East Wall LL, burned?

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Messages 1 - 13 of total 13 in this topic

Charlie D.

Trad climber

Western Slope, Tahoe Sierra

Topic Author's Original Post - Sep 26, 2010 - 12:18pm PT

what happened yesterday, fire at the Leap?

mucci

Trad climber

The pitch of Bagalaar above you

Sep 26, 2010 - 09:46pm PT

Prolly some burners at the top out.

B um P?

Trad

Trad climber

northern CA

Sep 26, 2010 - 10:28pm PT

Late afternoon, my partner and I had just hiked down and were organizing at that intersection where Pony Express meets the 'feeder' trail to East Wall routes. There were maybe 6-8 other hikers and climbers hanging out and everything was pretty calm and relaxed when all-of-a-sudden someone yelled "FIRE!!!". Crackling sounds - roughly behind that large rock on the north side - and a tree was on fire! We grabbed our random pile of stuff and ran a few yards upwind for safety to cram everything into the packs, where I took this shot.

We and many other folks, I'm sure, ran back as fast as they could to report it. Huge thanks to all the fire personnel who jumped into action to control that fire so efficiently!

General location, from Lower Buttress:

Working on the fire...

I am still puzzled though, at how a fire could break out like that. It was too far off the trail for someone to have, say, tossed a cigarette. It was a warm afternoon. Can something like that happen spontaneously? There's a power line nearby. Could that be a factor? (I don't think this was too close to the Hogsback trail, either.)

Charlie D.

Trad climber

Western Slope, Tahoe Sierra

Topic Author's Reply - Sep 26, 2010 - 10:39pm PT

saw the aftermath today, I suspect the tenacious ground squrills may be cause. Anyway the fire crew was dosing the charred remains.

bmacd

Trad climber

100% Canadian, Certified Kook

Sep 26, 2010 - 10:42pm PT

The fire that burned thru the bluffs in Skaha years back, was started by the Penticton fire Chief's son.

mark miller

Social climber

Reno

Sep 26, 2010 - 10:52pm PT

And I thought it was Hot at the Pie Shop yesterday......

mucci

Trad climber

The pitch of Bagalaar above you

Sep 26, 2010 - 11:57pm PT

Wow!

Nice pix trad!

great work on acting swiftly and saving what little forrest there is there at the junction.

Cheers!

Mucci

Jay Wood

Trad climber

Fairfax, CA

Sep 27, 2010 - 12:59am PT

Burning the toilet paper?

the Fet

climber

Tu-Tok-A-Nu-La

Sep 27, 2010 - 01:29am PT

Those tenacious ground squrills are total pot heads.

Mungeclimber

Trad climber

sorry, just posting out loud.

Sep 27, 2010 - 02:36am PT

gnar

Friedo

Trad climber

South Lake Tahoe

Sep 27, 2010 - 11:45am PT

My partner and I had just finished East Crack (5.8) and walked back to the car at Slippery Ford. We were sitting by the river drinkin' a beer and having a snack when we saw the smoke. We decided to bail and drove up to the road and called 911. They were already in response mode. We saw a bunch of fire trucks, cops, and ambulances racing toward Strawberry on our way back to the Lake...Crazy!