Post-Bridge Fire East Fork Recon

[MtGoatMan]

Last week I went to the East Fork San Gabriel River to check out how it fared in last year's Bridge Fire. I had been planning on visiting the East Fork last September when the Bridge Fire started and ruined my plans. Since the closure expired in June, I'd been itching to get out there and check it out.

The East Fork is my absolute favorite area to explore in the San Gabriel's, especially the area beyond the BTN (Iron + Fish Forks). The main goal of my trip was to get to the camps at Iron Fork and Fish Fork to see how they'd fare. Those camps are some of my favorite spots to do an easy local backpacking trip, so I wanted to see if the area was worth coming back to after the fire.

Overall, the trail and experience on the trail and in the canyon before and up to the BTN is largely the same since the fire. The trail's in great condition, and still has lots of beautiful shaded areas. Lower down in the canyon, the areas by the river were mostly spared of complete devastation, but the mountainsides throughout the whole canyon were absolutely TORCHED.

The denuded mountainsides are the cause of lots of debris and mudflows, especially in the areas of Laurel and Allison Gulches. These debris flows have strongly impacted the flow of the river. The river was BY FAR the lowest I've ever seen it, which isn't really a surprise in late July, but compared to previous summers it was MUCH lower. Sadly, it also was mostly lacking the beautiful greenish-blue tinge that I'd come to love about the East Fork. The shallow water was full of algae in some spots, especially above the bridge.

The Laurel Gulch confluence was totally unrecognizable. I think they replaced the Sheep Mountain Wilderness sign, which was the only reason I could recognize the spot. The bridge that was here had burned up, but you don't even need a bridge anymore to cross the crazy amount of sand that was brought down the gully. I couldn't even recognize it at first.

The area at Allison Gulch was one of the areas that was hit the hardest. The debris flows coming down Allison Gulch have kind of dammed the river and altered its flow here, making there be lots of shallow ponds and large areas of sand that COMPLETELY changed the look of the place. Most of the trees burned here, making it look completely unrecognizable.

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This is a pic showing what it's like near Allison Gulch. The gulch itself is full of mud and debris.

The trail right past the BTN was in the best condition I've ever seen, though. Perhaps people have made a new fresh path through the scree here?

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The beautiful pools below the BTN were luckily unaffected and are still lovely

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The canyon from the Narrows onward definitely felt more affected by the fire. Perhaps the narrower width of the canyon made a bottleneck that focused the fire into the bottom? The water level felt noticeably lower from here on through to Iron & Fish Forks.

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Low water in the Narrows

Thankfully there's still many beautiful areas beyond the BTN and the Narrows, though.

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I came across a few of the many camps in the Narrows. Pretty cool spots.

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I found lots of bones, which I assume are sheep. Made me feel a little creeped out knowing that these are probably from a mountain lion kill. I'm no stranger to that feeling in places like this!

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In the Narrows I came across this old machinery that was strewn about the water. Probably from old mining operations somewhere further up the canyon. I don't remember seeing it before. Wonder if the Bridge Fire helped bring this stuff down here? Anyone have ideas where it might be from?

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The beautiful riparian areas beyond the BTN are some of my favorite spots out here. Sadly, there are long stretches here were all the trees burned. Not sure if they're all dead but they're definitely bare now.

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Here's the Iron Fork confluence

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Made it to Iron Fork and was immediately saddened by what I saw.

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The camp at Iron Fork was totally burned. The stone tables and walls are still there, but everything else is burned. There wasn't much shade here to begin with, but now there is absolutely none. It would be a hot place to camp now.

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Iron Fork Camp

I looked a little ways up Iron Fork, but didn't have the heart to continue exploring this time. Next time I'll brave the burned areas, I want to get back to at least the Iron Fork - South Iron Fork confluence.

Between Iron Fork and Fish Fork, the on and off again nature of the burn continued. Falls Gulch had a small but definitely present flow.

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Here's Fish Fork Camp:

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I spent a few minutes surveying the camp, and also was saddened here. Before the fire, this was my favorite spot to camp along the East Fork. It was so dark and shady throughout the day before the fire. The camp wasn't as torched as Iron Fork camp, but it definitely has been affected by the burn.

I didn't have the heart to continue up Fish Fork, but I'll be back again to get out there. Even after the fire, the East Fork still is my favorite area to check out. I'd been really anxious about how the Bridge Fire affected the area, so it was great to quell my curiousity about this. It's still an amazing area and is absolutely worth returning to after the fire. Overall, the devastation wasn't complete. The hillsides are totally torched but there's still many beautiful areas along the river. It will all recover in time, and I hope that over the years the flow from storms will wash away lots of the sand and debris that is altering the flow.

