|
| | | |
| |
|
| Hiking | 6.50 Miles |
1,050 AEG |
| | Hiking | 6.50 Miles | | | |
| 1,050 ft AEG | | | | |
|
|
| |
| Partners |
|
none
[ show ]
| no partners | | This will be my 2nd to last trip up Graham to survey the Frye Fire damage.
Plan was to check out the Snow Flat area and spend some time down in the campground.
Snow Flat Rd 90% down to the campground Med severity burn. Mostly brown needles with a few black trees.
Snow Flat Campground 98% untouched ..... I couldn't believe it ..... it looked great!
Snow Flat Trail also looked great ..... some flooding and the fire did come down both sides of the canyon right up to the creek in some spots. Mostly brown needles, a few black trees up high.
I then spent a few hours back at the campground. I packed in a grill and cooked pork chops for lunch, practiced a few outdoor skills, wrote a little & just relaxed. I watched 3 deer drink from the pond and listened to turkey gobbles up in the hills (never spotted them).
Treasure Park from Snow Flat - There is now a permanent gate put up with a "forest closed" sign. I hiked just a bit up to the top of the hill to get a better understanding why. 100% black sticks as far as I could see and I'm sure all the way to Treasure Park. The worst hit area I have now seen on top.
After leaving Snow Flat I next hit up the Shake Trail.
There is a fire damage caution sign at the trail head for some reason?
Other than a bit of red slurry on trees the first 100 yards ..... this trail was untouched by the fire. I hiked it just to the "big meadow" a mile down and this area looked great, No Damage!
Back at the TH I crossed the Swift Trail and a bit up Twilight Peak.
Destroyed ..... 50% brown needles/50% black trees ..... I could barely make out the trail.
Was very happy to see Snow Flat & the Shake Trail as I've always seen them.
The back trail to Treasure & Twilight are sad to lose.
This is still very hard for me to deal with, I will actually be glad this year for the Nov 15th winter closure. 1 more trip up and I will be done with the top of the mountain until next April 15th after the winter closure is over.
It's like a big car wreck up there ..... I don't want to look, but I have too.
Wildlife - Another unbelievable day for deer, I counted 22 along the way. Many Abert's, heard gobblers, lots of butterflies & saw deer/turkey/coati/bear tracks at Snow Flat. Several javalina crossing the road lower down and a baby rattlesnake.
 |
|
Autumn Foliage Observation Light
|
|
| _____________________
| | |
|
|
|
Route Editor
Route Scout
down Snow Flat trail 
