I was up in the Bull of the Woods area the other day and made the jaunt from the top of Big Slide Mountain down to Lake Lenore. Rob, if you need a gps track for that trail I now have a track for the entire Schreiner Peak trail, from the junction with the Welcome Lakes trail all the way to Lake Lenore. I'd be happy to send it to you if you want it. I'm not exactly sure how to attach it here. I also don't know how to separate out the Lake Lenore segment of that track, but I'm guessing that you do.
The trail down to Lake Lenore was not much to speak of before the fire, and now it's a bit harder to find in places due to the amount of debris on the ground. But I was on the actual trail most of the time.
Wow - amazing - I was up there today! Thank you for the track. I'll compare it to mine and see how they compare. That trail down to the lake got hit pretty hard in the fire. I know I was on it in places due to old blazes that were still visible, but there were a few sections that I was scratching my head due to all the down trees and bark and debris.
The bad news is that Lake Lenore is not nearly as pretty as it once was. The good news is that the regeneration has already begun. I saw LOTS of 1-2" fir seedling sprouting up all over the place. I was surprised since I thought that fire was so hot it might have sterilized the ground, but I guess not. It will take a while, but the area will recover. It will be interesting to watch the recovery.
How did you manage to get up to Lake Lenore and back out by 2:00? What route did you take? I started at the Pansy Lake trailhead at 9:00 and got back there at 4:30. At 11 miles, I figured that route was shorter than either Dickey Creek or Welcome Lakes. Maybe I was wrong.
I also noticed all the conifer seedlings in the burn area. It's already starting to regrow. It was good to see that.
Doug Firman said
How did you manage to get up to Lake Lenore and back out by 2:00? What route did you take? I started at the Pansy Lake trailhead at 9:00 and got back there at 4:30. At 11 miles, I figured that route was shorter than either Dickey Creek or Welcome Lakes. Maybe I was wrong.I also noticed all the conifer seedlings in the burn area. It's already starting to regrow. It was good to see that.
I started a little before 9, took the same route as you did. I was hoofing it pretty good - I knew I was racing against the clock. I didn't take too many pictures or anything. I also didn't go all the way around the lake - just down to the shore and back, and I didn't go out to the end of the point up top. My track said just over 10 miles. (10.3 I think). As I said, I was pretty motivated to make time today. We were moving pretty good from the 550 junction all the way back to the Pansy Trailhead (it is almost all downhill from there).
You must have really been racing. Maybe if I hadn't stopped for a swim in the lake I could have made better time. And I did take a lot of photos.