Arson Fire at Mowich Lake

ChopTop84 · May 26, 2015

So, not specifically Evans related, but maybe someone who wheels there saw something odd?

Someone set fire to the Ranger Shack at Mowich lake in the last 5 to 10 days. Buckley Fire is assisting the National Park in trying to drum up some info.

The gate to mowich should still be closed, which means you gotta hike a long way up to the lake. Maybe someone saw a rig parked at the gate that didnt fit in? Pack of people coming or going that didnt look prepared for a hike?

Its a long shot, but this time of year, only wheelers and hardcore hikers even venture up that gravel road until the main gate opens to the lake. Hard to think someone hiked all that way to burn down a cabin.

Its remotely possible they were on a dirtbike I guess. Would be easy to slide one under the gate since most of the snow should be gone now.

99xj · May 26, 2015

Damn. I'll spread the word .

Corey Y · May 26, 2015

I thought that was staffed year round? Sucks, it was a nice little cabin.

ChopTop84 · May 27, 2015

Crazy Daze said:
I thought that was staffed year round? Sucks, it was a nice little cabin.

No, this one is above the locked gate, at the lake itself. The permanent staffed one is down along the carbon river road.

Corey Y · May 27, 2015

I hiked up there in the snow many years ago and there was a USFS Ranger at the cabin, he said someone was there year round. They must have lost funding.

pokey · May 27, 2015

Crazy Daze said:
I hiked up there in the snow many years ago and there was a USFS Ranger at the cabin, he said someone was there year round. They must have lost funding.

That was a longgg time ago before they put up the gate to keep us out of the park in the winter. That really sucks that someone burned the cabin.long way to go to ruin history

Fordzuki · May 27, 2015

I was just up there a few weeks ago and now I wish I'd have pushed on the last little bit to see the cabin. It's definitely a long hike in the snow just to ruin something.

ChopTop84 · May 27, 2015

Fordzuki said:
I was just up there a few weeks ago and now I wish I'd have pushed on the last little bit to see the cabin. It's definitely a long hike in the snow just to ruin something.

Not sure how much snow was up there in their window of opportunity. They were planning to open the gate this coming week. I was up at Cedar Lake (above Wilkeson) and its 5000 feet and there was one tiny patch of snow left in a shady spot. Long way to hike, and then get caught hiking back out? Still thinking dirt bike under the gate myself.

pokey · May 27, 2015

Why blame a motorized user ? Plenty of vandels hike as well. Its bad enough that everyone blames us. Could have even been an accident by some dumbasses starting a fire to close to the cabin trying to stay under the eaves. Let's not jump to conclusion that it was a motorized user within our own ranks.

Fordzuki · May 27, 2015

You know I thought the same thing pokey, could have been someone dumb trying to stay warm. There was still 3-4 feet of snow up there when I was there, but who knows what's there now. I'm pretty sure if there were motorized tracks up there, it'd be obvious and the ranger would have mentioned something.

Fordzuki · May 27, 2015

Looking back, it was the 19th of April when I went up, so it could very well be snow free by now. View attachment 58167 View attachment 58168

ChopTop84 · May 27, 2015

pokey said:
Why blame a motorized user ? Plenty of vandels hike as well. Its bad enough that everyone blames us. Could have even been an accident by some dumbasses starting a fire to close to the cabin trying to stay under the eaves. Let's not jump to conclusion that it was a motorized user within our own ranks.

Because hoodlums are lazy, and if I had my choice between a hiking hoodlum and a hoodlum on a motorcycle, i'd pick the motorcycle as the sure thing.

The fire dept didnt put out much info, other than it happened in the last 5 to 10 days and they were confident it was arson.

JTR · May 28, 2015

pokey · May 28, 2015

ChopTop84 said:
Because hoodlums are lazy, and if I had my choice between a hiking hoodlum and a hoodlum on a motorcycle, i'd pick the motorcycle as the sure thing.

The fire dept didnt put out much info, other than it happened in the last 5 to 10 days and they were confident it was arson.

Wow. You should come to the Nova hearings when the wilderness rangers are asking for funding for vandalized areas to be repaired.

ChopTop84 · May 28, 2015

pokey said:
Wow. You should come to the Nova hearings when the wilderness rangers are asking for funding for vandalized areas to be repaired.

And I would ask to see a chart of occurrence/damage vs nearest vehicle access (legal or otherwise). Somehow I dont see there being a huge vandalism problem if its more than say an hour of walking away from their vehicle.

Regardless, the FD didnt say how the person got up there. Only that someone did and the fire was the result. everything else is speculation on my part. But thats how I would do it.

Glenn · May 28, 2015

No matter how you look at it, people who commit crimes don't want to hang around and get caught. They want to get away quickly--ergo a vehicle. I'd be really surprised if it was a hiker who committed this arson.

Corey Y · May 28, 2015

Were any dirt bike tire tracks found? Its all dirt and gravel up there.

pokey · May 28, 2015

Crazy Daze said:
Were any dirt bike tire tracks found? Its all dirt and gravel up there.

What you mean you want actual evidence before throwing motorized users under the bus :eeek:

pokey · May 28, 2015

ChopTop84 said:
And I would ask to see a chart of occurrence/damage vs nearest vehicle access (legal or otherwise). Somehow I dont see there being a huge vandalism problem if its more than say an hour of walking away from their vehicle.

Regardless, the FD didnt say how the person got up there. Only that someone did and the fire was the result. everything else is speculation on my part. But thats how I would do it.

Its a big problem. Much of it happens 5-15 miles in making it difficult to clean or fix. You just don't hear about it in the media (to far to carry a camera ?) And the hikers don't want their dirty little secrets out.

dirk · May 28, 2015

ChopTop84 said:
everything else is speculation on my part.

Exactly...would be nice if you didn't jump to conclusions you can't really prove. The OHV community is already under attack from multiple angles and we don't need to see it from one of our own too.