CA Drought and 2014 hiking season

"That's why when one Inyo office permit issuer tells me something that I think may not be absolutely true, I ask for a second opinion. Then, once I have them all in agreement, I ask where that is laid out in black and white, at least if I think there may be some question. Once I get it in black and white, then sometimes I carry that with me in the field, just in the even of that same guy that you ran into 37 years ago. Gee, that same guy must be getting old by now."

Now that is what I call thorough. When you get this year's opinions consolidated, would you be willing to post the final version on BPL? That way those of it who find it useful can print it out and carry a copy as well. Seriously. But if you ever run into a ranger with a name tag that reads "Eric van Vliet", all bets are off. He'd probably write you up for misrepresenting government regulations. ;0)

No, keep asking until you get someone to give you the answer you want and then go with that

sort of like how you do with parents : )

I had asked about fire restrictions and how they would affect Esbit, alcohol, or butane backpacker stoves. The first response from SEKI has arrived:

"It is likely that we will have fire restriction this summer due to drought and high fire danger. We also have year-round fire restrictions in place in some areas (mostly at higher elevations where dead and downed wood is scarce). The stoves you mentioned are all okay to use even in areas with fire restrictions. However, wood-burning stoves are subject to the same restrictions as campfires."

–B.G.–

"The first response from SEKI has arrived:"

Thanks for posting this, Bob. Very useful for trip planning. That means I can enjoy my coffee with a minimal weight penalty.

Tom, I know that there are a few backpackers who intend to use wood fires. In the higher elevations of SEKI, I believe that wood campfires are generally banned. A wood-burning stove like a titanium Caldera Cone is classified the same as a campfire, since it burns up the one resource (wood twigs) that needs to decompose into the soil.

Now I'll look for that cup of coffee around the top of Shepherd's Pass.

–B.G.–

Presumably the same caldera cone with an alcohol stove would be ok though, correct? I'd like to cook some fish, and that is the main reason I might consider switching back to the caldera cone – the form factor and pot volume is a little better for that. I guess I'll wait until the other, no-doubt equivocating and conflicting replies come in before I decide. Thanks for the update.

"In the higher elevations of SEKI, I believe that wood campfires are generally banned. A wood-burning stove like a titanium Caldera Cone is classified the same as a campfire, since it burns up the one resource (wood twigs) that needs to decompose into the soil."

Almost everywhere in Sequoia above 10,000' or so, with good reason, the exact one you mention. Unfortunately a lot of people don't pay much heed to the regs, which is really sad. They need to put a few more rangers out in the backcountry to bust some of those jerks, IMO.

"Now I'll look for that cup of coffee around the top of Shepherd's Pass."

Best enjoy it below the headwall or over by lake 11,78x' below Diamond Mesa. It is usually pretty windy at the actual pass.

There were two dudes I went by up near Voglesang pass one evening, and they had decided to camp just a few feet away from the trail as well as a few feet from the sign informing them that there were no fires allowed beyond that point. It was a big sacrificial fire that at that moment was 4 or 5 feet high with a couple of "yule logs" on there, and a bunch more besides.

Good thing they obeyed the Regs though. :-(