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[pct-l] drought and its consequences along the PCT
Good morning, Steve,
I believe you are correct about the largest fires, but we have no accurate
way of comparing relative to modern measurement standards. While most of
the fires were probably natural in origin, in many parts of the Great Plains
and West the Indians purposely burned-off brush and tall grasses to improve
hunting, etc. Below is an interesting early reference to Northwest fires
that shows smoke in the air was a common feature. It seems PCT hikers were
not the first to discover that travel is sometimes aggravated by forest
fires.
Enjoy,
Steel-Eye
THE MARCH OF THE MOUNTED RIFLEMEN*
>From Fort Leavenworth To Fort Vancouver,
May To October, 1849. As Recorded In The Journals Of:
Major Osborne Cross, Chief Quartermaster
And The Official Report Of:
Brevet Colonel William W. Loring, Commanding
August 5, 1849 Ft. Hall near the present Pocatello, Idaho
"The morning was pleasant and presented, as usual, a smoky atmosphere."
Maj. O. Cross, page 165
August 16, 1849 Snake River near the present Hagerman, Idaho
"The morning was pleasant for traveling, but the atmosphere was filled with
smoke, which continued to increase as we gradually approached the Blue
mountains."
Maj. O. Cross, page 186
September 5, 1849 Burnt River near the present Durkee, Oregon
"The night was quite cold but clearer than usual. Such is the density of
the smoke that sometimes as we approach the Blue mountains it frequently
intercepts the view of the adjacent country."
Maj. O. Cross, page 217
September 7, 1849 Powder River near the present Baker City, Oregon
"In the early part of the morning the view of the mountains on the east was
destroyed by a dense smoke and fog, which we have frequently met since
leaving Fort Hall."
Maj. O. Cross, pages 218
September 8, 1849 Powder River near the present Keating, Oregon
"The morning was so smoky as to prevent us from seeing much of the country
through which we were to travel today."
Maj. O. Cross, page 222
September 11, 1849 On the Columbia River at the mouth of the Umatilla River
"It was a delightful evening, quite calm and warm, though a little smoky.
[This] prevented us from viewing still further the sterility of a country
where so much has been said in its praise and against it."
Maj. O. Cross, page 231
September 13, 1849 Columbia River above the present John Day Dam
"The day was calm, and the whole country seemed to be shut out from view.
Last evening and this morning you could not see across the river at some of
the bends."
Maj. O. Cross, page 232
September 14, 1849 At the present site of The Dalles, Oregon
"This morning was very pleasant, but we were prevented from seeing any
distance [by] the constant clouds of smoke which [so] filled the atmosphere
that it was impossible to see. Yesterday evening our view did not extend a
mile from the mission. The wind had been prevailing from the southwest so
long that the sky was entirely overcast."
Maj. O. Cross, page 235
September 18, 1849 At the present site of The Dalles, Oregon
"The weather still continued smoky, the wind from the southwest being
stronger today than [at] any [time] since our arrival. It brought over
thick clouds of smoke, which still kept hidden from us the beauties of the
adjacent mountains."
Maj. O. Cross, page 241
October 15, 1849 Regimental Headquarters, Oregon City, Oregon
>From a report by the commanding officer concerning the difficulties faced by
Lt. David M. Frost, Regimental Quartermaster, while taking the Army wagon
train over the Barlow Trail from The Dalles to Oregon City:
"In crossing the Cascade mountains every exertion was made to get through
safely. It will be recollected that this is the most difficult range of the
whole route. Besides the natural obstructions of a mountainous road, only
passed with great labor, the mountains had been for days enveloped in a
dense smoke. Fires were still burning, [and] falling trees [were
continually] blocking up the road and impeding the movement of the train.
In consequence of the density of the smoke and scarcity of pasturage (there
being little or no grass for four days) numbers of the animals were lost."
Col. W. W. Loring, pages 340-341
* THE MARCH OF THE MOUNTED RIFLEMEN From Fort Leavenworth To Fort Vancouver,
May To October, 1849
Copyright 1940 by the Arthur H. Clark Company. ISBN 0-8032-9196-5
Reprinted by Bison Books, University of Nebraska Press
----- Original Message -----
From: "Steve Stenkamp" <sskamp@bendnet.com>
To: "pct-l" <pct-l@backcountry.net>; "Brett" <blisterfree@isp01.net>
Sent: Sunday, February 06, 2005 7:55 AM
Subject: Re: [pct-l] drought and its consequences along the PCT
> Curious side-point...Forest Service always gets blamed for their past
> practices but the biggest fires this country have had, burned before any
> land management agency was formed. In Oregon, the biggest fires in its
> recorded history were before statehood, let alone a land management
agency.
>
> Steve
>
> > and now - the reason for more numerous fires, and more
> > destructive crown fires that take generations for nature to
> > heal, as opposed to small brush and ground fires that are a
> > natural part of the ecology of western forest and range.
> > Yes, nature's healing powers are remarkable, but we are also
> > testing her in new ways. Will we, in fact, be here to
> > witness the redemption? Interpret that last word any way you
> > wish.
> >
> > Brett
> >
> > -----------------------------------------------------------------------
> > Simblissity Ultralight :: One-of-a-Kind Designs for the
> > Great Outdoors
> > www.simblissity.net
> >
> >
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: "JoAnn M. Michael" <jomike@cot.net>
> > To: <pct-l@mailman.backcountry.net>
> > Sent: Saturday, February 05, 2005 1:53 PM
> > Subject: [pct-l] drought and its consequences along the PCT
> >
> >
> > Blisterfree,
> >
> > I beg to differ. Nothing is more forgiving than Mother
> > Nature. This land, this world, this universe has been
> > around for a whopping lot of years. Changes? Of course,
> > nothing remains stagnant and lives. Has human-kind made
> > mistakes, of course again. Has anyone lived a life
> > mistake-free? And yet, look at any burn areas...I have been
> > amazed, as to what I have seen in many, many places, as to
> > just how fast Nature IS coming back...new growth of every
> > kind, everywhere. Come back the same? maybe not. Would we
> > want the same world that did-in the dinosaurs? Let's not
> > for get the world was once a deep freeze and once a hellava
> > big lake. Don't think we'd chose either of those as comfy
> > living environments for we folks.
> >
> > Anyway, I'm sure I'll be 'shot down' by many listers but I
> > am not and never have been pessimistic about Mother Nature.
> > She's one heck of a gal. :)
> >
> > Thanks...JoAnn
> >
> > P.S. Please be aware I am not addressing the human tragedy
> > of the various forces of Nature.
> > _______________________________________________
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> >
> >
> >
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