[pct-l] Aftermath of the Chariot Fire near Mt Laguna

[Betty Wheeler]

Thanks for this report, Ron - greatly appreciate your observations. I hope
to hike this area soon-haven't been there since before the July fire. I'm
surprised to read about the new growth occurring before we've had any rain.
Betty


On Mon, Sep 23, 2013 at 10:15 PM, Ron Graybill <rgraybill44 at gmail.com>wrote:

> Did a couple of day hikes northward from Mt Laguna this past weekend.  As
> most of you know, the Chariot Fire burned 7000 acres in this area July 6-15
> this year.  The PCT reaches the southern edge of the burn area at Mile 45
> and you hike in the burned area for the next 5 miles continuously, then off
> and on until well past the Pioneer Mail Picnic area at Mile 53.  It is
> remarkable, though not unexpected, that almost all the shrubs and oaks are
> sprouting new, healthy shoots, and one even finds wild flowers here and
> there among the ashes. I'm no forestry expert, but it looks to me like the
> pines suffered most.  Once you leave the burned areas you quickly notice
> that almost anywhere along the trail, even where the brush is high and
> healthy, dead branches protrude above the greenery, mute testimony to the
> fact that fire is a frequent visitor to these dry mountain areas.
>  Temperatures for this mid-September jaunt were right around 80 during the
> day, with a light breeze.  Of course all the natural water sources were
> dry.
>
> As noted on this forum earlier, most of the 116 cabins and other structures
> at the Al Bahr Mount Laguna Shrine Camp were destroyed. Nearly all that was
> left of the camp's 87-year old lodge was the stone fireplace and chimney.
> But
> signs at the camp now declare their intention to rebuild. However, their
> website has not been updated, and gives no hint that most of the buildings
> pictured there are gone: http://www.albahrshrine.org/shrinecamp.html
> --Manzanita
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