I hiked the Dickey Creek and Schreiner Peak trails the other day and took some photos of the damage from the fire last summer. Its not a pretty sight.
The first view of the burned area from the Schreiner Peak trail as it ascends the south side of Big Slide Mountain. Looking east.
Approaching the ridge and the trail to Lake Lenore. The fire almost made it here. Notice the burned trees on the right.
Looking east toward Schreiner Peak at the east slope of Lake Lenore basin.
Lake Lenore. The only sign of live vegetation are the few trees on the edge of the lake at lower right.
The slope on the west side of Lake Lenore.
Looking down at the forest just below the rock outcrop viewpoint that I was on.
The Welcome Lakes basin. Lower Welcome Lake in the center, and Upper Welcome is visible as a patch of green above and to the right.
The Dickey Creek trail is in fine shape, almost completely melted out. It was a pleasant hike until I got to the ridgeline above Lake Lenore. No longer the idyllic place it once was.
There are more photos of fire damage in the Bull of the Woods on my Flickr site: http://www.flickr.com/photos/19191522@N06/sets/72157625344283420/
Doug:
Thanks for posting those photos. I've been really curious to see the damage from the fire. You are right - it isn't a pretty sight. I looked at the photos on your flickr account as well - it looks like you hiked the Elk Lake Creek trail as well? That looks pretty bad as well.....
Even with the all the damage, it is amazing there are still pockets of green. A few years should help heal some of the damage, but I'm wondering if this would be a good time to try and cross country to Schreiner peak? With all the underbrush cleared out?
Rob Williams said:
Doug:
I'm wondering if this would be a good time to try and cross country to Schreiner peak? With all the underbrush cleared out?
I was wondering the same thing. Might be easier to see the old tread.