I wanted to get up the Angeles Crest and do some hikes near the Station Fire perimeter, particularly at Mt. Waterman. But the road was closed until Nov. 30 and Waterman's first snow was Dec. 7, probably a lot of ice now, not appropriate for the casual hike. So I drove up the Mt. Wilson Road to Eaton Saddle and hiked the old Mt. Lowe Road through the tunnel to Markham Saddle.
Vegetation along the Mt. Wilson Road looks surprisingly normal, starting almost at the Red Box turnoff.
Markham Saddle was at the burn boundary; most everything west of there was trashed. Samantha did not come with me from there to San Gabriel Peak. The trail had several slides to cross and the footing of ash was almost like fine sand in many places and even some boulders were charred.
San Gabriel Peak at 6,100 is the highest point on the front section of the mountains. Just a trace of snow from Dec. 7 near the top.
The next range of mountains to the north, the boundary of the Tujunga drainage, are completely burnt to the ground. In this view north the Station Fire burned as far as you can see.
The Station Fire burned over the top of San Gabriel Peak from the west but did not advance down the north or east sides. This view east shows nearby trees that with scorched leaves. Farther on the Mt. Wilson side of the upper West Fork San Gabriel drainage was saved while other side burned.
A zoom view in the same direction of Mt. Baldy. You can see the eastern boundary of the Station Fire in the San Gabriel Wilderness.
Just NW of San Gabriel Peak the communications towers on Mt. Disappointment were preserved. A larger group of towers on Mt. Lukens above La Crescenta were overrun and destroyed.
Here's the hazy view SW down the Arroyo Seco drainage toward the fire's origin above La Canada.
Vegetation along the Mt. Wilson Road looks surprisingly normal, starting almost at the Red Box turnoff.
Markham Saddle was at the burn boundary; most everything west of there was trashed. Samantha did not come with me from there to San Gabriel Peak. The trail had several slides to cross and the footing of ash was almost like fine sand in many places and even some boulders were charred.
San Gabriel Peak at 6,100 is the highest point on the front section of the mountains. Just a trace of snow from Dec. 7 near the top.
The next range of mountains to the north, the boundary of the Tujunga drainage, are completely burnt to the ground. In this view north the Station Fire burned as far as you can see.
The Station Fire burned over the top of San Gabriel Peak from the west but did not advance down the north or east sides. This view east shows nearby trees that with scorched leaves. Farther on the Mt. Wilson side of the upper West Fork San Gabriel drainage was saved while other side burned.
A zoom view in the same direction of Mt. Baldy. You can see the eastern boundary of the Station Fire in the San Gabriel Wilderness.
Just NW of San Gabriel Peak the communications towers on Mt. Disappointment were preserved. A larger group of towers on Mt. Lukens above La Crescenta were overrun and destroyed.
Here's the hazy view SW down the Arroyo Seco drainage toward the fire's origin above La Canada.