Fire creates it's own eco system

[Gina D.]

Well, even tho my grand plan to venture into the northern coast of California over TG week flopped and blew into oblivion due to the wildfires this year, I HAVE managed to do a shorter escape a little closer to home for the week. I scraped the time up and am now sitting at a very remote State Park at the southern tip of the Cleveland National Forest. Cuyamaca Rancho SP

The name and the geography do not match, this is an alpine area, not "Rancho" like at all. The only problem, for the purist would be.. in 2003, the "other" wildfire swept through here and provided much devistation of the wilderness area. I suspect it has kept those that can't see the other side of the environment away, as the trees are scorched, the manzanita is blackend, and the ecology is very eerie, but not scary.

It's been 4 years since the burn, and new life has sprung, just as it did in my nieghborhood. Even tho it's fall, there are still tons of evergreens standing, and the oaks have changed colors, the grasses are green, and the white wood of the burned oaks stands out in stark contrast to the blackend bark that is still left on them.

There are about 10 different types of birds hanging out in my campsite, which is the most isolated in the park.. I can not see or here any of the 5 other folks in the 85 space park.

The clouds have darkened the sky, but there is no hint of rain. The wind will pick up soon, it's supposed to be another Santa Ana, but since I am already in a burn area, I am not overly worried about having to "get out".

The campground I am in, Paso Picacho is absolutely gorgeous, with forested views, to valley views and a view of the peak (Behind my trailer) There are several levels, the back side being in the most forested with tent only sites, and 3 other loops, most all with RV friendly sites.

It has been pleasant to walk the dogs around, and the cat too (OK, He gets carried most of the time) Unfortunately, my plan was to hike as the trails are rated easy to moderate, and my lungs can handle that, but they have a strict No Dogs on the trails rule, so.. that blows that plan. I have plopped them in their kennel and driven around some, but will have to come back without them to do hiking.

Here are a couple shots of the site. The burnt tree is typical, and they all have their own shapes and colors against the desert sky back drop.

This is a photographers paradise indeed. You just have to look closely.

[Gina D.]

and of course, there is no room left in the trailer for me, so I might as well enjoy the outdoors. I suspect I will be sleeping out there tonite in order to stretch out.

[bonnie w]

Hi Gina, just curious why dogs wouldn't be allowed on the trail? I haven't ever heard of that.

[Cam A]

Cool report, Gina; much appreciated. It's -9 C, dark, and snowing here, so this provides great escapist reading. Good point about ecosystem renewal, "nature" to some means a sanitized and urbanized park, and not the sometimes wild and wooly environment that true nature provides. In boreal areas, visiting a burn several years later shows a wild growth of fireweed and new shrubberies, full of browsing moose, elk & deer.

[Byron Kinnaman]

Hi Gina, just curious why dogs wouldn't be allowed on the trail? I haven't ever heard of that.

I'll take a shot at answering this, at least some of the answer.

It's pretty well known that dogs and wildlife not mix well, so many places including most is not all US National Parks ban pets on the trails.

Some dog owners will ignore leash laws as soon as they're out of sight. This causes more problems with wildlife.

At least one trail here in Oregon has cliffs along the edge where the ground squirrels have gotten pretty smart. They'll tease an unleashed dog then run and of the edge of the 30'+ cliff and land on a small ledge 3" to 6" below. The dog chasing will simply jump after the squirrel. The dog has to be retrieved whether alive or not. That puts rescue people at risk.

Some dogs on trails don't share the trail happily with other hikers or other dogs.

Some times a loose dog can be nice and friendly and still cause problems, some dangerous.
We had an experience like that. Anne and I were on a trail, I has just passed an area where there was a very steep drop off on one side of the trail. She had here hands behind here back, suddenly she felt something cold in hand. A quick glance there was a large black fuzzy animal. Startled, she yelped and boy am I glad she didn't jump the wrong direction. It was a big black friendly Labrador dog.

