There’s a map here:
http://www.sacbee.com/101/story/240448.html
Scroll down a bit… Seems the main burn area is a couple miles north/east of the PCT. Not sure if it’ll affect the trail, as dozens of hikers will be coming thru soon… just something to watch.
Jonathan
I went to the Tahoe Rim Trail site and it said that the trail head at Echo was closed. That could be because the road was closed. People may have trouble getting into SLT to resupply.
socks
According to the Tahoe Daily Tribune newspaper website, U.S. 50 is open again as of Tuesday morning so there is, at least potentially, access into/out of the Echo Summit area where the PCT crosses U.S. 50.
A map on the front page of today’s San Francisco Chronicle of the area burned by the Angora fire (available through SFGate.com)shows the area immediately to the north and northeast of Upper Echo Lake, through which the PCT passes, as having been burned. Haven’t seen any other maps confirming this.
At this moment, there’s no word of trail conditions on the Forest Service Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit website or the Tahoe Rim Trail website.
Snowbird
The Forest Service’s Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit has updated its web site with information about the Angora fire. According to the fire perimeter map posted on their site, the fire has not yet entered, the Echo Lakes basin. Photos posted on the website of Echo Chalet, which is the site of the store and post office at the southeastern end of Echo Lake, show heavy smoke in the area.
State officials are announcing that the fire is expected to be contained Thursday.
Snowbird
Not good news, Fire jumped the lines this afternoon, moving north. PCT not thretened but TRT maybe. Mod to heavy winds pedicted for Wed. Hiway 50 and 89 both closed again.
Sierra88
Seems like the hotels are all full of the locals fleeing the fire. Is there a work-around for that section?
BillyBob
Acording to the Calif. Dept of Transportation (CalTrans) web site, U.S. 50 is open this morning. However, Rt. 89 is closed from the junction with U.S. 50, so it would not be possible to get all the way into South Lake Tahoe. Things would be pretty chaotic there anyway.
According to media reports, the fire appears to be burning north/northeast, toward Lake Tahoe and away from the PCT/TRT route north from U.S. 50 through the Echo Lakes basin (the PCT and the TRT follow the same route in this area).
The wind is supposed to increase this afternoon but it is predicted to be from the southwest, which should continue to move the fire away from the PCT.
It looks like it would be possible to get around the Echo Lakes area by going west on U.S. 50 about 4-5 miles down off Echo Summit to Camp Sacramento, then picking up a trail which runs north from U.S. 50 near Camp Sacramento about 5 miles to the PCT near Lake Margery, which is between Upper Echo Lake and Lake Aloha.
Snowbird
At this point (6 PM PST ) looks like the fears of high winds have not developed. Although the night and tomorrow dont look good. Winds are remaining calm here at this time and looks like a fairly normal night. I am 40 or so miles away but our weather is pretty close to SLT.
As of now the PCT and TRT are fine as the fire is moving towards the lake. And with the wind direction issues with smoke should be at a min.
Access to SLT should not be a problem as from Myers one could take Pioneer Trail Rd and avoid Hiway 50, though Im sure it would be congested as it is also an access to Hevenly Vally Resort which is the command center
Sierra88