Alexander Mountain
| Alexander Mountain | |
|---|---|
| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 7,074 feet (2,156 m)[1] NAVD88 |
| Isolation | 2.15 mi to Stone Mountain |
| Coordinates | 40°25′40″N 105°15′05″W / 40.42782°N 105.25146°W |
| Geography | |
| Location | Larimer County, Colorado |
| Parent range | Front Range |
Alexander Mountain is a mountain in Larimer County, Colorado and is named for the pioneers John and Grant Alexander[2] It is within a mid-elevation ponderosa pine forest in the Canyon Lakes Ranger District of the Roosevelt National Forest with mountain mahogany, skunkbrush, and gambel oak forbs.[3][4] North of US Highway 34 between Loveland and Estes Park,[4][5], west of Green Ridge,[6] and east of Cedar Creek, it is recognizable by its pyramidal shaped south face.[5] Its soils are mesic and dry-mesic and has cliff faces which are home to rattlesnakes. Now home to the Sylvan Dale Guest Ranch, its cultural significance is the final stand in a bear hunt in the memoirs of Gerry Spence.[6][7] On July 29, 2024, an unknown ignition of a hot dry remote area on the north face of the Alexander Mountain caused the Alexander Mountain Fire, receiving national attention for a rapidly accelerating wildfire causing a wide evacuation area under volatile circumstances and risking losses to communication and energy infrastructure as well as ranching and tourism communities along the Big Thompson River near Drake, Colorado.
Wildfire
[edit]| Alexander Mountain Fire | |
|---|---|
| Date(s) | 7-29-2024 – present 10:39 am – (Mountain) |
| Location | Roosevelt National Forest, Larimer County, Colorado |
| Coordinates | N 40°25'58 W 105°15'13 |
| Statistics[8] | |
| Status | Ongoing wildfire |
| Perimeter | 1% contained as of 7-31-2024, 19:42 (Mountain) |
| Burned area | 7648 acres |
| Impacts | |
| Evacuated | 4,000, >37 square miles |
| Ignition | |
| Cause | unknown |
EAS: LEAVE IMMEDIATELY
[edit]During the 2024 US wildfire season, on Monday, July 29, near the Sylvan Dale Guest Ranch, the Alexander Mountain Fire ignited before 11 am. By 12:20 pm, the burn area was 100 acres and spreading quickly,[9] growing to 245 acres by 12:45 pm. Near the mouth of the Big Thompson Canyon,[10] 37 square miles of Larimer County were evacuated, from County Road 18E from Pole Hill to Pinewood Reservoir and Drake to Dam Store along U.S. Highway 34, including Storm Mountain and Palisade Mountain.[4][10][11][12] 90 horses were evacuated from the Sylvan Dale Guest Ranch to The Ranch in Loveland, which was preparing for the Larimer County Fair. They joined other animal evacuees including horses Sally and Gypsy, alpacas, five sheep, some panicked meowing barn cats, family dog Sophie, a hamster and Buddy the axolotl.[4] Employees of the Colorado Cherry Company were also evacuated. By 2:50 pm, the blaze was over 300 acres.[13]
Response
[edit]Loveland Fire Authority responded to the initial call at 10:39 am. The fire spread rapidly and the Larimer County Sheriff's Office assumed command of the incidence response under Emergency Services Coordinator Justin Whitesell.[4] Air response arrived at 2:07 pm including four helicopters, one large air tanker, one multimission aircraft and Air Attack aerial supervision.[4] Throughout the afternoon, they were joined by dozens of fire crews and at least 11 total aircraft. Growing by 500 acres in just 2 hours,[14], by the end of Monday, the Alexander Mountain Fire had burned 992 acres.[11][12][15][16]
The fire slowly crept downhill overnight and into the next day with no major runs.[16] At 6 a.m. on Tuesday, July 30, 2024, a US Forest Service Type 3 Incident Management Team took command of firefighting.[8][16] Horsetooth, Pinewood, Flatiron and Carter Lake reservoirs had all been closed to aid firefighting efforts. According to incident commander Mike Smith on Tuesday, hot, dry conditions expanded the burn area threatened to cross Cedar Creek westward. At this time, having burned a third of the Big Thompson Canyon, the fire was expected to run out of fuel on that front.[16] Throughout Tuesday, over 270 firefighters focused on critical infrastructure and private property. Hot arid temperatures and dry fuel created difficult conditions.[17] Evacuations expanded throughout the day.[18] By 7pm Tuesday, the burn area was 5080 acres.[16]
