[pct-l] Mendo Rider's request to the USFS for action in response to list posts

[Kathi]

I have been quietly reading all of the comments back and forth. I 
respect Mendo Rider and feel he has made good contributions to the list. 
After reading the recount of his experience with fires in his life I can 
fully understand his being a bit freakish about it. I would be too. I 
come from a background of girl scouts (as probably many of us do) and am 
a bit OCD so when the leaders said to make sure a campfire is out I take 
that a bit more seriously than most and unless I have a large easily 
accessible water source to put out the fire, I won't make a fire.

I was just recently on a backpack trip and came along a campfire ring 
that had a stump next to it that was on fire. It was a bit surreal. The 
campfire had clearly been put out with a lot of water and stirred so 
somehow the fire must have smoldered over to that stump, by the hot 
rocks around the ring or something. Just like they told me in scouts... 
they were right it CAN happen! It was a stump used for sitting around 
the fire so it wasn't rooted in the ground. Fortunately there was a 
river nearby and my hiking buddy and I went and got water and tried to 
douse it. The stump was too engulfed so my brilliant hiking buddy ripped 
the termite ridden log apart and carried the hot mess piece by piece 
down to the river and dunked it. Added bonus for the fish, they came as 
fast as they could and ate the escaping termites. :) That was kinda fun 
to watch actually.

Anyway, I told the rangers about it and they really didn't get excited 
about it. They have other things to do I guess. There was a lightening 
started fire burning about 5 miles from that anyway that they were 
letting smolder so I guess it wasn't a big deal.

I wish that Mendo Rider had left the names off his forwarded messages, 
but perhaps he had asked those people if they minded if he used them to 
beef up his argument. Either way, this is a public means of 
communication and everything I put on here I am aware others my read 
that I don't really expect to or it might get posted somewhere I don't 
expect, or???

That's my 2 cents.
Kathi "Puddles"



On 9/17/12 9:33 AM, Brick Robbins wrote:
> So now we have Mendo Rider forwarding emails from the list to the USFS
> asking for action.
>
> What do list members think of this?
>
>
>
> On Fri, Sep 14, 2012 at 9:25 PM, Edward Anderson <mendoridered at yahoo.com> wrote:
>>
>> ----- Forwarded Message -----
>> From: Edward Anderson <mendoridered at yahoo.com>
>> To: MIESHA <mmcash at fs.fed.us>
>> Sent: Friday, September 14, 2012 9:33 AM
>> Subject: Fw: [pct-l] Permanent Campfire Ban on PCT?
>>
>>
>> Hi Miesha,
>>
>> We talked today about fires - about hikers who can potentially start them in the National Forests.
>>
>> Please read both posts. One from Gary and the other from harwood. They are discussing illegal campfires, my other concern is the use of alcohol stoves made from soda cans.
>>
>> I will be watching (impatiently) for a post from the USFS. Please follow through.
>>
>> Ed Anderson
>> ----- Forwarded Message -----
>> From: "gschenk1 at roadrunner.com" <gschenk1 at roadrunner.com>
>> To: pct-l at backcountry.net
>> Sent: Friday, September 14, 2012 8:17 AM
>> Subject: Re: [pct-l] Permanent Campfire Ban on PCT?
>>
>> There is already a permanent campfire ban along a lot of the PCT. In Southern California, campfires are illegal outside developed campgrounds, and in the Sierra there are restrictions above certain altitudes.
>>
>> And in all of these places you'll find fire rings. There are places in SoCal were only a PCT hiker would camp, and you'll find fire rings. And hikers will brag they have a fire every night. You'll find fire rings in the midst of highly combustible chaparral. Is it any wonder SoCal is filled with burned out forests.
>>
>> Fortunately for the High Sierra, there's snow pack when the thruhikers come through and thus not as many forest fires as down south.
>>
>> Gary
>>
>> ---- harwoodcreek at gmail.com wrote:
>>> Given the documented irresponsibility of some (e.g the catastrophic 2012
>>> Chips Creek fire likely caused by a PCT hiker), I favor a complete campfire
>>> ban along the PCT.  This should be enforced through a tip line along with
>>> occasional ranger patrols.
>>>
>>> I see no need for campfires in the wilderness environment.  Water can be
>>> boiled on a stove; insect repellent, bug jackets and tents repel insects;
>>> and adequate clothing and sleeping bags provide warmth.  Thru hikers with
>>> no sense of civic and wilderness responsibility should not be able to get
>>> away with saving a couple of pounds maximum, skipping the fire ignition
>>> site incommunicado, and causing millions in damage lasting up to a
>>> century.
>>>
>>> Isn't it time for the next
>>   important step in trail protection?
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