Wildfire

I went back to Tahoma, just a few days later... to find it burning. Ash fell from the sky and the glacial rivers ran brown and black as fire encroached from the Norse Peak fire to the north-east.

I hiked in, and then while I slept the fire nearly quadrupled in size to 44,000 acres. When I got back to Sunrise I found it closed and evacuated of visitors. With every breath in I felt the smoke, and by the end of a long hike on the Northern Loop I was left in worse shape than my much longer hike here several weeks ago. I saw the local heard of mountain goats in the meadows, and then again taking refuge from the heat on the slopes on my way back.

Sunrise should be fine, but the fire already burned a part of the Pacific Crest Trail I remember fondly from my very first solo backpacking trip. Meanwhile in Oregon fire encroaches on Cascade Locks and runs through the sisters, and across Mt. Jefferson...