Change of Plans Due to NorCal/Oregon Wildfires

[JimFox]

On Monday (tomorrow) I was planning on leaving in my new ride (Toyota 4Runner) from SoCal up to Mt Shasta, Lassen Volcanic NP and Crater Lake. Due to a bunch of wildfires, 3 at last count, I think I need to change my plans.

My goal for driving up there was to 1) Deep Space Astro photography 2) Milky Way Timelapses 3) Visit a few new places and a few old places I haven't been in a while.

For Deep Space Astro I need 2 things. 1) Clear skies at night 2) Very low winds (A max of 5 to 10mph)

I am open to just about anything in the Western half of the US as I can drive most anywhere, except I don't have off road tires on my 4Runner yet, so well maintained dirt roads is the worst I would drive right now.

I am open to suggestions. Remember my goal is to Deep Space Astro, so I need clear skies at night and almost no wind.

Thanks!

Jim

 

[Ben Egbert]

Consider The Great Basin NP. Also consider the Little Grand Canyon near Castle Dale Utah. (it will be hot there)

 

[AlanLichty]

I wondered if the McKinney fire would alter your plans - the air quality down in that vicinity is terrible right now:

 

[AlanLichty]

BTW - for air quality info the best site I have found is Purple Air which is not a color you do not want to see over your head.

 

[JimFox]

Consider The Great Basin NP. Also consider the Little Grand Canyon near Castle Dale Utah. (it will be hot there)

Thanks Ben. There will be clear skies in those places this week?

The Great Basin NP is the most underwhelming NP I have visited. It really should be removed as a NP in my mind.

What about in your area Ben? I think I saw Wed night was showing clear and low winds.

 

[JimFox]

BTW - for air quality info the best site I have found is Purple Air which is not a color you do not want to see over your head.

Thanks for a link to that site Alan. Do you know if I can equate the bad air quality to haze in the sky?

 

[JimFox]

I wondered if the McKinney fire would alter your plans - the air quality down in that vicinity is terrible right now:

View attachment 51235

I haven't 100% ruled it out yet. I am keeping an eye on it. I would say I have 95% ruled it out though. But I want to keep all options open.

I may have to just shelve my Deep Space plans, though I hate to. That would open up more areas to me.

 

[Ben Egbert]

I plan to go up AF canyon Tuesday night and up a class 4 mining road for Milky Way but the forecast is rain. But I should still get some good golden hour shots
I agree Great Basin is not a great landscape place but is supposed to be a great night sky place

 

[AlanLichty]

Thanks for a link to that site Alan. Do you know if I can equate the bad air quality to haze in the sky?

Definitely - AQ up into the 150+ range is going to have highly visible haze. AQ above 200 is considered a serious health risk for everyone no matter your age group or level of overall health.

 

[Ben Egbert]

Jim air quality here has been 10 to 30 but clouds not overcast but big cumulus type. They
often fade at sunset.

i picked Tuesday because I can’t go Monday or Wednesday and Thursday may be too late for an ideal MW. You are welcome to join me but this road is rocky
it would be easy for you with tough tires.

by the way I think the most important thing about tires is the resistance to puncture. My KO2 are rated 10ply I would consider traction and last added clearance

 

[JimFox]

Jim air quality here has been 10 to 30 but clouds not overcast but big cumulus type. They
often fade at sunset.

i picked Tuesday because I can’t go Monday or Wednesday and Thursday may be too late for an ideal MW. You are welcome to join me but this road is rocky
it would be easy for you with tough tires.

by the way I think the most important thing about tires is the resistance to puncture. My KO2 are rated 10ply I would consider traction and last added clearance

Thanks Ben. I will keep in mind our plans. I have no clue yet what I want to do yet. I may just head to New Mexico and visit my son and get an early start on the platform for the 4Runner and to get my off road tires installed.

As to tires for me it's a combination of traction and the # of ply's that's most important. I got the K02 years ago because of the 10 ply and also because they had good traction. 4 years later I got the Wildpeak AT3, because they were $100 a tire less then the K02. They have great traction, maybe better then the K02, but they don't have 10 ply. For $100 a tire difference, that was a risk I was willing to take. But now? The Wildpeaks are only $10 less per tire, so I am going to go back to K02's on the 4Runner.

 

[Ben Egbert]

Jim I am available around 4;00 Wednesday and we could go up to the meadows an easy road and a decent Milky Way spot

 

[AlanLichty]

Thanks Ben. I will keep in mind our plans. I have no clue yet what I want to do yet. I may just head to New Mexico and visit my son and get an early start on the platform for the 4Runner and to get my off road tires installed.

As to tires for me it's a combination of traction and the # of ply's that's most important. I got the K02 years ago because of the 10 ply and also because they had good traction. 4 years later I got the Wildpeak AT3, because they were $100 a tire less then the K02. They have great traction, maybe better then the K02, but they don't have 10 ply. For $100 a tire difference, that was a risk I was willing to take. But now? The Wildpeaks are only $10 less per tire, so I am going to go back to K02's on the 4Runner.

Wildpeak AT3's are what I have on my winter wheels (they are snow/ice traction rated) but they are only 5 ply on the tread which is the same as the stock Hankook tires that come stock on the Tacoma. I swap the Wildpeaks off during the summer months because they have a softer rubber compound for winter traction and will wear quickly during the warmer months.

 

[JimFox]

Jim I am available around 4;00 Wednesday and we could go up to the meadows an easy road and a decent Milky Way spot

Okay Ben. Let me see how my plans turn out. I will let you know tomorrow if I am going that way or if I stay south and go to New Mexico first.

 

[Ben Egbert]

Ok