Open areas to hike in White Mtns.

[azbackpackr]

I am pretty sure a lot of state lands are still open. This is the "barren" grasslands areas along Hwy 60 between east Show Low and Springerville. There are hundreds of miles of two tracks in this area suitable for mtn. biking, and there are a lot of cinder hills with craters in them to climb. Right now it is very dry in those areas, but if the monsoon gets going it greens up quickly and becomes a showcase of wildflowers by the end of Aug. Throughout September, these areas are very pleasant, green, and full of flowers.

I am pretty sure that the fire areas will be closed for a long time. I am hoping that by August they will open up some of the roads so that at least we can drive up and have a look. I hear there is still a lot of unburned forest within the fire area. However, I think my favorite place in the Apache-Sitgreaves, Fish Creek Trail #60 http://hikearizona.com/decoder.php?ZTN=327 did get pretty scorched. Am not sure what happened along the Black River. I think they used it as a fireline.

[te_wa]

mt. baldy?

[chumley]

The latest images show that they have back-burned right up to Baldy, including the Sheep Crossing campground. For now, the entire Apache forest is closed, and that will remain the case until monsoon rains come. After that it will be interesting to see if they open the road to Big Lake, since there's still a campground and a lake there, along with a store that can host visitors. I don't believe there's too much risk for flash flooding in that specific area, but despite Baldy not burning, the roads that access it have had fire along them, so it might be next year before they decide it's safe to let the public get to the trailhead.

I think it will still be a couple of weeks before they officially contain the fire, and not until then will they announce the management plan for rehab and public access.

[haggster]

@azbackpackr

Can you see Escudilla yet, or is it still too smoky? I am just wondering how bad the mountain was burned.

[chumley]

There's always the Res. Just remember to get your permit.
http://wmatoutdoors.org/

[azbackpackr]

Yeah, I guess Baldy hasn't been hit yet. I am going to community mtg. in an hour, get the new map. Escudilla burned over pretty good, is the RUMOR.

But what I meant by the thread title is right NOW the state lands are open. There are a lot of unburned areas that are closed right now. They may not open up until monsoon.

FAIR may be open for hiking as well.

[haggster]

Escudilla burned over pretty good, is the RUMOR.

I don't know if you have seen the top photo yet. They showed it at the meeting last night. I got it from the Apache-Sitgreaves flickr photostream, http://www.flickr.com/photos/apachesitg ... hotostream. The photo below I took 2 years ago from the look out tower. Just before the picture of the look out tower, there is a picture of Terry Flat which doesn't look too bad. However, seeing that tower photo is so depressing.

[Vaporman]

Geez! It got toasted really good.

[paulhubbard]

There are some amazing photos on that site! This one looks like something from Lord of the Rings, not a scene in AZ...
http://www.flickr.com/photos/apachesitg ... otostream/

[rwstorm]

Agreed. Intense, scary, and sad.

[azbackpackr]

The caption is spooky too. Sheesh. Two minutes after spot fires were noticed, then the extreme fire behavior began. Great website of photos for sure. Hope the aspens regrow on Escudilla. That area had a fierce fire in 1952, and that is why it had aspens in the first place.

I was able to get to South Fork Campground yesterday. Some firefighters were there, preparing to hike the S. Fork Trail to Mexican Hay. They did not know anything about the terrain or roads in the area, and had only a small hiking pamphlet for a map. I gave them a lot of directions. It looked to me from there and also looking up South Fork canyon from 260 that most of the fire was on the ground. I told the guys to burn out all the poison ivy!

[Jim]

That FS Escudilla pic is my new background. Pretty impressive. I was on Escudilla twice in June of 2007 and in the tower both times. It looks like that tower got burned except for the steel structure. Terry Flat will look nice, since that is a grassland. Maybe, with so much of the forest burned, this will encourage this forest to have larger and more frequent burns, but I doubt it.

[azbackpackr]

This just in from Lakeside DR:

Attached is the amended area closure for Lakeside RD effective at 10AM today. [I did not attach, go to their website and look if you want to.] Essentially the entire Lakeside Ranger District is closed except for Fool Hollow Lake Recreation Area, Lakeside CG, Scott Reservoir, Woodland Lake Park tract, Rim Trail/Camps Tatiyee & Grace, and the various state, county and City/Town roads. You will also note that the closure is more concise with no exception for "Residents in the area." That wording was removed to reduce confusion. Questions or comments, please call or email. Please share the word with TRACKS members and other interested parties. Thanks for your help as always.

Just look NW from the house to understand why this closure order is necessary. The pinyon-juniper woodlands will burn this year with the least wind behind it. I understand that a blown tire caused the Wash fire, but that is preliminary information at this time. In addition, Black Mesa Ranger District closed their portion of the Rodeo-Chediski Burn area from SR260 to Fort Apache Indian Reservation with the Rim Road as the west boundary. A copy is also attached.

Ed Collins, District Ranger
Lakeside Ranger District
Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests
928-368-2100