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  1. #1
    Registered User
    Join Date
    05-15-2013
    Location
    Silicon Valley, CA or Tahoe or SEKI
    Age
    66
    Posts
    560

    Default Donnel Fire and THANK YOU! to Sonora Pass Resupply!

    Wanted to give a shout out and huge Thank You to Sonora Pass Resupply (SPR)!

    My sister and I were on the PCT SOBO between Ebbitts Pass and Sonora Pass this past week. We had mailed resupplies to SPR and were scheduled to meet them on Tuesday, Aug 7.

    They contacted us Saturday night or early Sunday morning (Aug 5), via InReach, and let us know that Hwy 108 was closed Eastbound with a new fire (the Donnel Fire). HOWEVER even though the road was closed between them and Sonora Pass... they were willing and able to drive all night via Hwys 4, 395, and 108 Westbound in order to deliver our resupplies. I thought this was incredible customer service for just 2-3 hikers.

    My sister and I debated what to do - do we continue on to Sonora Pass or backtrack back to Ebbitts Pass? In the meantime, SPR kept us updated with messages that: the fire had grown exponentially overnight and was, at that time, 0% contained; fire crews were unavailable to fight the fire due to the many other California fires; Kennedy Meadows North had been evacuated; Dardanelle's Resort had burned down; and the section of the PCT that were were on was closing and we were approximately 2-5 miles from the fire.

    We decided to backtrack and return to Hwy 4 because of the information supplied to us by SPR. We never saw flames but spent a very smoky 24 hours with raining ash.

    SPR just contacted me and they are returning my resupply box and sending a refund.

    We are super grateful for their messages and keeping us up to date with information as they received it. Wanted to give them a huge thank you and public shout out.

  2. #2
    Registered User
    Join Date
    08-11-2015
    Location
    Berkeley, Ca.
    Posts
    10

    Default

    The Donnell Fire is an example of the new, extreme Summertime fire conditions that have emerged in the High Sierra and California generally. PCT, JMT, & all Sierra Summer hikers should be considering fire & smoke as potential standing objective hazards for all High Sierra Summertime hikers. This Summer's impending fire season looks like it has the potential to exceed last season's, which presented us with two fire seasons over the transition of the hot Summer into an extended period of Fall heat, which effectively brought us into the, "new," Fall Fire Season, which was as bad, if not worse, than the first, Summertime fire season... This is the new, "normal," so be ready!
    About the Donnell Fire:
    Inital Report: Donnell Fire Threatening Carson Iceberg & Emigrant Wilderness Areas
    High Sierra Fire & Smoke Page:
    https://tahoetowhitney.org/content/h...ation#contacts

    Personally, I perfer to hike into Kennedy Meadows for resupply by cutting across the Emigrant Wilderness (staying on the Crest where the PCT goes around it...), thereby exploring the High Emigrant, which thankfully, the PCT goes around!! It is not only beautiful, but quiet!
    Kennedy Meadows:
    https://tahoetowhitney.com/Resupply/..._Resupply.html
    Emigrant Wilderness PCT-TYT Map:
    https://tahoetowhitney.com/Sonora%20...g-map.html#map

    Be Observant, Flexible, and Fast...
    Happy Trails!

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