Echo Mtn.-Inspiration Pt.-Peak 4714: 10-11-2009
Posted: Sun Oct 11, 2009 4:16 pm
Hiked up to Echo Mtn., Inspiration Point and Peak 4714'. Took Lower Sam Merrill to Castle Cyn. to Inspiration Pt. Went up the east ridge of Peak 4714, down the north ridge, and returned to Inspiration Point. Then I decided to make a loop of it and headed down the Middle Sam Merrill Trail back to Echo Mtn.
Middle part of Middle Sam Merrill Trail was completely scorched and is rapidly being covered up by debris slides. Rest of the trails were in really good shape. Seems like a majority of the upper part of Grand Cyn. survived reasonably well. Upper part of Idlehour Trail was completely scorched.
Ran into a Forest Ranger or a Volunteer Ranger and he gave me some insight into the current Forest Closure due to the Station Fire. Basically the spirit of the closure is to stay out of areas that burned. For example, he indicated that even though Mt. Lowe Campground was technically in the closure area, he couldn't imagine it being a problem to go there since it hadn't burned. Similar for Mt. Wilson Toll Road up to Mt. Wilson - it's the boundary of the closure but it hasn't burned. Idlehour Trail, even though it is the boundary, probably not a good idea to go on it because the upper portion burned.
This makes it seem that enforcement of the closure may end up being somewhat arbitrary.
Pics.
Fire came close to the Inspiration Pt. structure...
Completely scorched area on south side of Mt. Lowe...
Middle part of Middle Sam Merrill Trail was completely scorched and is rapidly being covered up by debris slides. Rest of the trails were in really good shape. Seems like a majority of the upper part of Grand Cyn. survived reasonably well. Upper part of Idlehour Trail was completely scorched.
Ran into a Forest Ranger or a Volunteer Ranger and he gave me some insight into the current Forest Closure due to the Station Fire. Basically the spirit of the closure is to stay out of areas that burned. For example, he indicated that even though Mt. Lowe Campground was technically in the closure area, he couldn't imagine it being a problem to go there since it hadn't burned. Similar for Mt. Wilson Toll Road up to Mt. Wilson - it's the boundary of the closure but it hasn't burned. Idlehour Trail, even though it is the boundary, probably not a good idea to go on it because the upper portion burned.
This makes it seem that enforcement of the closure may end up being somewhat arbitrary.
Pics.
Fire came close to the Inspiration Pt. structure...
Completely scorched area on south side of Mt. Lowe...
