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mwatsonphoto
Trad climber
los angeles, ca
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Jul 20, 2013 - 03:14pm PT
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Not too long ago I lived and worked at Idy Arts Academy for four years. Every summer I would head out to the Sierra I'd always worry/wonder if I'd come back to a place to live and work. Sending good thoughts for you all up there!!
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apogee
climber
Technically expert, safe belayer, can lead if easy
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Jul 20, 2013 - 03:16pm PT
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Hoo-boy, Ron...we had a great scotch-enhanced political discussion last night on the porch. As the sole liberal in the group, I held my own against the strong Idy conservative representation. It was spirited, jovial, and we all expressed great thanks for the 'socialistic' government services that have protected our community so well. You would have loved it!
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Alois
Trad climber
Idyllwild, California
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Jul 20, 2013 - 04:17pm PT
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Apogee, I just got a new update on the map and it shows a bit of disturbing news. The sliver of fire heading SW to S. It just came over the Town Crier
site. BTW if you need "liberal" reinforcements, we are ready.
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Chaz
Trad climber
greater Boss Angeles area
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Jul 20, 2013 - 04:26pm PT
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It's raining like crazy here in East Redlands / Crafton Hills. I hope you're getting the same up there, or at least the fuel's soaking up some of this humidity.
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apogee
climber
Technically expert, safe belayer, can lead if easy
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Jul 20, 2013 - 04:46pm PT
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Taken about 30 minutes ago:
Good to know, Alois. For all of Idyllwild's rep as a funky-groovy-artsy-fartsy town, many of the locals are about as conservative as anywhere you'll find.
(No politi-tard thread-drift intended. Apologies.)
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rottingjohnny
Sport climber
mammoth lakes ca
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Jul 20, 2013 - 05:23pm PT
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Apogee...Artsy fartsy is good marketing for the black-hole known as the chamber of commerce..Looks like the sky is clearing up there...? Heres to favorable winds and a full glass at cocktail hour..RJ
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bvb
Social climber
flagstaff arizona
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Jul 20, 2013 - 07:08pm PT
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Such a drag. Even if the fire were 100% extinguished right now, the aftermath will be super grim. Climbing up there won't be the same.
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GDavis
Social climber
SOL CAL
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Jul 20, 2013 - 07:29pm PT
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Even if the fire were 100% extinguished right now, the aftermath will be super grim. Climbing up there won't be the same.
You know, I remember the Cuyamaca area VERY well from my childhood (~'89-'03). I hiked Stonewall Peak a good 15 times before I was 10, and rather than trek somewhere expensive our family would camp at Paso Picacho during winters for a vacation. I stopped going perhaps just before high school.
In 2004, I visited Julian with some buddies, to camp at the old place I used to camp at. My parents told me it burned the year before and would look terrible.
It didn't look like I remembered, it looked... alive. All the old dead debris on the floor was replaced with reeds and stalks and flowers. The dead, charred limbs of oaks were being quickly overtaken by shoots and vines, eager to take advantage of their new real estate.
Some might have looked at that scene and called it grisly. Indeed, hiking Stonewall 2 years ago (for the first time since) I, for the first time, could see the summit from the parking lot. As a child, the taller Oaks obscured the peak and it seemed like a long and arduous quest to some unseen summit. Now it looks like the bump it 'actually' is.
Some is lost, that is for sure. I ran the desert divide trail mid-May and camped out on Red Tahquitz early June. I am happy to have had a chance to see those areas for the first time before the fire. But also I feel fortunate to have been alive during a change, to be able to witness a natural occurance such as this. Though caused by arson, the mountains need to shed their fur. With the possibility of so much loss of life and property, I think we got off easy, and can enjoy the mountain scenery in a completely different way.
So there's that. I know I'll miss the pristine view of what we think mountains look like, but I'm curious to run that ridge again later this winter, to reflect on the changes in life and maybe even my own.
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GDavis
Social climber
SOL CAL
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Jul 20, 2013 - 08:24pm PT
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The fires did not reach the crags, as I heard.
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Alois
Trad climber
Idyllwild, California
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Jul 20, 2013 - 11:22pm PT
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Dark gray clouds are milling around, but no rain. No brown or red clouds. All seems strangely calm. I don't hear many aircraft flying.
The source of the fire seems much more to the north of the town and in line with San Jacinto.
The air quality seems a bit better this evening.
Mind you, this is my "scientific opinion" based on visual observation from our deck...
The various websides (Idyllwild Town Crier, inciweb.org/incident/3516/) are strangely quiet without any updates.
So, Idyllwild is ok right now.
BTW The fire never came close to either Tahquitz Rock or Suicide. No routes were affected as of now, no trees destroyed anywhere near the well known routes...JFYI.
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apogee
climber
Technically expert, safe belayer, can lead if easy
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Jul 20, 2013 - 11:55pm PT
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The prolonged evacuation is getting people a little edgy...the local fire chief apparently pushed the local stores to close. The locals want to come home!
