Hikers in a New Aspen Grove Up from Marshall Gulch On Mt. Lemmon — Image by kenne
In 2003 the Aspen Fire destroyed many homes in Summerheaven and thousands of acres on Mt. Lemmon. Last Friday the Sabino Canyon Volunteer Naturalists led hike was on the Aspen Loop that goes through some of the areas destroyed, now recovered by new aspen and pine groves.
A precursor to the Aspen Fire was the Bollock Fire, 2002 in the eastern part of the Catalinas. Parts of the area burned in 2002 is now experiencing the Burro Fire that started Friday and has now consumed 9,000 acres. The Burro Fire is one of a half-dozen wildfires in the Coronado National Forest. Did I say it is hot and very dry in southeastern Arizona?
— kenne
Slideshow images by kenne
Thanks Kenne. We were a colorful group. Lets keep our fingers crossed about the fire.
Colorful, yes.
Sounds like the fire continues to grow.
kenne
Ken,
Beautiful pictures! The recovery of this unique forest is truly amazing. I can predict that 50 years from now and quite possibly even 25 years from now, a casual tourist with an “untrained” eye could walk through here and never even realize that anything ever happened here. The forest burns then grows back. This has been going on in what we now call Arizona for thousands of years.
The only possible negative thing that I can see is that it looks to me like some of the trees are growing back too thick. I hope the Forest Service thins them out.
Regards,
Fred M. Cain,
T
The Forest Service has been thinning the forest in the Santa Catalina Mountains — a slow process. Thanks for the comment.
Ken,
That’s good news! I want to attempt to attach a URL to a picture that really illustrates the issue. I found this picture – not sure who took it.
[IMG]http://i68.tinypic.com/2akfp93.jpg[/IMG]
Regards,
Fred M. cain
Looks like a lot of the new growth near the Aspen Loop trail.