[Cdt-l] Miller Fire relo

[Brett Tucker]

With it being such a dry year hikers are reporting less water than usual along the official route in the Black Range. For example Adobe Spring and Dry Time ("Day Time") Tank were both reportedly dry as of several weeks ago. Chloride Creek had just a few small pools. And the rill beneath the footbridge north of Diamond Peak may not be a usable source at this time. Diamond Peak Spring is easy to miss but is typically just a damp spot, hard to use even in the best of times. And the terrain northwest of FS land around the Plains of San Agustin is largely without water. Doubtless some resourceful hikers could make the official route work for them, but admittedly the challenge curve would be steep for a nobo just starting out. 

The Wolf route is really your ace in the hole especially in a really dry year. I might suggest trying to get back on route asap, watching for where the Miller Fire perimeter stabilizes and then improvising a canyon-oriented route that circumvents the closure area. 

As of last night the Miller Fire was at 50k acres and had burned through the Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument and headquarters area, nipping at the West and Middle forks of the Gila in this area. Flame lengths were reported at up to 4 ft with some tree torching, probably a lot of pinyon juniper that burned. No structures had been lost.

Brett