Rode Jamison Creek and Empire Grade for the first time since the fires: Just... Wow

[Doc_V]

I hate to be a downer, but man oh man, talk about depressing. Jamison Creek is unrecognizable. Empire Grade has always been one of my favorite roads, especially when leaving SC. But now? I don't think I can ride it anymore, at least not for a good long while. Certainly not Jamison Creek. Same with 236, I LOVED riding through the big trees and taking the back way to Hwy 9; all those switch backs and lush greenery? But now? I honestly don't want to go there because I don't think I could take it. The roads were only half the fun, it was the incredible surrounds that made them so special. I'm just grateful the lower portion of Empire is still in tact. How's Felton Road? I've never gone that route. I guess I'll have to check it out next time.

You know, I've just got to say, I'm so sick and tired of all these God damn fires! The lives that have been lost or ruined, the homes and belongings, the homelessness as a result. The timeless beauty that has been whipped away.

So many of may favorite riding spots are turning into hellscapes. Two days before I was up in Russian river and took Sweetwater Springs for the first timed. I had no idea the fires had made it over there too. About a month before that I was on Mt. Hamilton; and well, you know. A few months ago I was on Seaview Rd, coming from Skagg Springs down to Meyers Grade, just days before it went up. Jesus! Before that, Pope Valley. 128 from Calistoga up to Geyserville. Pleasents Valley to Lake Berryesa. Clear Lake... Two and a half years ago it got caught on 299 just as the Redding fire broke out. I had to double back and take 36 to Red Bluff. Two years before I that I was in Santa Rosa and Napa Valley less than 24 hours before those fires broke out. A year before that I was motorcycle camping up on Fremont Peak, outside of Holister. Everything was covered in ash and midday sun was so red you could stare right at it because Big Sir was going up. I mean, just... F**K! Enough already!

I am *SO* grateful I haven't had to experience the loss that others have, but man, it still sucks! Riding is my only source of peace and relaxation. It's my therapy. But now? ...I'm sorry, but I just had to get this off my chest, hopefully you guys can understand and maybe even appreciate what I'm referring to, even if just a little bit.

Stay safe out there.

 

[Jammer]

Those are some of my favorite roads as well, due to the roads' twisty nature and scenic beauty. Sad to hear that their beauty has dissipated. The greenery will return, but it would normally take many centuries for the redwoods to regrow; unfortunately with climate change, the redwoods forests will not likely return in human's lifetime.

 

[berth]

You know, I've just got to say, I'm so sick and tired of all these God damn fires! The lives that have been lost or ruined, the homes and belongings, the homelessness as a result. The timeless beauty that has been whipped away.

It comes back, it takes on a new life, but it comes back. We've had our share of fires down here in SoCal, there's always remnants. But it does come back, faster than you think.

 

[NorCalBusa]

I hate to be a downer, but man oh man, talk about depressing. Jamison Creek is unrecognizable. Empire Grade has always been one of my favorite roads, especially when leaving SC. But now? I don't think I can ride it anymore, at least not for a good long while. Certainly not Jamison Creek. Same with 236, I LOVED riding through the big trees and taking the back way to Hwy 9; all those switch backs and lush greenery? But now? I honestly don't want to go there because I don't think I could take it. The roads were only half the fun, it was the incredible surrounds that made them so special. I'm just grateful the lower portion of Empire is still in tact. How's Felton Road? I've never gone that route. I guess I'll have to check it out next time.

You know, I've just got to say, I'm so sick and tired of all these God damn fires! The lives that have been lost or ruined, the homes and belongings, the homelessness as a result. The timeless beauty that has been whipped away.

So many of may favorite riding spots are turning into hellscapes. Two days before I was up in Russian river and took Sweetwater Springs for the first timed. I had no idea the fires had made it over there too. About a month before that I was on Mt. Hamilton; and well, you know. A few months ago I was on Seaview Rd, coming from Skagg Springs down to Meyers Grade, just days before it went up. Jesus! Before that, Pope Valley. 128 from Calistoga up to Geyserville. Pleasents Valley to Lake Berryesa. Clear Lake... Two and a half years ago it got caught on 299 just as the Redding fire broke out. I had to double back and take 36 to Red Bluff. Two years before I that I was in Santa Rosa and Napa Valley less than 24 hours before those fires broke out. A year before that I was motorcycle camping up on Fremont Peak, outside of Holister. Everything was covered in ash and midday sun was so red you could stare right at it because Big Sir was going up. I mean, just... F**K! Enough already!