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PhilG
Trad climber
The Circuit, Tonasket WA
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Jul 21, 2013 - 11:40am PT
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Like many other old (and new) climbers, I'm following this thread closely.
Tahquitz is an exceptional temple to the religion of rock climbing.
Hang in there brother fire fighters, stay safe!
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apogee
climber
Technically expert, safe belayer, can lead if easy
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Jul 21, 2013 - 11:53am PT
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Got about 25 minutes of nice rain last night here near town- best summer thundershower yet, this season. Hopefully they got the same thing up high, smack-dab in the midst of the fire line.
Unfortunately, there was also good amount of lightning...hopefully it didn't touch something off, somewhere.
Neighbors are on their way for pancakes...gotta get cookin'!
Edit: Just heard word that the roads will be re-opened at 11 today...that'll make a bunch of people very happy....
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Alois
Trad climber
Idyllwild, California
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Jul 21, 2013 - 12:32pm PT
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Things look much better this morning. At about 4:00 AM, our western part of Idyllwild, locally called "Banana Belt" was pelted with rain. For about an hour it poured and the lightning strikes were pretty impressive too. This morning the ground is wet, clouds suggest some further possibility of rain so things look less threatening all around.
Penelope actually slept the whole night. We don't talk about it much, but there is a low level of stress associated with all of this and after a while, it starts to show here and there.
The latest fire info says it is now 49% contained, so it might not be too long before residents can return.
Good Sunday to all of you. Alois.
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Alois
Trad climber
Idyllwild, California
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Jul 21, 2013 - 12:49pm PT
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Pen and I just spend a bit of the morning looking at the latest fire maps.
There are plenty of bad news regarding the forest and the mountains.
BUT
We don't think Tahquitz or Suicide were touched.
The South Ridge trail might not be affected much. Tahquitz Peak is ok, the rocky ridge from Tahquitz Rock to Tahquitz Peak did not burn.
Marion Mountain seems to be ok.
Summit of San Jacinto seems ok.
Cornell, Miller and Folly Peaks seem ok.
Jean Mountain seems ok.
Both Marion and Fuller Ridge trails did not burn.
The Saddle was affected, so going from Humber Park to San Jacinto, one might encounter burned areas.
All in all, we are happy that at least some of the beautiful places in our local mountains still remain in good condition to hike, run and scramble on.
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guyman
Social climber
Moorpark, CA.
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Jul 21, 2013 - 01:00pm PT
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Good news Alois.
Maybe this will have a better than hoped for ending.
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Patrick Sawyer
climber
Originally California now Ireland
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Jul 21, 2013 - 01:06pm PT
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Damn, best of luck. As a youngster we drove throw Idyllwild on our way to relatives and such.
I have never climbed at T&S, though the article (Mountain, Summit, some mag, ???) showing Tobin Sorenson climbing (I think a 10c route) in the early 1970s always caught my imagination. I want to climb there some day.
I truly hope the damaged is limited, to families, firefighters and emergency workers, the animals and of course, the terrain.
Remember what Foresta used to be like? Wooded, now a moonscape, but things are growing back. Nature does that, as we all know. But Foresta (Yosemite) was beautiful prior to the fire. Will it ever be the same again?
Same thing with the Mountain Fire, sure would have been nice to see the area before hand, hope I'll get there one day and climb, but that is of little importance.
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Alois
Trad climber
Idyllwild, California
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Jul 21, 2013 - 01:20pm PT
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The latest at 10:00 on Town Crier (Idyllwild newspaper) Web Site:
10:02 A.M. UPDATE: You will need a permit to get back into Idyllwild. Permits will be issued after 11 a.m. today. Permitting stations are at Banning High School, USFS Cranston Guard Station and Lake Hemet. You will need proof of residence or employment to get a permit. You will need a permit to get past the road closure. The road closures stay in effect until after 11 p.m. today. Residents, business owners or employees will be permitted back in. There will be continuance law enforcement presence in Idyllwild. No structural damage or property damage in Idyllwild and Pine Cove. But there will be plenty of fire equipment remaining so be cautious when driving. Some residents might find some of the stuff outside their home rearranged. This was done by fire personnel as a precaution in case the fire came into Idyllwild.
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John M
climber
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Jul 21, 2013 - 01:59pm PT
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From inciweb.. 1.5 inches of rain at the palm springs aerial tramway. Thats great.
http://inciweb.org/incident/3516/
The anticipated rain and thunderstorms materialized early morning, brining 1.5 inches of rain as measured at the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway. With diminished fire activity, fire crews continued to work towards further containment through line construction particularly along the east side towards Palm Springs. Although conditions were hazardous and some crews were taken off the line due to severe weather, firefighters continue to fight the fire aggressively where possible. Today’s priority for fire operations is focused at the northern most part of the fire with crews at the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway constructing direct hand line at the fire’s edge to reduce the threat to Idyllwild and surrounding communities.
The Palm Springs Aerial Tramway and Mount San Jacinto State Park are currently closed because of unhealthy air quality. Fire crews will be working around the Aerial Tramway to prepare structural defense preparations.
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