Ferguson Fire Affecting Yosemite

Bill Kirby wrote: Guys I don’t have a partner or my gear to go climbing. I planned to hike somewhere in the mountains or the Valley but lots of locations are smoked out.

 That said, how bout hiking in the valley in july or August? Any other good spots to take a walk guys? I’m from Maryland.

Where are you coming from when out here, Bill? From the Bay Area or from LA? There's a very different set of recs depending on what direction you are approaching YNP from.

Smoke has been pretty bad the last two days in Mammoth and June. Seems better in the mountains until early afternoon. 

Harumpfster Boondoggle wrote: Where are you coming from when out here, Bill? From the Bay Area or from LA?

He's coming from the Bay Area.

Then lastly, we need dates you'll be out here, Bill.

Because this fire season is going to be touch and go until the last minute....plenty of stuff to see that may be more or less smokey, depending on current fires right when you are here.

Bill Kirby wrote: Guys I don’t have a partner or my gear to go climbing. I planned to hike somewhere in the mountains or the Valley but lots of locations are smoked out.

 That said, how bout hiking in the valley in july or August? Any other good spots to take a walk guys? I’m from Maryland.

Bill, I would climb with you. Sent a message.

Valerie Ann wrote: Yosemite Valley now expected to be closed until Friday afternoon 8/3. Tuolumne remains open. I've been climbing the past 3 out of 4 days in the Meadows. Each day progressively worse as far as smoke goes.
The past two days smoke has spread to Eastside Sierra.

Seconding this. I spent Saturday in the Mammoth/Convict Lake area, thinking that I'll escape the worst of Ferguson smoke. Nope - the Lions fire due west created its own set of problems. 

I then went up to Saddleback Lake, which supposedly had better air quality according to https://airquality.weather.gov/probe_aq_data.php?latitude=37.9821445&longitude=-119.323378. Again, nope - could barely see anything.

The air quality was worse than forecast on both days IMO. It may seem okay/breathable in the morning, but don't let that fool you - the wind direction shifts quickly and by afternoon the congestion sets in. AQI recommendations also felt like an underestimate. When you're moving uphill at altitude, the crappy air catches up quick.

FYI, I relied on the following forecast sources:

• https://wildlandfiresmoke.net/outlooks/YosemiteArea
• https://wildlandfiresmoke.net/outlooks/SouthernSierra
• https://www.airfire.org/data/bluesky-daily/

Good info susan. Some friends and I were planning on going to the hulk mid week and toulomne for the weekend. But we're obviously worried about smoke and trying to decide if it's smart to still go. A friend who lives in mammoth posted a video of some awful smokey air yesterday. 

You guys rock! Thanks a million for the suggestions. I’m in San Fran but plan to move to Sausalito on the 27th The city sucks.

HB, I’ll check with you when I figure out the dates.. if that’s cool

Valerie and Helen, I’ll hit you guys back today. I’m late for work haha..

Yesterday it was smoky on the E Side at least down to Lone Pine including at 13K.

Be sure to see this thread, Bill: https://www.mountainproject.com/forum/topic/114602083/tuolumne-meadows-july-smoke#ForumMessage-114792748

and the TM web cam is up: nps.gov/customcf/webcam/dsp…

Danny Sandoval wrote: Good info susan. Some friends and I were planning on going to the hulk mid week and toulomne for the weekend. But we're obviously worried about smoke and trying to decide if it's smart to still go. A friend who lives in mammoth posted a video of some awful smokey air yesterday. 

Np, glad the info could be of help! 

I did meet a fisherman at the Saddlebag TH who'd stayed at Bridgeport the previous night. He said that the air quality was pretty decent, so the hulk is likely okay for the foreseeable future. Tuolumne on the other hand - the smoke was pretty noticeable. Some folks seem to power through it okay, but it was definitely on the upper end of my personal tolerance levels. I don't have any preexisting issues with asthma, etc.; yet I definitely had trouble taking full, deep breaths of air due to the smoke.

Maybe start at the hulk and move your way up to Tahoe? 

Susan S wrote:

Np, glad the info could be of help! 

I did meet a fisherman at the Saddlebag TH who'd stayed at Bridgeport the previous night. He said that the air quality was pretty decent, so the hulk is likely okay for the foreseeable future. Tuolumne on the other hand - the smoke was pretty noticeable. Some folks seem to power through it okay, but it was definitely on the upper end of my personal tolerance levels. I don't have any preexisting issues with asthma, etc.; yet I definitely had trouble taking full, deep breaths of air due to the smoke.

Maybe start at the hulk and move your way up to Tahoe? 

I called the Bridgeport ranger station yesterday and they said it was pretty smokey. I asked if people were still pulling permits to go to the hulk and he said yea tho it's slowed down. I saw a video of the hulk on a friend of a friend's insta and it looked okish. Ultimately we decided to bail on the trip, didnt feel like being halfway up something and getting socked in. My eyes get really irritated with smoke tho so 

Just drove the whole backside of the sierra over the last two days camping at Lassen NP and Mammoth since YNP was closed.

Very smokey the whole drive, very limited visibilty.  You could taste the smoke even at the campsites...

Will likely be up around Mammoth over the weekend.  Is the smoke mostly dependent on the winds, or can one expect that it's going to be smoky regardless?  Also, mornings better than afternoons, etc?  I'm OKing with some mellow climbing or bouldering, but I'm wondering whether it'll be bad enough to leave the mt. bike at home. 

Fat Dad wrote: Will likely be up around Mammoth over the weekend.  Is the smoke mostly dependent on the winds, or can one expect that it's going to be smoky regardless?  Also, mornings better than afternoons, etc?  I'm OKing with some mellow climbing or bouldering, but I'm wondering whether it'll be bad enough to leave the mt. bike at home. 

Some friends mtn biked mammoth last weekend. Said it was smokey but looks like they still got some riding in. Pictures looked clearish to me..

Clear in the am for us at mammoth.

Pete Spri wrote: Just drove the whole backside of the sierra over the last two days camping at Lassen NP and Mammoth since YNP was closed.

Very smokey the whole drive, very limited visibilty.  You could taste the smoke even at the campsites...

just a quick note: YNP was/is NOT closed.  the valley is closed, 120/tuolumne is open.  looks like the plan is to set some backfires to the south and the north to help with containment.  might be more smoke in the short term.

re: mammoth air quality - tools.airfire.org/monitorin…;erlat=37.7577¢erlon=-119.0492&zoom=9&category=PM2.5_nowcastf

Thanks gents.  In addition to hitting Clark Canyon or the Dike Wall, etc., thinking about taking my two oldest kids to the mt. bike park, which could be really fun or really sucky depending on the smoke. We'll make sure to hit it in the a.m.  

managed to put in a few hours at rock creek today.  got there around 11:00, fairly clear at elixir.  left around 3:00, pretty much socked in (started getting bad around 2:30).  the breeze actually kept temps warm, but pleasant.

view up canyon from elixir wall 8/4/18 11:00

view up canyon from elixir wall 8/4/18 15:00

going back to a couple of posts above - hwy. 120 is now closed (to go all the way through the park).

This morning all clear at Eastside entrance at Tioga Pass.

Normal high Sierra blue sky.

Been so long since I've seen that, like a visit to an alien planet.

Meanwhile down low east the Mono Lake basin is buried under a sea of smoke.

Ken