I am *SO* grateful I haven't had to experience the loss that others have, but man, it still sucks! Riding is my only source of peace and relaxation. It's my therapy. But now? ...I'm sorry, but I just had to get this off my chest, hopefully you guys can understand and maybe even appreciate what I'm referring to, even if just a little bit.

Stay safe out there.

Got a PM from the CALFIRE State Fire Marshall, they'd like to chat with you...:wow

 

[Maddevill]

Got a PM from the CALFIRE State Fire Marshall, they'd like to chat with you...:wow

Yeah, don't come up to where I live...:teeth

Mad

 

[N4teTheGreat]

I agree, gonna be hitting some of those roads up in Guerneville this weekend and I haven't ridden up there since the fires, I'm sure it'll be a gut punch.

 

[Doc_V]

It comes back, it takes on a new life, but it comes back. We've had our share of fires down here in SoCal, there's always remnants. But it does come back, faster than you think.

In areas where it's mostly brush, or the trees survived, sure, but on much of Empire Grade, and especially Jamison Creek, they've had to cut down old growth redwoods and oaks. What was once a ride among closed in canopied forest, darting in and out among the woods, is now wide open. SoCal doesn't have the kind of growth we have/had up in NorCal. I believe that kind of growth stops not far south of Big Sir. Just imagine riding for years through narrow windy streets lined by skyscrapers, but these skyscrapers aren't an eyesore, they're beautiful and majestic. Then the next time you go back all the skyscrapers are gone! The terrain is as barren as a bald dog. It's shocking. That will never be replaced in our lifetime. Our forests and undergrowth don't grow back fast like other places. There are areas were fire had passed through 20 years ago and it still looks like it was just last season. it's rough.

FYI This is what Jamison Creek used to look like... Not any more. it's all gone with the exception of the odd charred redwood here and there, no undergrowth, only exposed dirt. Check that link in another 6 months or so, when Google has had a chance to update their streetveiw, you'll be shocked. And here's Empire Grade.

 

[PorradaVFR]

I totally get what you’re saying...it’s a shocking change - bright sun where it used to be a tree canopy and shady...and so many homes just...foundations and chimneys. To think of what happened to 236, one of my favorite roads :/

But...nature will come back.

 

[NoTraffic]

Sad to hear but at least the roads are still all there. Could be far worse like Hwy 1. I have no idea how folks who live in Hurricane/Tornado country do it. Imagine rebuilding and 3 yrs later, everything is destroyed again.

I guess I know where I'll be exploring this weekend.

 

[Jammer]

Sad to hear but at least the roads are still all there. Could be far worse like Hwy 1. I have no idea how folks who live in Hurricane/Tornado country do it. Imagine rebuilding and 3 yrs later, everything is destroyed again.

I guess I know where I'll be exploring this weekend.

But it is far worse than losing a piece of roadway.

 

[Doc_V]

But it is far worse than losing a piece of roadway.

Exactly. A roadway can and will be rebuilt and likely better than before. You can't rebuild these places.

 

[ejv]

I've ridden it several times since the fires. The weird part to meet was how hit or miss it was. Compare it to the Camp fire in Paradise and the lower part of Magalia where it looks like a sustained carpet bombing campaign occured. There is a line at the edge of the fire up there. Go 100 yards past the line and you wouldn't know anything happened. Get into the burned out area and you can see the contours of the land for miles in some directions where before you could only see maybe 100 yards. In the SC mountains it's just pockets of burn everywhere. There are also a lot more trees left behind by the Santa Cruz complex fire. Some are being taken down but some will be left to do their thing. Dozens, maybe hundreds of tree crews up there on the rides I have been on even on the weekends. Those crews seem to be coming from all over. While there isn't much traffic anymore, there are lots of unexpected stops and slow downs while waiting for large pieces of equipment to head a little bit down the road or for the crews to clear out of the lane.

 

[Doc_V]

While there isn't much traffic anymore, there are lots of unexpected stops and slow downs while waiting for large pieces of equipment to head a little bit down the road or for the crews to clear out of the lane.

