[pct-l] Whitewater canyon fire

[Rud_dud45 at hotmail.com (Rudolph Duda)]

I just returned home from a hike from Campo to Big Bear City and wanted to pass this incident along to others.
I was hiking with a number of thru hikers including Adam, Hobo, Nate,  Ian, Jerry, and Lou. We arrived in Idyllwild on May 14th and were told about a big fire in Whitewater Canyon by a clerk at the Post Office and by someone at one of the motels. Since we were going thru that area in several days we checked with the Forest Service Office in Idyllwild. Unbelievably, we were told by two Rangers at that office that there was no fire in Whitewater Canyon. One of the Rangers even checked on the computer and verified that there was no fire!! We hiked out of Idyllwild on  May 16th, stayed at the Pink Motel on May 17th and hiked thru a burned out Whitewater Canyon on May 18th!!! At the time we were in Idyllwild approximately 450 people and numerous aircraft were fighting this fire!!! and we were sent out like lambs to the slaughter. I am not sure what planet the Forest Service is living on, but they must be very incompetent. We did see them on Devils Slide Trail making sure all the day hikers had all their permits in order.

I have not gotten all the info on the fire, but we heard that a PCT hiker started the fire with a sterno stove. I could not believe the wind up on San Gorgonio Pass and thru Whitewater Canyon. I have a hard time believing that a thruhiker was even able to get a stove started in that area. But, if they were dumb enough to get one started they should have at least made sure there was no vegetation around the stove. But I am sure this topic has been discussed already. We heard the hikers will be paying for the firefighters. We and I hoped no one got hurt fighting that blaze.

Happy Hiking, Rudy