Howdy all-- I haven't been around much lately but have had a pretty good summer. Finally cought up reading the old posts. I spent a couple of months in July and August running my string of pack mules for the USFS on some wilderness fires and rehab work. Then about a month packing deer hunters in Sept-Oct. Put more miles on my horse than my sawmill thats for sure. Also slept under the stars almost every night during that time. But glad to be back and still enjoying the FF!
Erik
Welcome back Erik. That does sound like a great summer! 8) 8) You're doing stuff that most folks can only dream about.
It is easy for the rest of us to forget that you guys have a lot of wilderness out there. When we think of California, it is usually Beverly Hills and Malibu that come to mind. Thanks for reminding us. Got any pics of those mules? ;D
I have been working on that very thing. I'm not real fast at it. But they're on the way...
hey Eric,
ever get a chance to fish the north fork of the salmon river? between happy camp and sawyers bar? not even sure if sawyers is there anymore, my dad worked for the usfs and was stationed there in the late 70's, learned how to flyfish on that river, hope to go back some day. look forward to some pics
god bless,
steve
I have never fished it but have been in that country quite a few times. I went in some trailheads near Cecilville several times this year. The salmon river is full of beautiful fishing holes.
Erik
Speaking of fishing holes, heres the North fork of the trinity river as I saw it this summer.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/16776/River_2.jpg)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/16776/River_1.jpg)
This is looking into a different tributary off my horse while on a footbridge
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/16776/River_3.jpg)
Here's my favorite pack mule at the back of the string going around a switchback. There were four pack animals on this ride
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/16776/Calamity_Jane.jpg)
Heres a couple loads of tools. Handtools, a stihl 460, fuel and oil, and a bunch of fuses for back-firing
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/16776/Tools.JPG)
The scenery was pretty good a few days when the smoke wasn't too thick. A lot of times all you could see was a couple hundred yards. Less than that some of the time. Thats why there are still pack animals doing this, helicopters can't fly in that low visibility. I don't think it was related to visibility, but one crashed over the mountain from where I was and It killed 9 guys.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/16776/mountain_1.jpg)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/16776/IMountain_2.jpg)
That's a nice looking mule, and the scenery ain't bad neither. :)
Those a great pics 8) 8)
Can I ask you why you would carry fuses ???
The fuses are actually more like little flares. The Fire crew uses them to start back-fires. They burn real hot. They shoot them out of a gun up into the woods at regular intervals to make a burn line.
Thanks for sharing the pics with us, Erik :)
Eric - there sure is some nice areas in your neck of the woods. I've got 10 on the Trinity river near evans bar - dutch creek rd.. I don't think your all that far from there ???
DanG - I thought the same thing about New York. When I went back there a year ago, I was expecting it to be all paved over and buildings everywhere. :o Boy I was wrong, some nice areas in western N.Y. We do have our share of remote, rugged & billy goat areas in Calif. (it's too bad so much of it has to burn every summer the way it does :()
I drove an overloaded and under powered fuel truck through there chasing a helicopter on fires in the late 80's. It is drop dead beautiful country but the grades are something else. ;D
JD350Cmark-I can drive there from my place and not hit pavement until dutch creek road at the soldier creek bridge.
Sawguy21- We have some good ones, windy too. Sometimes you see out of the area drivers sitting on the side of the road with a panicked look on their face. :D Or follow them for an hour not going faster than 35 mph. >:(
Quote from: DanG on November 25, 2008, 01:30:58 PM
It is easy for the rest of us to forget that you guys have a lot of wilderness out there. When we think of California, it is usually Beverly Hills and Malibu that come to mind.
This is so true, I have met so many people in other states that have no idea what California is really like. When I think of California I think of scenery similar to the pictures here. I am a couple hundred miles south east of Erik, but it would be hard to tell the two areas apart in a photo. Tuolumne and Trinity are very similar, very steep. The state highway that bisects Tuolumne county is 26% grade. If I could choose another area in California to live, it would probably be Trinity county. I like the proximity to the coast up there, but I really enjoy the snowy winters here. Erik did you mainly stay up there? or did you and your mules go to other areas this season? Have you ever packed in the Emigrant or Hoover or Carson Iceburg down here by me?
We get the same thing here. When folks think of Florida, it is beaches, bikinis, and condos they envision. Where I am is more like Arkansas or the Carolinas, both culturally and terrain-wise. We got hills, and they're made out of real dirt. ;D 8) 8)
Theres hills and dirt to grow things other then sea shells in Florydas :o :P :P I got to get out more ;D
Solodan--I never left this area to pack this year at all. I have been to the Emigrant wilderness in the past. It was a little more crowded than here but some of the terrain was similar and it reminded me of the eastern side of the Trinity alps a lot. Last year I hunted bears near Tuolumne for a few days. That steep, scrubby, rocky dry area reminded me of some of our terrain as well. But I don't know much about your area really only been there a couple times.
There are places in CA where from a mountain top almost everything you can see for many miles is wilderness. Don't tell too many people though. I don't want the SoCal beaches to suffer from a lack of tourism on my account.
Erik
:D :D :D
don't worry I won't!