Yah, I had to stop several times for the work crews, and then got stuck behind a line of cars following a logging truck all the way into Santa Cruz.

 

[dittoalex]

I get allergy sneezes from smelling the ash in the air.

 

[JimE]

Well I had a front row seat. If you look at the burn map my house is 1800 feet from the Felton Quarry burn line. The back burn through Fall Creek was up the hill from my place. After I heard on the scanner they parked the aircraft I would hop on my dirt bike and go look. A couple neighbors and I found spot fires and called them in. We strapped shovels to our dirt bikes after that. I have video of riding through the back burn while it was still on fire. It was a trippy thing staying put in the evac zone. Lots of stories....

I also work on a lot of generators in the hills here. So I've been out in the burns all over. The fire was random: one house untouched the one next door nothing left. Some gensets ran and kept the tank full and the firefighters used the water; other ones ran and emptied the tank when the fire burst the pipes. Epic talse of standing there with homeowners looking at the other side of the dozer line (cut with a neighbors CAT) and saying "What happened HERE?!?" The response? "Oh, this was one CalFire didn't know about. The neighbors put it out." Burned up garden hoses and shovels with charred off handles.... Humbling. To say the LEAST.

I have to note though that this place has burned before. Big Basin burned hard in 1904. Also after the 1906 quake this whole area was clear cut. There's pictures of the San Lorenzo Valley, taken from where I live in Felton, that show the hills completely razed of trees. This is where the lumber came from to rebuild San Francisco. We thought differently back then. Some oaks and redwoods on my property are from that time. About 100 years old.

So it'll be back. I hope we can manage it better. I also hope we get some more rain as we are about 1/2 of average for the year and I dread a repeat of last summer. Once in a lifetime would be just fine for me.

 

[Maddevill]

I remember the bad fire in Bonny Doon a few years ago. Things have recovered pretty decent since then. Don't know if they were hit in this one.

Mad

 

[CRUZer]

I remember the bad fire in Bonny Doon a few years ago. Things have recovered pretty decent since then. Don't know if they were hit in this one.

Mad

Was up hiking at moon rocks on Martin Rd in Bonny Doon a couple weeks ago, which was the namesake of the Martin fire a few years. That area was hit hard by the Martin fire and was starting to look good. They were in the process of install road access for a parking lot for day use hiking. Unfortunately the preserve was hit again with this last fire. The whole preserve is torched. Twice in one decade is rough.

 

[treelogger]

Also after the 1906 quake this whole area was clear cut. There's pictures of the San Lorenzo Valley, taken from where I live in Felton, that show the hills completely razed of trees. This is where the lumber came from to rebuild San Francisco. We thought differently back then. Some oaks and redwoods on my property are from that time. About 100 years old.

This. There are lots of local history books, and in the 1910s and 1920s, most of the Santa Cruz mountains were meadows and shrub, not forests, because nearly all the redwoods were logged. We've lived on our 30 acres (in the middle of the mountains, near the corner of Bear Creek and Skyline) for over 20 years, and in the process have regularly cut down trees. The oldest redwoods we've ever found are now about 90-100 years old, most of them about 30-50. We only know of a handful old-growth redwoods on our property, those are about 7' diameter (most other redwoods are no larger then 3-4" diameter).

Very large Douglas firs and Oaks here can reach 130 years; those must have been small understory trees when they came through and removed all the redwood over 100 years ago. When hiking in our property (most of which has not been disturbed other than logging, some of it only after the 1906 earthquake, some more recently), we always find the cut redwood stumps from logging operations, typically with rings of redwood trees around them. The stumps are often but not always heavily charred, so our area must have burned since the turn of the 20th century. But we have had houses here since the late 50s, so the last big fire must have been a long time ago.

Give the area 10 or 30 years, and it will look like it did before. It might, however, be nearly completely depopulated. Right now there are some serious discussions in various government agencies (like the state board of forestry, which controls CalFire, and therefore fire safety regulations) to tighten the rules for building permits for rebuilds, for example requiring very wide roads and driveways. In the most recent board meeting it was explicitly said that one of the goals might be to reduce the population density in the area to 20% of pre-fire values.