Roaring Lion Two Years Later

[BigHornRam]

We are renting a place in Roaring Lion while we build a new house this summer. Morning dog walks will give me some opportunity to make some post fire observations of one of the most severe recent fires.



These fire resistant ponderosa pine were scorched 20 plus feet off the ground, and so far they have survived.



About a 1/4 mile down the road, the fire dropped completely to the ground in this thinned stand causing little mortality.



This wet meadow served as an excellent fire break and was where the fire ended.

 

[BigHornRam]

Further up the road, closer to where the fire started, this area was completely burned and is now open meadow with lush grass and lupine. There are some scattered pockets of trees that survived and are good looking ungulate bedding areas.

 

[Nameless Range]

Very cool. What parts within the Roaring Lion perimeter have you been walking through? This map shows what burned when. Curious if you are walking through the portion that blew up.

 

[BigHornRam]

Very cool. What parts within the Roaring Lion perimeter have you been walking through? This map shows what burned when. Curious if you are walking through the portion that blew up.

This morning I walked up from outside the fire zone to close to the Sawtooth trailhead. It looks a lot different than I remember it pre-fire. There was a dense cedar stand near the Roaring Lion trailhead which will be neat to check out. I've heard it was nuked but haven't been there yet. At any rate it will be interesting to explore this area more this summer, being so close.

 

[BigHornRam]

Here's a good 2 minute time lapse video on YouTube of the fire for context. Hard to believe anything survived!

https://youtu.be/OxcDxp07okc

 

[406LIFE]

I've been up there this past spring looking for morels and turkeys. It looks like much is rebounding, the odd patch that is still black and not returning. I worked in Hamilton at the time and there was real concern about that fire coming down. Other than smoke, its probably the most directly impacting fire to myself I've been in.

 

[SixPoint]

That is excellent! Just curious, have you noticed any noxious weed issues in your wanderings or do things look pretty clean?

 

[tjones]

I have been up there too, not much security cover left.

 

[el unit]

That time lapse video is crazy! Thanks for the info and update, BHR.

 

[PrairieHunter]

Here's a good 2 minute time lapse video on YouTube of the fire for context. Hard to believe anything survived!

https://youtu.be/OxcDxp07okc

Wow! Thanks for sharing.

 

[Straight Arrow]

Impressive quick-time wildfire behavior. Thanks for sharing.

 

[mtmuley]

It hardly seemed real as I watched that fire. mtmuley

 

[BigHornRam]

That is excellent! Just curious, have you noticed any noxious weed issues in your wanderings or do things look pretty clean?

Little bit of knapweed along the roadway so far. Not a real issue yet.

Check out this aspen regen sprouting from these burned trees.

 

[BigHornRam]

I have been up there too, not much security cover left.

Pretty sparse in places. You can see all the way up the canyon to Idaho now.



The foreground here used to have a log home in dense timber. They didn't believe in defenseable space. This property is a private inholding between the Sawtooth trailhead and Roaring lion trailhead.

 

[BigHornRam]

It hardly seemed real as I watched that fire. mtmuley

I had green fir boughs landing on my driveway 5 miles across the valley from the fire. Winds must have been unbelievable.

 

[BigHornRam]

That time lapse video is crazy! Thanks for the info and update, BHR.

My understanding is that 2 minute time lapse is 1 hour real-time. It went up fast.

 

[BucksnDucks]

I was just out in your neighborhood a few weeks ago for the Hamilton High graduation. My last trip was two years ago and the fire scars were quit apparent. Family on Gold Creek Loop had a very close call. Enjoy your summer in God's country.

 

[BigHornRam]

A lot of new willow growth. Good place for moose in coming years.



Might be able to pick up a good deal on some land.



Roaring Lion Creek and new Sawtooth bridge. Fresh snow in the high country overnight!

 

[BigHornRam]

Bighorn sheep have moved into Mill Creek canyon, a few miles to the north. I can see them moving into Roaring Lion and Sawtooth now that it is more open as well.




Shed hound Sara dropped this one off at my feet while out yesterday.

 

[BigHornRam]

This fellow Tree Farmer has a nice "European" looking spread just up the road. Fire went out here and there was a nice bull elk hanging out on it yesterday morning.