I made a 3 am escape from wildfire smoke, to find clean air. I found more than that! Come into my post and see!
Smoke from forest fires saturated everything around my town last summer, for weeks. It started off with pretty sunsets, but turned into thick smoke that made it hard to breathe or even see across the street.
I had to leave! I ended up on a single lane road winding through the Coastal Range. Miles and miles of nobody, on a route I've never been before. Driving until I reach better air, where I can breathe deep!
My escape to the marine layer of air was the start of many trips, all during the autumn, to parts of Oregon that I hadn't been to. I hope you will join me for the whole series -- especially if you like mushrooms! Date of trip:
September 4, 2017.
Air!
I drove up and over the Coast Range mountains. And down to clean, breathable air! I was in Alsea, Oregon - population 164. I parked by the local library and sat on a picnic table to watch the sun rise.
Maybe that sunrise view doesn't look any different than the smoke where I left. There is definitely smoke up above the hills!
But look down below and it's a different story. That's not smoke -- it's FOG! Glorious, cool, damp air from the Pacific Ocean -- pushing miles and miles up the Alsea River during the night. Pushing under the hot, smoky air - wedging the smoke up high, above the fog. In the valley, I can breathe deep! Over and over! It felt so good to be in the cool damp air!
Exploring the Alsea Falls Trail
As the fog lifted with the sun, I headed back home, through the Coastal Range mountains. In the daylight, I found the Alsea Falls Trail.
I can smell smoke, but the air quality is still good. It hasn't rained here for over 2 months, but the forest feels more alive than back home, where all the heat and smoke seems to stifle everything.
I like how death supports life in a forest. This rotting tree stump is home for wild red huckleberry and salal. Both kinds of plants have good berries for eating!
This big Douglas-fir tree fell across the trail. Even from this angle, I can tell it's a Douglas-fir because of all those layers in the thick bark. Look at how the water in the tree is coming out from specific growth rings, not all over the face of the cut log. You'll see the importance of that in a future post, in another log -- so stay tuned! This tree is big, but counting all the growth rings, it's barely 60 years old.
The trees grow fast and big in Oregon's Coast Range mountains. I like seeing all that moss on the branches. It reminds me that autumn will bring rain to put out all the forest fires.
A Hint of Fun To Come!
Fungi, that is! Autumn rains are sure to bring out the mushrooms. But surely there can't be any during this dry time, right?
I poke around in a slow-moving little creek. And then I see it.
Do you see it? There, peeking out from under the Sword Fern.
I sweep back the fern fronds for a closer look! A bracket fungus growing from a log. That orange edge is characteristic -- it's a Red-belted Polypore! I like to make tea from this common mushroom.
It takes some bending and twisting, but I finally can see the underside. It's so cool how this bracket fungus grew around that little stick. With that smooth, bright white surface underneath, it's clear why artists collect these to use as a canvas. But I'm not going to harvest this mushroom -- it survived this hot, dry summer and I'm not about to keep it from enjoying the coming fall rains.
Alsea Falls
I can hear a waterfall up ahead.
It's nice to see some fast-moving water!
Yes! The flow is low, because it's late summer and there's been a drought. But that just means I can get out on the bedrock and enjoy the waterfall up close!
All is right with the world! After a foggy morning and a day in the forest, with a waterfall and mushrooms, my attitude is a lot better.
Back to the Smoke!
I know I have to go back home, back into the smoke. I am ready.
Yep, there's the smoke. It hasn't gone away.
Don't turn back - even though it's tempting!
The smoke is worse than when I left! But that break made all the difference. I feel for the folks that could not escape for even a few hours.
Thanks for Walking With Me
I appreciate being able to hop in my car to escape all the wildfire smoke on the spur of the moment. Many people had it much harder than me, that's for sure. And I appreciate all the public land where I can hike and enjoy the forest and waterfalls. I hope you will continue to walk with me in the Coast Mountain Range, all through last autumn, as I enjoy the cool, wet weather - and mushrooms.
- Have you had to deal with forest fire smoke?
- What waterfalls are close to you?
- Have you ever found a bracket fungus?
Plant and Mushroom List
- Douglas-fir - Pseudotsuga menziesii
- Red Huckleberry - Vaccinium parvifolium
- Salal - Gaultheria shallon
- Sword fern - Polystichum munitum
- Red-belted polypore - Fomitopsis pinicola
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Haphazard Homestead
foraging, gardening, nature, simple living close to the land
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