As the Ashes Clear

A first look and some perspective from the LA fires, plus new PCT border conflict, spotlight on Watch Duty, love for the Doug fir, new fun stuff for paid subscribers, a super weird web app, and more!

As the dust settles, both figuratively and literally, people will be measuring the destruction and effects of the recent wildfires in Southern California for some time. With some recent light rain coming into the area, it seems like—at least for the moment—we will get a brief respite from burns. People in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood and the City of Altadena were finally able to return home to start taking stock of the damages.

fire damage in Altadena // Los Angeles Times

Most of the stories from these returns are tough, but there are occasional glimpses of hope. Beyond the extensive mutual aid networks that have sprung up in the burned areas, there has even been a recent engagement after a man found a ring unscathed in the rubble of their Altadena home. Although it seems like there is an encouraging amount of activity going on, it will likely be a very long time before these areas return to anything resembling normalcy.

The engagement ring in question // KABC

In terms of the outdoors, we can expect extensive closures for a long time—years, most likely. Hiking areas in the Santa Monicas tend to re-open faster than in the San Gabriels, but everything is very TBD right now. Just yesterday, the Forest Service announced the National Monument / Forest in the San Gabriels will partially re-open today, which is a good sign.

As someone who really discovered hiking in these mountain ranges, these fires hit on an emotional level. These are some of the places I first learned about cotton in hot weather, why I liked high-top boots over trail runners, and where I began to fall in love with the smell of sage scrub. If you’re an L.A. / Southern California hiker, I’m sure you have similar feelings.

The New York Times has a great, comprehensive piece (unlocked) detailing accounts from several reporters who were on the scene during the fires. It delves into that loss of personal connection, the debate on whether to observe or act, and some of the more uplifting stories that have helped provide hope and optimism in the face of destruction. In The Atlantic, Andrew Moseman goes into the conditions that helped fuel the fires and puts them into a bit of historical context, along with an eye to the unique wildness of L.A. that most outsiders easily overlook. And a little closer to home, Shawnté Salabert wrote a special dispatch for Rock Fight about having to defend L.A.’s outdoorsy cred at industry events like Outdoor Retailer (I can attest, we were there together!).

I’m sure we will keep getting slow rolling updates for quite some time in this area. If anyone has any assistance resources to share, please comment or message them to me and I’m happy to spread the word.

And as we move into the late winter / early spring blooming season, please share some regrowth photos if you see ‘em.

We could all use the encouragement.

Subscriber Section

I wanted to send a great big thank you to Substack user gattolette, who made the jump to a paid supporter of the Modern Hiker newsletter this month. Paid subscriptions help keep the lights on over here and are oh so tremendously appreciated.

If you are one of our almost 100 paid subscribers, you should have received a special email message from me last week (if not, check your inbox—and I may send again soon). I am now going to start taking questions and suggestions directly from paid subscribers and addressing them here in the newsletter.

These can be anything from trail recommendations, favorite hiking memories, or even what I’m thinking about a particular outdoor or public lands issue. Or they can be as simple as this question from Barbara, who asked:

Thanks for the question, Barbara!

I also happen to live in Southeast Portland, and I can tell you, your family is really in for a treat. This part of town is