Photographs from the Photography on the Run post: After the Bobcat and Station Fires: Three Points Loop Around Mt. Waterman
Regrowth of interior live oak (Quercus wislizenii) along the Mt. Waterman Trail near Three Points, nearly 13 years after the Station Fire. According to FRAP fire history data, prior to the Station Fire, this area had not burned in 85 years. August 14, 2022.
Coulter pine cones near Three Points. The cone on the right is about 9-10 inches long, and weighed about 3 lbs. According to Guiness World Records, Coulter pine cones typically weigh from 1 to 5 lbs., and the heaviest recorded so far is 9 lbs.
Angeles Crest Highway, near Three Points.
Nice running along the Mt. Waterman Trail, about 1.5 miles from Three Points. This area burned in the 2009 Station Fire, but not the 2020 Bobcat Fire. August 14, 2022.
Devil's Canyon from the Mt. Waterman Trail, about 1.7 miles from Three Points. This part of the canyon was burned by the 2009 Station Fire. That's Monrovia Peak in the distance on the left. It was burned in the 2020 Bobcat fire. August 14, 2022.
A few downed trees had been recently removed from the trail. Overall the Three Points - Mt. Waterman Trail was in surprisingly good shape. August 14, 2022.
This pretty area, just west of Waterman Meadow and about 3.5 miles from Three Points, is in both the 2009 Station Fire and 2020 Bobcat Fire burn areas. I didn't see any evidence of the Bobcat Fire impacts along this stretch of trail. August 14, 2022.
Pine saplings -- probably Jeffrey pine -- among incense cedars burned in the 2009 Station Fire. This is also within the 2020 Bobcat Fire perimeter. August 14, 2022.
Ferns in the lower part of Waterman Meadow, about 3.6 miles from Three Points on the Mt. Waterman Trail.
Flower heads of Bigelow's sneezeweed (Helenium bigelovii) at the main seep in Waterman Meadow. According to Jepson, Bigelow's sneezeweed can be distinguished from Rosilla (Helenium puberulum) by the disk corollas being 5-lobed, instead of 4-lobed. August 14, 2022.
The Mt. Waterman Trail between Three Points and the Twin Peaks Trail junction is not heavily used.
Station Fire regrowth along the Mt. Waterman Trail about 4.5 miles from Three Points. August 14, 2022.
California goldenrod (Solidago velutina ssp. californica) along the Mt. Waterman Trail. August 14, 2022.
Thanks in part to their height, most of the Jeffrey pines along this ridge survived both the Station and Bobcat Fires. August 14, 2022.
A cross section of an old growth pine tree along the Mt. Waterman Trail. August 14, 2022.
The first obvious area along the Three Points - Mt. Waterman Trail of trees burned by the 2020 Bobcat Fire. This is about 4.9 miles from Three Points and nearly to the Twin Peaks Trail junction. August 14, 2022.
A stretch of the Mt. Waterman Trail burned in the Bobcat Fire was overgrown with Twiggy Wreath Plant (Stephanomeria virgata). I could feel droplets of water or nectar on my legs and arms as I brushed through the plants. August 14, 2022.
Twin Peaks from the Twin Peaks Trail junction on the Mt. Waterman Trail. This area was more significantly impacted by the 2020 Bobcat Fire. Even so, a number of trees survived. August 14, 2022.
A closer look at Twin Peaks, following the 2020 Bobcat Fire. August 14, 2022.
Junction of the Mt. Waterman and Twin Peaks Trails. When doing the Three Points Loop counterclockwise this is about 5.3 miles from Three Points.
Working up the Mt. Waterman Trail between the Twin Peaks Trail junction and Summit Trail junction. The Bobcat Fire had more of an impact here than the Station Fire. August 14, 2022.
Junction with the spur trail to the summit of Mt. Waterman, about 6.3 miles from Three Points. The side trip to the summit adds about 1.5 miles to the loop. From the junction it is about 2 miles down to Hwy. 2, and then another 0.6 mile to Buckhorn Campground.
Around the time of the Station Fire this table was carried to a spot near a seasonal creek and under the trees on the Mt. Waterman Trail, about a quarter-mile from Hwy 2.
This is what it looked like prior to the Bobcat Fire.
One of the more verdant areas on the entire Three Points Loop is along the service road leading to Buckhorn Campground. Although the Bobcat Fire seriously threatened the campground, it was saved.
Burned trees along the Burkhart Trail, only about a quarter-mile below Buckhorn Campground. August 14, 2022.
California fuchsia (Epilobium canum) along the Burkhart Trail, about a mile below Buckhorn Campground, in a area burned by the Bobcat Fire. August 14, 2022.
The rugged -- and often hot -- Burkhart Trail, below Buckhorn Campground. The hike DOWN from the campground to Cooper Canyon is popular, but many have underestimated the water and fitness needed to get back UP to the camp.
Cardinal monkeyflower (Erythranthe cardinalis) at one of the seeps on the Burkhart Trail below Buckhorn Campground. August 14, 2022.
A mix of surviving mature trees and burned understory along the PCT in Cooper Canyon, following the Bobcat Fire. August 14, 2022.
In an area of the Bobcat Fire with varying impacts, Cooper Canyon Trail Camp looked to be in pretty good shape. August 14, 2022.
A mix of burned, scorched, and unburned trees above Cooper Canyon Trail Camp. August 14, 2022.
Burned manzanita along the PCT, about 2.2 miles from Cloudburst Summit. August 14, 2022.
Interior live oak along the PCT crown-sprouting following the 2020 Bobcat Fire. August 14, 2022.
Cloudburst Summit -- about mile 15 of the Three Points Loop around Mt. Waterman.
Poodle-dog bush (Eriodictyon parryi) along the PCT between Cloudburst Summit and Camp Glenwood. The plant is a fire-follower that can cause severe dermatitis in some people. August 14, 2022.
Camp Glenwood was on the margin of the Bobcat Fire area and brush burned on the slope behind it.
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