011. Sections 
> of 
> > > the PCT are included according to this order and exhibit. 
> > > 
> > > 
> > > 
> > 
> 
http://www.fs.fed.us/r5/angeles/orders/StationFireClosure_01-10-05_8x11_Publ 
ic.pdf 
> > > 
> > > 
> > 
> 
http://www.fs.fed.us/r5/angeles/orders/StationFireRecoveryAreaClosureOrder01 
_10_05.pdf 
> > > 
> > > 
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