I'm sure there's many more reasons pets are banned from trails.

[Steve L.]

Hi Gina, just curious why dogs wouldn't be allowed on the trail? I haven't ever heard of that.

Oh Poop! If you know what I mean.

Another reason in addition to Byron's list.

I'm appalled by how few pet owners clean up after their dogs in campgrounds. I don't expect it's much better on the trail. Especially since they'd have to carry it for miles.

[Gina D.]

I did ask one of the 2 camp host here why. They claimed all of the above + animal safety.. your own pups. This is mountain lion country and altho they are mostly elusive, a nice plump Beagle snack may be too hard to resist. Like bears, they have learned that campgrounds are often a good restaurant, and I see many of them in my area. Haven't seen one here yet tho.

It's disappointing, as I always carry bags and never let them off lead, but it only takes a couple folks to think their dog is perfect to ruin it for everyone else. A lead doesn't stop a big cat either, so it's for the best, I guess.

[bonnie w]

Hmmm thinking about my own dog. First of all, if I was on a very narrow path with a cliff on the otherside, my crabby Bassett has a habit at lunging after Pomeranian's or any small dog. (I have one arm longer than the other, in fact I believe it's out of it's socket). I am owner #3 so Ruby came with many issues. A number of people say that she would make good "crab bait", but in the case of parks their are cougars, bears etc. I walk her on a leash but that actually wouldn't stop her from attacking another small dog. I can understand now why the rules.

[RonMayo]

I did ask one of the 2 camp host here why. They claimed all of the above + animal safety.. your own pups. This is mountain lion country and altho they are mostly elusive, a nice plump Beagle snack may be too hard to resist. Like bears, they have learned that campgrounds are often a good restaurant, and I see many of them in my area. Haven't seen one here yet tho.

Gina - True story from the Host at Steamboat Rock SP in Washington -

After several warnings, a lady continued to insisted that she didn't need a leash for her tiny little dog as her dog was always on a "voice leash". That same afternoon she came running to the camp host's trailer crying that an eagle from the clifts overlooking the park had swooped down, picked up the little dog and flew it back to a nest on the ridge. The Host asked what she could do. The lady asked for the "Boss Ranger". When he showed up, the lady demanded that he go up to the nest and shoot the eagle and rescue her doggy.

That didn't happen.

[Paula Bindrich]

There's a park near my house that as soon as the gate goes up after the first snow everyone comes with their dogs off leash. I'm one of them. I see the biggest problem there is the poo that no one but me (ok, maybe a few others too) seems to pick up, it's really nasty during the spring thaw. And there are also coyotes, elk and deer in there frequently. I'm sure that lions come through too but I haven't seen any. There's always one dog in the mix that is poorly socialized too that the owners are too thick to realize why their dog is always in a fight.

Few dogs can resist chasing game, it's what they are made to do, even those couch potatoes. But they can be taught with diligence. My dog is a search dog and is worked/trained off lead. I've had a bunny pop up under her nose and it was really hard for her to let it go (it's soooo fuzzy and warm) but she chased it for about 20ft and went back to work. Elk are just horses with antlers. No big deal. Mountain Lions? Well, I don't go out when they are more apt to be prowling about but we have had a training where one cut through between our "victim" and the dog and handler. We were all pretty freaked.

Anyhow, what I'm getting at is there are far more dogs out there that should be on short leads than not. I worked hard to be able to call her off game and such, including people she wants to meet, most don't. Not that it gives me the right to be off, I'm just as illegal...

Boulder county, Colorado has a off-lead license that you can get. The dogs and owners need to pass a voice command test of some sort.

Paula

[Paula Bindrich]

And the ecosystem...

I was looking at some property in a badly burned area in Colorado, one, of many, that hadn't had a "normal" burn in over a hundred years. It hasn't been coming back. The fire was so hot that it burned very deep and destroyed seeds and roots of plants that would normally revegetate first. It's going to take decades for it to be able to regroup just the basics.

Paula