Ongoing conditions and response
[edit]By Wednesday morning, firefighting in the Colorado Front Range was complicated by two new fires, the Quarry Fire in a settled area of southern Larimer County, and the Stone Canyon Fire in Boulder County.[19] Smoke had settled in the vicinity. The fire remained active overnight in areas with dry flora. Infrastructure including buildings remained secure.[20]
Poudre Valley Rural Electric Association shut power lines for Cedar Park and Glen Haven. Larimer County enacted fire restrictions for non-incorporated areas.[19] Governor Jared Polis issued a disaster declaration. Speaking in Loveland, Polis stated: "This is likely to be a several week event, even potentially a month or two, just as the last fires of 2020 were." He activated the Colorado National Guard. The Federal Emergency Management Agency recognized the disaster, according to Representative Joe Neguse, immediately funding of 75% of firefighting efforts with the hope of eventual full funding.[19][21] Despite a Preparedness Level 5 situation, the most pressed for firefighting activity, the National Interagency Fire Center mobilized the Southwest Complex Incident Management Team, noting the danger to communication and energy infrastructure.[22]
Fire behavior was described as group torching, uphill runs and shortrange spotting of timber, brush, and grass.[22] Volatility challenged ground and aerial firefighting crews, spreading northwest, a total of 7,648 acres with 1% containment.[23] Without verifiable flying range, aviation assets were at times limited. When safe, resources dropped water and fire retardant to help secure the fire perimeter and protect values at risk. Firefighters achieved initial containment by lighting backfires, burning vegetation ahead of the fire’s advance, thereby securing the east perimeter near the Sylvan Dale Ranch staging area.[23][16] Fire behavior was described as group torching, uphill runs and shortrange spotting of timber, brush, and grass.[22]
Causes
[edit]Although the direct cause of the fire was still under investigation as of July 31,[20] the conditions making the fire likely was attributed to record and near-record precipitation in 2023, according to assistant state climatologist Becky Bolinger. 90 days of extremely dry conditions then turned the growth into fuel.[16]
Previous natural catastrophes
[edit]Less impacted by the 1976 Big Thompson River flood, the 2013 flood caused the destruction of the Jessup Lodge at Sylvan Dale Guest Ranch.[24]
Ecology
[edit]Alexander Mountain is noted for mountain mahogany within its gully and rattlesnakes near rock faces.[25][26] as well as Rhus trilobata, often called skunkbrush or three-leaf sumac, known to hikers of the mountain as a hiding place for ticks.[26] It is within a Crystalline mid-elevation forest.[27][28] This is a predominately Southern Rocky Mountain Ponderosa Pine ecosystem with Southern Rocky Mountain Mesic and Dry-Mesic Montane Mixed Conifer Forest and Woodland on the north face coupling with Engelman spruce with examples of gambel oak, and Rocky Mountain Lower Montane-Foothill Shrubland on the south face with pockets of grassland per Landfire.[29]
Hiking
[edit]Alexander Mountain is considered by Alltrails to be an extremely challenging climb, through a single public access, a 1.9 mile ascent. The trails features include a 1600 foot ascent over roughly a mile. There is a gully with mountain mahogany and stone cliff faces.[25] There is a false summit. The Sylvan Dale Guest Ranch has an easier private trail.[26]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ "Alexander Mountain". Peakbagger.com. Retrieved July 29, 2024.
