Fire closure in the Enchantments!

[kurthicks]

http://inciweb.org/incident/article/3258/17437/

 

"The other closure area includes Eightmile Road, Colchuck, Stuart, Eightmile, Caroline, and Trout lakes, and the Windy Pass portion of the Enchantment area in the Alpine Lakes Wilderness due to a fire burning [near Mt. Cashmere]. Many Enchantment area overnight camping permits are cancelled. However, the Enchantment Basin itself remains open at this time with access via Snow Creek Trail. Please call the Wenatchee River Ranger Station for more information on which permits are cancelled."

[PrincessWookie]

Thanks for the info.

[stevetimetravlr]

This fire appears to have started up near Eightmile or Caroline Lake. Hard to imagine it was started by lightening down in a hole like that, seems more likely by a careless camper but who knows. From the vista of Edwards Mesa, we watched it roar across the hillside on Saturday, and were concerned about it reaching the road down in the canyon and closing the road. Sure enough yesterday a helicopter landed in the upper Enchantments and 4 rangers got off, and begin closing off Asgard Pass and Colchuck Lake and evacuating everyone. They are throwing a tremendous amount of fire suppression by air at it, lots of fire planes and choppers going in and out, this fire has the potential to spread down the Icicle if the wind comes up, so they appear to be trying to gain the upper hand. Here's hoping they do.

[Pete_H]

Awesome. Less scwacking better skiing.

[Jim]

Was over there Friday. Pretty grim from LTown to Chelan and especially bad around Cashmere - Wenathchee. Was decent up around the Chewawa River area though we did see a new fire near a ridge where we were on single track. Made for motivation for me to improve my lame downhill technique.

[redlude97]

Does anyone have an update on the conditions in L'town? Was looking to head that way on Saturday for some cragging/bouldering in icicle and tumwater. I don't think any of that is closed but is the smoke pretty bad or anything?

[telemarker]

Does anyone have an update on the conditions in L'town? Was looking to head that way on Saturday for some cragging/bouldering in icicle and tumwater. I don't think any of that is closed but is the smoke pretty bad or anything?

 

The smoke is terrible, the particulate count hazardous. I'd recommend you wait until next July to climb in Leavenworth again. If you are in the Seattle area, please tell all your climbing friends the bad news as well.

[redlude97]

Does anyone have an update on the conditions in L'town? Was looking to head that way on Saturday for some cragging/bouldering in icicle and tumwater. I don't think any of that is closed but is the smoke pretty bad or anything?

 

The smoke is terrible, the particulate count hazardous. I'd recommend you wait until next July to climb in Leavenworth again. If you are in the Seattle area, please tell all your climbing friends the bad news as well.

Haha I should have known this is the response I would get. I understand us city slickers are not welcome

[telemarker]

Does anyone have an update on the conditions in L'town? Was looking to head that way on Saturday for some cragging/bouldering in icicle and tumwater. I don't think any of that is closed but is the smoke pretty bad or anything?

 

The smoke is terrible, the particulate count hazardous. I'd recommend you wait until next July to climb in Leavenworth again. If you are in the Seattle area, please tell all your climbing friends the bad news as well.

Haha I should have known this is the response I would get. I understand us city slickers are not welcome

 

No, don't get me wrong. Seattle climbers are great! I'm just trying to save you a wasted trip over here, considering the high cost gas these days.

[JasonG]

My sister in law just came over for a few days because of the smoke. Seriously, don't head east!!

 

She said she could see the house across the street, but nothing else. As in 100' away.

 

Telemarker isn't exaggerating, you need to wear a respirator when out of doors it seems.

[Dannible]

Today is better than yesterday but it is pretty bad. Doing anything physical outside would do more harm than good for you. Luckily I work up at Stevens (not too smokey) or I would be hiding inside all the time. The NOAA forecast is smoke every day. There are fires everywhere.

[olyclimber]

http://seattletimes.com/html/localnews/2019205184_wenatchee20m.html

 

"...worse than Mt. St Helens..."

[G-spotter]

SURE IS SMOKEY IN HERE.

Is it worse than Muir Hut on a Saturday?

[Pete_H]

Does anyone have an update on the conditions in L'town? Was looking to head that way on Saturday for some cragging/bouldering in icicle and tumwater. I don't think any of that is closed but is the smoke pretty bad or anything?

 

The smoke is terrible, the particulate count hazardous. I'd recommend you wait until next July to climb in Leavenworth again. If you are in the Seattle area, please tell all your climbing friends the bad news as well.

 

 

Haha I should have known this is the response I would get. I understand us city slickers are not welcome

 

Not that I'm the arbeiter of these standards or anything but as far as I'm concerned climbers, skiiers, boaters, etc are always welcome in Der town. Its the fat tourons with their dumb rv's that get old.

 

The smoke isn't all that bad in 11worth, it's way worse down valley where Jon lives in Cashmere and Wetsnachee. However, its bad enough that I'd recommend climbing on the westside instead this weekend.

[KaskadskyjKozak]

SURE IS SMOKEY IN HERE.

Is it worse than Muir Hut on a Saturday?

 

No shit. Feck needs to tone it down!

[Bronco]

Looks like Mission fired up the snow guns early this year - http://www.wenatcheewebcam.com/missionridge.html

 

[Icicle_TV]

We posted up the air quality telemetry today. The graph seems a little subjective, as localized pockets get better and worse as the day progresses, mostly worse.

The link at the bottom of the article is the updated info. From a personal perspective this is a total disaster,our favorite time of year is toast. The news is saying the fires will not be out before winter.

Icicle TV air quality article

 

Sounds like they are moving the fire base from Fromms field to Fish Lake because the pilots could not see the landing area.

[John_Scurlock]

The smoke plume yesterday did make it all the way up the Strait of Georgia:

 

[img:left] http://www.pbase.com/nolock/image/146184587/original.jpg[/img]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[John_Scurlock]

and this one (taken on the 19th on an early morning flight with Steph A) in the W fork of Agnes creek isn't being fought,

 

[img:left] http://www.pbase.com/nolock/image/146171256/large.jpg[/img]

[John_Scurlock]

and also from the 19th. Oval Pk as at far left, Mt Tupshin is at R distance. The main mass of smoke at L center is in the vicinity of Stehekin, and the smoke on the R skyline is from the Wenatchee fires.

this image was obtained from near Kool Aid Lake:

 

 

 

[AlpineK]

SURE IS SMOKEY IN HERE.

Is it worse than Muir Hut on a Saturday?

 

No shit. Feck needs to tone it down!

 

I always ask for outside opinions prior to impacting air quality in cramped quarters. OK I might not ask before farting

[G-spotter]

SURE IS SMOKEY IN HERE.

Is it worse than Muir Hut on a Saturday?

 

No shit. Feck needs to tone it down!

 

I always ask for outside opinions prior to impacting air quality in cramped quarters. OK I might not ask before farting

 

sure might not, Nodder?

[dberdinka]

 

Stunning John. Just incredibly stunning.

[mmeyers]

is anyone up in Washington Pass that can comment on the conditions up there?

[Dannible]

It was clear in Manama last weekend so wa pass is probably fine. More lightening is coming to some areas though so check the forecast. The storm that caused all of these fire was pretty wild.