SoCal 2016 Summer Rally Aug, 5-7 Big Bear California San Bernardino Mtns. camping

[Bad_Carp]

Prospector GM getting a Gripy massage

https://youtu.be/p2wVQudp8cY

 

[Another Ahab]

The pics and the vids are great; thanks a million Bad_Carp!

It looks like they had a fire up that way a while back, do you know if there's a story behind the "moonscape" out there?

 

[Bad_Carp]

The pics and the vids are great; thanks a million Bad_Carp!

It looks like they had a fire up that way a while back, do you know if there's a story behind the "moonscape" out there?



View attachment 637717

Prospector GM or Blendmaster can probably give better details on when that happened. I did see there was another big fire today not far away though.

 

[True Knight]

There was another fire that started this morning. We thought it was closer but it ended up being just north of Silverwood Lake.

I didn't take very many pictures this time.

 

[NovacaineFix]

Got home safe and sound, no tires popping or anything bad.

Fluffy took some licks this trip, broke my vertical exhaust stack at the muffler, but I kind of like the new sound. Split a tire and had a issue with my air governor leaking, (still not sure what's up with that)
Didn't get any pics of the tire split but still holding air, so far. Gorilla tape covers the split, but does nothing to keep it from splitting more, lol
A big thanks to the SoCal SS pit crew for helping me get home safe by swapping a tire. Blendmaster, Gripy, FastNova, Salty and your Pop, Prospector, True Knight.

Great time, great food, and great people.

Same as True Knight, didn't take too many photos, didn't bring the big camera due to a lack of space, but I got a couple from the cell phone. Would have took more, but I forgot to bring my charge cord, only got these since Gripy let me borrow his.




Start of the what they are calling the Pilot Fire at around 12 noon

Under the plume of the brush fire swapping a tire

 

[True Knight]

Awesome! Glad you and Fluffy made it home safe!

 

[NovacaineFix]

Some video before I go to bed for the night.

The 1st 2 are coming down the mountain trail from Big Bear towards Hesperia, the 3rd os the part of the I-15 that I hate because it has more ripples than a potato chip



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cayMg42aOLM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ePIxR1r1cPQ



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xmLoiSylq_M

 

[JDToumanian]

It looks like they had a fire up that way a while back, do you know if there's a story behind the "moonscape" out there?

I'm pretty sure the trees were killed by bark beetles. The forest service removes the dead trees to reduce the fire risk. Bark beetles are more prone to attacking trees that are stressed, which most are due to the drought.

Jon

 

[Bad_Carp]

Here's the drive from the camp area to Fawnskin and Big Bear Lake

https://youtu.be/GzydgqJcTR4

https://youtu.be/gBRKBh6CNcs

https://youtu.be/pp8yDXdPHF8

 

[NovacaineFix]

I'm pretty sure the trees were killed by bark beetles. The forest service removes the dead trees to reduce the fire risk. Bark beetles are more prone to attacking trees that are stressed, which most are due to the drought.

Jon

You're probably right, there was a large fire there at and around the campground a few years back, also there was a HUGE fire dubbed the "Lake Fire" but I believe that was just South of the campground, but not by much.
Last year when I came to this event, there was a info sign at the campground that stated what was burned and so on, but I forget what they called the fire and how much area was actually consumed by it. Driving through the trails, it is easy to see the aftermath of the fire as it covers a very large area.

The problem with the brush fires is that it leaves nothing behind for ground retention, so after the fires are out you have to contend with mudslides and washouts, which are also very observable here on these trails.

Blendmaster and Prospector know the area way better than I do, so I would refer to them to which fire did what and when.

Another Ahab - Here in Southern California we had a very bad drought, which is common, followed by a tremendous amount of rainfall, which is not so common in a short period of time so the mountains erode pretty heavily making it look like the moon. Actually our campsite showed heavy signs of water runoff, almost looked like a river went through it. It was fine when we arrived, but you can see what damage a little rain up here can really do.