I've heard that Devil Gulch and its falls are still ok. And as mentioned, the previous experience of the trail to the BTN is largely the same, minus the damming and blocking of the flow at Allison Gulch.

Here's some more pics from my trip:

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Burned oaks

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This oak still has a little green on it, but the bench that used to be under it is gone

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Looking up canyon

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Still beautiful

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Signs of regrowth

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Rattlesnake Canyon got totally torched

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Devil Gulch looks ok

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I was hoping these bigcone firs on the slope of Iron Mtn above the BTN were ok, but sadly they burned

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Looking up canyon past Devil Gulch, does anyone know what peak that is? Is it in the Hawkins area? Would love to check it out.

If you're interested, Pharroah on youtube has made a bunch of really detailed videos that show what it's like at the East Fork after the fire. Definitely worth checking out!

[Taco]

Another excellent report. I’m glad to see some survived the fire. I reckon I’ll go look at Fish Fork sometime to see what it’s like.

[MtGoatMan]

Thanks Taco! I was glad too but still saddened to see what happened to the camps there. I’m already thinking about heading back, especially to Iron Fork because I know it didn’t burn a couple miles up near the confluence of the forks.

I would say I’m obsessed with that area. Never can get enough!

[dima]

Thanks for the report. Oof. I have a lot of questions, but really should go over there myself to see what's going on.

[MtGoatMan]

Thanks for the report. Oof. I have a lot of questions, but really should go over there myself to see what's going on.

Thanks Dima, and yes fire away! I’ll try to answer what I can but yeah you should definitely get out there. I’ll be going back out again too before too long. I’m always obsessed with this place.

[Taco]

The handful of times I've been up at the toilet atop SMH I looked down into Iron Fork. It looks like the fire mostly stayed on the south side of the canyon, so I think where both forks meet and go north and west is in good shape.

I may do a bike based descent of EF soon. Probably easier without as much brush.

[AW~]

Stanley-Miller mine debris me thinks.

Im maybe far out there but i think the structures are an abomination at Iron Fork.
And the Narrows...trash. Pharroah the same.....itsnt he the one who likes burning stuff...such a social pretender.
That guy in Runyon ...East Fork is not far off. I have been there and the whole area was under smoke. and it ends up being a large bonfire to warm up the morning by some dude. The only learned is that they are going to burn it again and again and blame it on climate change.

[MtGoatMan]

Stanley-Miller mine debris me thinks.

Im maybe far out there but i think the structures are an abomination at Iron Fork.
And the Narrows...trash. Pharroah the same.....itsnt he the one who likes burning stuff...such a social pretender.
That guy in Runyon ...East Fork is not far off. I have been there and the whole area was under smoke. and it ends up being a large bonfire to warm up the morning by some dude. The only learned is that they are going to burn it again and again and blame it on climate change.

The location seems right for the Stanley-Miller mine. I can appreciate the historical value of some of the stuff at Iron Fork (table dating to at least 1929) but we all know that there’s lots of people who don’t care to take good care of the East Fork.

[MtGoatMan]

The handful of times I've been up at the toilet atop SMH I looked down into Iron Fork. It looks like the fire mostly stayed on the south side of the canyon, so I think where both forks meet and go north and west is in good shape.

I may do a bike based descent of EF soon. Probably easier without as much brush.

I wanna get up SMH and check it out from above. It’d definitely be a good time soon to do the bike thing, but stuff is already gonna grow back soon!

[tekewin]

Thanks for the detailed report and photos. Always nice to see what's going on in the deeps.

I think that mountain looking past Devil Gulch is Rattlesnake Peak. It's hard to tell which direction you are looking, so my second guess would be South Mt. Hawkins.

[MtGoatMan]

Thanks for the detailed report and photos. Always nice to see what's going on in the deeps.

I think that mountain looking past Devil Gulch is Rattlesnake Peak. It's hard to tell which direction you are looking, so my second guess would be South Mt. Hawkins.

I’m happy to share with ya’ll! It’s looking north-northwest. Upon some Google earthing I’ve deduced it’s the end of the ridge that continues from South Mt. Hawkins. I’ve since dubbed it “South Hawkins Ridge Peak” in my mind.

[dima]

I just went to the bridge. Things aren't too fucked at the river bottom, and it's still pleasant. That's something.

[MtGoatMan]

Re Dima, yeah things are really not too bad below the bridge except in the Allison Gulch area. Above the bridge where the canyon is narrower there’s more burned trees right on the water. I’m working up the guts to check out Iron Fork and Fish Fork.

[dima]

I'll go to Iron Fork in the near future. Want to team up?

[MtGoatMan]

I'll go to Iron Fork in the near future. Want to team up?

Yeah that’d be super cool to meet up. I won’t be able to go for a couple weeks at least. Let’s coordinate via DM.