Still Smoky

This is a long post. If it is a TLDR*, you can just look at the photos.

The smoky conditions varied widely over the past weekend in Mineral King, WHICH IS NOW CLOSED.

Friday, noonish
Saturday, about 10 a.m.
Saturday, around 2 p.m.
Sunday, around 11 a.m.

Now, let’s look at some other views in Mineral King. These first 2 are looking toward Farewell Gap on Saturday evening. (The weird grayish spots in the sky are just the mysterious moving spots on my camera lens.)

On Sunday, mid morning, we could see smoke moving up the canyon toward Mineral King, so we went for a walk while it was still relatively clear. First, we stopped on the bridge. Then Trail Guy encountered a Park mule that was out of the corral, but wanted to go back inside. There was smoke visible coming up from the direction of White Chief. We walked to Crystal Creek, which is hardly a creek. I found a few flowers still blooming, and we passed a hornet hole, AKA a wasp nest. I looked those critters up in a couple of books; although we call them “meat bees”, they are really just yellow jackets. Mean dudes, don’t mess with them.

Whoa. Is that from an existing fire, or is there one roaring up from Three Rivers? (It was from the SQF Complex and the Creek fires, not a new one.)
Blue sky directly overhead! Remember that? Thrilling (but fleeting).
Looking up toward Farewell Gap from the bridge.

One more pass over the bridge, then we packed up and headed down into the smoke of Three Rivers, talking about evacuation, thinking dark thoughts.

Please God, don’t let locusts come next.

*Too Long Didn’t Read

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7 Comments

  1. Even with smoke, it’s always beautiful, you always have wonderful pictures, thanks!

    • Virginia, is it better to be in an ugly place with clean air or to be in a beautiful place with bad air? Life is a series of choices and consequences, decisions and trade-offs. Thank you for checking in!

  2. I speak from personal experience how mean those yellow jacket dudes are–I sat on a log down by Kaweah Han once. Big mistake. Those stings HURT!

    • Sharon, it is amazing how immediately the baking soda paste removes the sting, and remarkable how as soon as it dries, the pain returns.

      • I’m sure G’ma applied whatever remedy necessary to alleviate the symptoms, but it took awhile to get back to the cabin. Just a distant memory now!

  3. Funny you should mention the locusts….I too fear they may be next

    • Linda, this morning my walking buddy and I starting joking about the need to watch for boils too.

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