Firefighters Have Made Two New "Roads"

[KeepsWhatHappens]

I should say that have made at least two new roads that I can see from my house. Likely there are many more on the other side of the mountains I can't see.

It wasn't apparent to me until the snow fell on Saddleback and Modjeska Peak last night. When I woke this morning I saw two new "roads", "trails," or "firebreaks," whatever you want to call them.

mountainpano12-07_fire.jpg
(click to view larger)

Since I see this view everyday it's apparent when something has changed.

I took a pano of the mountains and overlaid some information. Dozer line #1 is straght down from the Main Divide Road where it approaches Saddleback (before the switchback). This drops straight down to Old Camp as far as I can tell without on the ground recon. It may not be a dozer line but a hand crew cut firebreak because the dirt isn't very bright colored, but it is at least as wide as a wide fire road. This sucker is steep, perhaps why it wasn't dozed.

Dozer line #2 appears to be two dozer cuts from the first set of antennae you come to after climbing up from Four Corners, down to intersect Harding Truck Trail. I am guessing the place on Harding where they intersect is near where Harding begins it's last moderate climb up to Four Corners after a short descent. Again, not sure without on the ground or aerial recon.

Also, just below Old Camp I could see though binoculars the freshly dozed Cadillac Trail. From RSM one can clearly see the firefighting effort ruined that trail by dozing it as well.

KeepsWhatHappens

[HELLDOG]

Wow!!! That pic looks like a postcard.. I can't wait to get up there to see the damage up close.

[Rivet]

Pretty big scars on the mountain, but whatever you do don't make any new singletrack because those 2 ft wide trails are the scourge of the Santa Ana mountains. Wouldn't want a nice trail network like they have in the San Gab's, that would just ruin everything....unlike 30ft wide scars going straight up the face of the mountain.

[spookydave]

I guess they could just let it all burn until it gets to your house right?

[Waldo]

Glad you got that pic! I'm slightly closer to the base of the mtn, so I thought I was seeing those new dozer lines, but when everything was still ash-colored, it was harder to see. I noticed the same thing this morning: Big white stripes on the hillside.

[Von-Skipp]

Dang, that snow melted fast. If you look up there now its not nearly as white as this morning. Pretty interesting how the clearnings showed up when they had snow.

[Kevedge]

Originally Posted by Rivet

Pretty big scars on the mountain, but whatever you do don't make any new singletrack because those 2 ft wide trails are the scourge of the Santa Ana mountains. Wouldn't want a nice trail network like they have in the San Gab's, that would just ruin everything....unlike 30ft wide scars going straight up the face of the mountain.

would you rather them not try and fight the fires? they did what they had to do.

cant believe they are getting snow at 4500 feet, but it definitely melted quick. when do they plan to open the trails back up?

[mechmann]

Originally Posted by spookydave

I guess they could just let it all burn until it gets to your house right?

sounds good to me! thin out the ranks some!

[TURNERob]

I thought that "dozer #1" is/was just a runoff that has always been there before

[jcbikeski]

I've heard those "new roads" are the biggest reason for a one year closure as they want them to 'heal' first so that they don't get used.

[KeepsWhatHappens]

Originally Posted by TURNERob

I thought that "dozer #1" is/was just a runoff that has always been there before

You may be thinking of what I call "the Gash" which is just to the right or south of the new firebreak "dozer line 1"

The Gash is a steep runoff channel or colouir that has been visible for many years.

KeepsWhatHappens

[KeepsWhatHappens]

Originally Posted by jcbikeski

I've heard those "new roads" are the biggest reason for a one year closure as they want them to 'heal' first so that they don't get used.

Funny I was thinking the same thing. They need a year for re-growth and so the public has a "cooling off" period. I have a feeling if the public could see the damage done (other than what burned) people would be freaking out.

KeepsWhatHappens

[Pain Freak]

Yeah, they are probably just going to let it grow back.

[ocrider]

they used patches of vegatation that didn't burn on Harding as fire breaks by bull dozeing them and then burning it. It sucks that the forest is damaged but they did what they had too, to supress the fire.