Is anyone aware of what happened at Camp Johnny on the upper Oswegatchie with regards fire. I was there last October and there was extensive burning and trees down. Best I can figure is a lightening strike, most of the burning was no higher than about 12 inches and a lot underground in the roots.
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Oh no! Love that site. Perhaps an unextinguised campfire spread underground?"There's a whisper on the night-wind, there's a star agleam to guide us, And the Wild is calling, calling . . . let us go." -from "The Call of the Wild" by Robert Service
My trail journal: DuctTape's Journal -
I was at camp Johnny on September 23-24 2024 and the fire had not occurred yet. I was back again Oct 10-12 2025 and it seemed the fire had occurred quite some time before based on the new grown of plants in the burned area. It seemed like is stayed mainly underground in the duff so maybe it occurred when there was snow on the ground? Over the years I have seen evidence that visitors make fires not in the fire pit, but back under the trees where a fire could easily burn into the duff. I have put out a few duff fires at campsites on the Oswegatchie over the years. There was a privy installed at Camp Johnny between my 2024 and 2025 visits so whoever installed that might have a better idea when the fire burned.
My wife and I were in a bit of shock when we arrived at the campsite in 2025.Comment
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