Memorable Day at Work
 

This is why I became geologist. I've been hired to evaluate the debris flow hazard after the big CZU fire in the Santa Cruz Mountains of CA. I get to explore alien landscapes like this. I felt like Frodo and Samwise scaling Mount Doom. The photo is on a level ridge but most of the hike was on extremely steep terrain. It took two hours to go 1/2 mile, almost straight up. I had to cut steps into the slope with my rock hammer. It was hot with the sun beating down on the black void, and the ash I kicked up stung my eyes. I cut my arm somewhere along the way and had blood dripping off my finger tips. I looked like a Jackson Pollack charcoal painting by the end of the day.

But I loved it. I'm weird that way. All geologists are.

The photo I attached is of one of the most severely burnt areas. But most of the burn is already recovering, with numerous small shoots growing from root balls of various chaparral plants and redwood trees. Most of the redwoods and Douglas firs are fine. The green trees in the distance are in the burn area, but only the undergrowth burnt in the majority of the forests. The scene did not make me sad; it made me appreciate the wonder of nature even more.

As for debris flows, let's just say they better hope this drought we're having continues.

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Nice Charlie.....an analogy for me would be a moon exploration. Similar topography even! You did bring moon rock samples back, I assume? :)

Cool!

seems like the geomorphologist branch of geology

are you going to talk to any tree root experts?

Yes, it's essentially based on geomorphology. Gullies and swales are the main source for debris flows.

I won't talk to any tree root experts, but I found a lot of large voids on steep slopes where the roots burnt out, and marked those as potential landslides and source material for a small debris flow. I found one void by falling into it up to my knees.

No samples. I looked at the soil and it was obviously not good. Sandy soil likes to mobilize into a debris flow.

Love your narrative. Quirky. And cool. Thanks.

I wouldn't want to live in a fire area, but worse would be in the direct path of one of these debris flows should the weather pattern change !...A fire you can escape !

Cool post/thread, thanks!

It is sometimes fun to go places most others are not allowed to, or can't get to. That is a pretty bad landscape. I hope some vegetation reclaims the area soon.

Long ago when I still lived in Alabama, I had a client call and ask for photos of a swampy he owned, that backed up to a paint shop on the other side of the swamp. Evidently one of the employees told them they were dumping stuff into his swamp. The only way to get there was on a huge bulldozer. He had the bulldozer to maintain the fences on his property of several hundred acres of swamp. He wanted to keep it as a wildlife preserve.

We got back to the paint shop and sure enough, they had been dumping and the photos made it clear. He of course took the photos to the state and the feds and sued the paint shop. He shut them down and the money was used to remedy the damage as much as reasonable.

I had never ridden on a bulldozer before or since, and sure never been in a real wild swamp.

Looks like you have a very interesting job, thank you for sharing with us. That is cool stuff .

If there are red woods in the area, you should have potentially new spouts popping up next season. In their normal environment, they depend on fire to expose mineral soil for the seedliings to take root.

That’s pretty cool. Nature is designed to live with and even thrive after a fire. People not so much.

Seems like a back up buddy should be with you on those climbs.

Yes. With a rope as a belay partner. I was a bit nervous a couple of times. But hey, if Alex Honold can climb El Cap without a rope...

The redwoods were sprouting already.

We took a drive up thru that area yesterday, but didn't do any hiking. Amazing to see some homes still standing untouched with burned-up trees all around them. The burn area was much larger than I thought. Must've been like Hell-on-Earth up there...

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I'm hoping I'll wake up with a set of D cups :)

Mudslides in the columbia river gorge...I-84 had sections buried in 10-12 feet of mud.
Yep..former fire area. Far as I know, one woman still missing..