Fire Above Snow Creek

[magikwalt]

We have been watching it from work and the smoke is growing rapidly. I haven't seen any air support coming in yet and someone hears said the air tankers are out of area for awhile.

[halhiker]

It looks pretty big from here in Indian Wells. According to KESQ news it's about three quarters of the way up the mountain above Snow Creek.

[Hikin_Jim]

Uh, oh, that doesn't sound good. There's a blurb about it here: http://www.beloblog.com/Pe_Blogs/#a120970 and here http://www.mydesert.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070821/NEWS0806/70821021&referrer=FRONTPAGECAROUSEL.

There's a photo in the rotation on the main page of the Desert Sun. You may have to wait a few cycles before the photo of the fire comes up. http://www.mydesert.com/apps/pbcs.dll/frontpage

[zippetydude]

Wow, I didn't realize it was that far east. I can see the smoke from Redlands, but I thought the fire was in Beaumont. As long as it doesn't get into the trees, the brush along the PCT could use a little natural clearing - but I'd hate to see it harm the forest.

z

[Cy Kaicener]

Here are more details in the third report on this blogspot
http://calfire.blogspot.com/

[TRumble24]

I'm in Covina, and there is a fire burning in Hacienda Heights and they are using water dropping aircraft on it. They may be spread thin on resources, oh and that seemingly never ended Zaca fire up in Santa Barbara County I'm sure is taking up alot of resources as well.

[Hikin_Jim]

From http://calfire.blogspot.com: "Fire is torching and crowning in the trees right now." Crowning. Not good.

[Hikin_Jim]

The Desert Sun is reporting 90% containment http://www.mydesert.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070821/NEWS0806/70821021&referrer=FRONTPAGECAROUSEL

[Yichus]

Thanks, Jim, for the information. According to the article, the fire consumed eight structures at Camp Lackey. This deeply saddens me as I once took refuge in one of those dilapidated buildings during a downpour in August of 2005.

I think the Camp had a total of about 12 structures, including a two-story dormitory (its roof had been pierced by a giant pine tree that had fallen on it) and an Olympic-sized swimming pool, half of it filled with mud and pipes and, strangely, a toilet--an interesting sight.

If you've visited Camp Lackey before, you may have noticed that the place has an interesting energy. My friend called it the "Blair Witch" vibe, although I think that's an over-the-top description.

I did some on-line research on Camp Lackey, but I didn't find much information. I did learn, however, that it once served as a Boy Scout Camp. I also spoke with several Rangers in the Idyllwild area, none of whom had heard about Camp Lackey, which is located about two miles north of Fuller Ridge Campground, a primitive campground.

About a year after having first visited CL, while coming down the Ski Hut Trail, I ran into a guy who was also hiking back to Manker Flats. We started talking about hikes, during which he mentioned that he used to work for Palm Springs Search and Rescue in the 1980s. I asked him if he knew anything about Camp Lackey; he said that it had been closed down after two Boy Scouts had died from exposure during a winter storm. Apparently, their Scout leader was ill-prepared for the cold weather--something that's ironic, given one of the Scouts' main tenets. I never was able to find any evidence to corroborate his story, which, yes, does have an urban-myth air. For what it's worth, the guy did seem sincere and very knowledgeable about hikes in both the San Jacinto and Santa Rosa Mountains, though I realize that probably doesn't count for much.

Does anyone know the history of Camp Lackey or about the two Boy Scouts who allegedly died there? I'd like to learn more about the camp.

[Cy Kaicener]

This Idylwild paper has pictures of the fire
http://www.towncrier.com/pages/breaking ... 70821.html