Years ago fire ripped throughout the area. Maybe 1/3 of this park and some areas to the north were effected. What caught my attention as I left Old Station was outside the Park reseeding of the pine happened, inside the Park nature took over. Outside the Park trees by the row for miles, inside natural randomness.
Decades ago I worked in Yellowstone NP just after the fires of 88. A decade and a half later I returned to my old stomping grounds. I see the regrowth of the forests happening in similar form. Where the heat is most intense, nothing upon nothing for years. Where the heat passed quickly, regrowth happening near instantaneous.
This Park looks, along the PCT, to have had quick and lightly burned areas. Lots of regrowth. I will hand it to the trail crews for their hard work at getting and keeping the trails open. The PCT is obviously the most worn at this time. The trail in and out required some climbing on gentle grades.
I decided late to just go for it yesterday morning. I did find out the Ursack is approved for Lassen NP. I had breakfast at JJ's Cafe and hiked out at 8:30.
As I hiked, the new shoes felt wonderful until I mis-steppd and bruised my heal, ugh. I made the Park boundary by 1. Noted a few unique features on the fire resolutions. The climb up took me from the flats to a series of meadows and saddles. The regrowth shone most dominant in the meadows.
I got to Lower Twin Lake. I hoped I wouldn't be bumped again from one spot to the next spot as I got to my goal. At Swan Lake I paced back and forth where Guthook's said a 3 tent site loacation was. Eventually, I just dove towards the lake, found a soot without much vegetation and pitched camp. As I took my food out a distance, I found what I'd been looking for. No mater, after a bit of clean up, maing dinner, a NoBo came to the area, I spotted him to that spot.
I wrote in my journal & secured my food. As soon as the sun left the lake the mosquitoes came out in force. I finished my daily planning inside.
The moon didn't come until after midnight. I spotted my fod bag, no disturbances before moon rise. After moon rise for an odd reason I couldn't see it. The stars are awesome out here.
Around first light I woke and readied. The food bag still undisturbed. I didn't recall hearing anything moving at night.
I hustled down the trail. Around a mile and a half to Werner Valley/Drakesbad I stopped for second breakfast. I met a few NoBo's and some wildland maintainers.
At Drakesbad I signed up for lunch thus making me an official guest, laid out my sleep quilt for a bit to dry from dew. The hotspring feeds a pool, so I went for soak after a shower. Ah, clean without a stream and the muscles relaxed in the warm waters. Lunch wasn't bad either.
I need to move on as to make a mile or two for a camp site. I think above Little Willow Lake will net a spot. Enroute Boiling Springs and Terminal Geyser which really isn't a geyser, rather it is a vent. 2 1/2 miles more for today thus around 9 miles over all.
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