- ^ Colorado Place Names by William Bright
- ^ https://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/arp/alerts-notices/?aid=89337
- ^ a b c d e f Calderon, Ignacio; Powell, Rebecca; Kyle, Sarah; Lyell, Kelly; Blumhardt, Miles; Udell, Erin (July 30, 2024) [July 29, 2024]. "Size of Alexander Mountain Fire west of Loveland now estimated at 950 acres". Fort Collins Coloradoan. Retrieved July 30, 2024.
- ^ a b "Alexander Mountain : Climbing, Hiking & Mountaineering : SummitPost". www.summitpost.org. Retrieved July 30, 2024.
- ^ a b https://www.fcgov.com/naturalareas/pdf/bobcat-historical-record.pdf
- ^ G. Spence, The Hunter 1987, republished by Big Bend Press, WY, 1992
- ^ a b https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident-information/coarf-alexander-mountain-fire
- ^ Writer, Anna Skinner Senior; Assignment, General (July 29, 2024). "Alexander wildfire update: Colorado officials say to "evacuate immediately"". Newsweek. Retrieved July 30, 2024.
- ^ a b Wertz, Joe; Zialcita, Paolo; Denburg, Hart Van; Villegas ·, Andrew (July 29, 2024). "Evacuations remain as wildfire burns near Loveland". Colorado Public Radio. Retrieved July 30, 2024.
- ^ a b "Alexander Mountain fire near Loveland grows to 950 acres". The Denver Post. July 29, 2024. Retrieved July 30, 2024.
- ^ a b "Multiple Agencies Continue to Respond to Alexander Mountain Fire | Larimer County". www.larimer.gov. Retrieved July 30, 2024.
- ^ https://www.cbsnews.com/colorado/news/owner-colorado-cherry-company-employees-alexander-mountain-fire-evacuated-safe/
- ^ Ortiz, Claire Thornton and Jorge L. "Flames 'right by our front door': Wildfires rage across western US". USA TODAY. Retrieved July 30, 2024.
- ^ https://www.cpr.org/2024/07/30/alexander-mountain-fire-evacuations-still-in-place-forecast-strong-winds/
- ^ a b c d e f g https://www.coloradoan.com/story/news/2024/07/30/alexander-mountain-fire-near-loveland-tuesday-updates/74596216007/
- ^ https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident-publication/coarf-alexander-mountain-fire/alexander-mountain-fire-0730-evening-update-07-30-2024
- ^ https://k99.com/nearly-2000-acres-has-burned-in-the-alexander-mountain-fire/
- ^ a b c https://www.coloradoan.com/story/news/2024/07/31/wednesday-live-updates-for-alexander-mountain-fire-west-of-loveland-colorado/74612816007/
- ^ a b https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident-publication/coarf-alexander-mountain-fire/alexander-mountain-fire-0731-morning-update-07-31-2024
- ^ https://www.cpr.org/2024/07/31/alexander-mountain-fire-state-feds-marshal-resources-large-wildfire-burning-near-loveland/
- ^ a b c https://www.nifc.gov/nicc-files/sitreprt.pdf retrieved 7-31-2024 at 9:44 pm Mountain
- ^ a b https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident-publication/coarf-alexander-mountain-fire/alexander-mountain-fire-evening-update-july-31-08-01-2024
- ^ https://www.denverpost.com/2014/06/17/sylvan-dale-guest-ranch-in-loveland-emerges-from-september-flooding/
- ^ a b https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/colorado/alexander-mountain-big-thompson-river-canyon
- ^ a b c https://www.summitpost.org/alexander-mountain/680186
- ^ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Colorado_Level_IV_ecoregions.pdf
- ^ Invasive Plants and Forest Ecosystems, Kohli, Jose, and Singh, p. 325 Fig 18.2 https://www.google.com/books/edition/Invasive_Plants_and_Forest_Ecosystems/TaDSXXhDCxYC?hl=en&gbpv=0
- ^ https://www.landfire.gov/viewer/
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