Aftermath of the fire in the Watchtower area (Summer, 2015)
Prior to to the fire (Summer, 2015)
The wildfire that started on July 9th 2015 by the name of ”Excelsior Creek Wildfire” spread quickly from the north end of Medicine Lake and made it’s way south, effecting around 10 square kilometres of bushland. The fire went straight through the Watchtower crag. Luckily, the fire did not damage the bolts and did not affect the rock quality. The lower section, being surrounded by water, was spared and developed a small ”oasis” in the middle of ashes. The main hazards are fallen and falling trees, and extra precaution should be taken especially on the hike in and out. It’s probably safer to canoe in, if you have one. Keep an eye out and play safe.
On that note, here’s an interesting video about fire damage on climbing bolts!