Revegitation after the Eagle Creek fire

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Webfoot
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Revegitation after the Eagle Creek fire

Post by Webfoot » October 2nd, 2021, 3:29 pm

Google Earth now has imagery from 2021. Here is the change to the Eagle Creek area between 2018 and 2021. Some of the difference seems to be color adjustment but there is nevertheless a striking improvement. It is of course visible from the ground but I found the aerial view interesting as well.

Eagle Creek 09-2018.jpg
Eagle Creek 07-2021.jpg

Webfoot
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Re: Revegitation after the Eagle Creek fire

Post by Webfoot » October 2nd, 2021, 3:41 pm

The date on the image series appears incorrect however as it shows damage form the Labor Day windstorm and fires.

Date OK—brain in question. :?

Bald Mountain 09-2018.jpg
Bald Mountain 07-2021.jpg
Last edited by Webfoot on October 3rd, 2021, 7:41 am, edited 1 time in total.

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Chip Down
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Re: Revegitation after the Eagle Creek fire

Post by Chip Down » October 2nd, 2021, 10:04 pm

Webfoot wrote:
October 2nd, 2021, 3:29 pm
... a striking improvement...
Yeah, just think of all that fresh Devil's Club and Poison Oak! :D

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adamschneider
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Re: Revegitation after the Eagle Creek fire

Post by adamschneider » October 2nd, 2021, 10:57 pm

Webfoot wrote:
October 2nd, 2021, 3:41 pm
The date on the image series appears incorrect however as it shows damage form the Labor Day windstorm and fires.
How does that make it incorrect? The Labor Day firestorm was in 2020.

In other news, I had no idea that Bald Mountain Ridge was devastated like that. That's crazy. I wonder whether the east wind coming around the north side of Hood was accelerated or something.

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retired jerry
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Re: Revegitation after the Eagle Creek fire

Post by retired jerry » October 3rd, 2021, 7:03 am

I was on McNeil ridge looking towards Yocum Ridge where there was a lot of devastation
20210922_140633.jpg
On the photo I circled an area in red, where there were a lot of down trees. Elsewhere on the ridge the trees were intact. Not a good picture, you almost have to go there to see it.

It seems like with that storm (the Labor Day storm, not Eagle Creek) there were local areas with much higher wind.

Walking on trails on Mt Hood and Three Sisters, most trails have a normal amount of blowdown, but a few sections were hit really bad, like the Timberline Trail between Muddy Fork and Yocum Ridge (which is where that photo was)

Webfoot
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Re: Revegitation after the Eagle Creek fire

Post by Webfoot » October 3rd, 2021, 7:38 am

adamschneider wrote:
October 2nd, 2021, 10:57 pm
Webfoot wrote:
October 2nd, 2021, 3:41 pm
The date on the image series appears incorrect however as it shows damage form the Labor Day windstorm and fires.
How does that make it incorrect? The Labor Day firestorm was in 2020.
Yikes. That is one big senior moment! :lol: Even though I wrote 2021 in my first post and the file names I was thinking 2020 as I was looking around the map. Can't hide the stupid now.

Webfoot
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Re: Revegitation after the Eagle Creek fire

Post by Webfoot » October 3rd, 2021, 8:01 am

Chip Down wrote:
October 2nd, 2021, 10:04 pm
Yeah, just think of all that fresh Devil's Club and Poison Oak! :D
The window for comfortable exploration seems to have closed, but isn't that far better than the alternative of accelerated erosion and land slides?

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BigBear
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Re: Revegitation after the Eagle Creek fire

Post by BigBear » October 3rd, 2021, 1:30 pm

Plants are far more resilient than we give it credit. I remember when Catherine Creek had a severe fires some years back (the ponderosas on east meadow still have the char marks). I was certain the following year would be a poor grass widow year, but the opposite was true: less grass and brush meant more flowers.

The Falls Fire at Multnomah Falls burned out all of the underbrush back around 1989, but it was only a couple of years we saw the newly exposed landscape before the plants reclaimed their territory.

Sadly what is not resilient is the rock. Heat and sub-freezing temperatures create fissures and that is why trails are slow to reopen. Rolling stones may gather no moss, but they do try to gather up hikers on their way down tot he canyon floor.

Nwcanyoning
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Re: Revegitation after the Eagle Creek fire

Post by Nwcanyoning » August 24th, 2022, 9:31 pm

Went down the canyon a few weeks ago. Much different but full of life.
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Webfoot
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Re: Revegitation after the Eagle Creek fire

Post by Webfoot » August 25th, 2022, 7:19 am

Nwcanyoning wrote:
August 24th, 2022, 9:31 pm
Went down the canyon a few weeks ago. Much different but full of life.
Thank you.

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