 

[BnaditCorps]

I'm pretty sure the trees were killed by bark beetles. The forest service removes the dead trees to reduce the fire risk. Bark beetles are more prone to attacking trees that are stressed, which most are due to the drought.

Jon

That looks very indicative of fire damage, and while bark beetles do kill many trees they usually don't moonscape the area.

You're probably right, there was a large fire there at and around the campground a few years back, also there was a HUGE fire dubbed the "Lake Fire" but I believe that was just South of the campground, but not by much.
Last year when I came to this event, there was a info sign at the campground that stated what was burned and so on, but I forget what they called the fire and how much area was actually consumed by it. Driving through the trails, it is easy to see the aftermath of the fire as it covers a very large area.

The problem with the brush fires is that it leaves nothing behind for ground retention, so after the fires are out you have to contend with mudslides and washouts, which are also very observable here on these trails.

Blendmaster and Prospector know the area way better than I do, so I would refer to them to which fire did what and when.

Another Ahab - Here in Southern California we had a very bad drought, which is common, followed by a tremendous amount of rainfall, which is not so common in a short period of time so the mountains erode pretty heavily making it look like the moon. Actually our campsite showed heavy signs of water runoff, almost looked like a river went through it. It was fine when we arrived, but you can see what damage a little rain up here can really do.

If the campground was at the coordinates given in the first post then it was not the Lake Fire, but they have so man fires down there that it is hard to keep track of.

That is not true, in a healthy forest it will just burn the under brush and weak trees. However the total suppression tactic of fires in the 1900's made forests unhealthy. In unhealthy forests brush, duff, snags, and bark beetles run rampant. In healthy forests the fires clear the brush and unhealthy trees out, the 2 biggest issues. Brush, under-story and dead trees burn at a lower temperature than most trees, but because there is so much it heats up rapidly, burning everything. In healthy forests the weak trees get cleared out, killing the bark beetles in the process, and the beetles that survive have nothing to feed on, so they die off. However since total suppression has occurred the bark beetles have more food than ever, and their population and range has grown. That in conjunction with more under-story has caused more destructive wildfires. 250 years ago a fire would have burned through and left all the healthy trees, however now it will burn through and destroy everything, leaving a complete moonscape.

 

[saltydeuce]

Made it home with no problems thank you to blendmaster and everyone else that makes these trips so fun. Can't wait for the next trip out.

 

[True Knight]

Found a picture of the fire info sign.

 

[Bad_Carp]

I must say thank you to everyone on the trip that helped with the few difficulties the old M109 A3 had during the trip, especially Fast Nova, Prospector GM, and saltydeuce for the mechanic work and parts that allowed the old girl to make it home. Had a great time as always and will try to make it out more often. Great group of people!

 

[NovacaineFix]

Found a picture of the fire info sign.

That's the one I remember "Willow Fire" not the "Lake Fire"

I just remember seeing the sign as it was on the way back from the Banõ

 

[Prospector GM]

Many,Many thanks to Blendmaster and company, for a fun filled relaxing So Cal Summer Rally!!! Great bar-b-que and a adventurous trail drive. The doughnuts that Blendmaster supplied at the meet spot, was a great way to kick off the convoy to camp. Also thanks to Bad_Carp for the movies, FASTNOVA for the steak quesadillas, saltydeuce for the brats, Gripy for the Russian shirt, NovacaineFix for bringing fluffy, and True Knight for the mud splashing truck contest. Once again, Thanks to all who came and participated, had a awesome time, great group of friends.

 

[Another Ahab]

The doughnuts that Blendmaster supplied at the meet spot, was a great way to kick off the convoy to camp. Also thanks to Bad_Carp for the movies, FASTNOVA for the steak quesadillas, saltydeuce for the brats, Gripy for the Russian shirt, NovacaineFix for bringing fluffy, and True Knight for the mud splashing truck contest.

What flicks did you all finally settle on?

 

[Bad_Carp]

What flicks did you all finally settle on?

We watched Jason Bourne and Hyena Road.

 

[Piper Cub]

Looks like a lot of fun! Wish I could have made it out.