@39.78233,-120.89076
The smoke retreated to the valleys last night, leaving a layer of relatively clear air along the crest route. Even better, the backside of the Sierra Buttes was lit up in the dawn light, looking like pagodas made of red gold. 
The mountains here don’t really have much shape or form, no organizing theme. Ridges of moderate height and undistinguished shape rise, persist a few miles and then end abruptly. The trail is left to find another passage, linking ridge to ridge through low passes and occasionally traversing a valley in search of a new ridge to call home. 
The water carries are getting bigger and the dust is getting deeper. With fewer water sources it becomes harder to keep the grime under control.
I’m camped with Flaming Hot (a lover of salsa) and Sara from Heidelberg. Flaming has the blackest legs I’ve ever seen, the dust forming something of a carapace on his shins that actually has acquired its own shine.
Tried to check on the status of the Murphy Fire to see if the trail remains closed north of Belden. But service is a bit spotty here. And it really doesn’t matter.
When I get to Belden either the trail will be open and I’ll hike north on it , or I will hitch to Chester and hike north from there. The trail will be whatever it is at that future time, and future me will react accordingly.
There’s nothing that needs worrying about. I just have to hike and not get lost or hurt.
Here are pix of the fir trees with the green cones (although they are more mature and white in this specimen). The squirrels seem to enjoy the pulpy red petals (if that is the right word) but I found them far too piney to be palatable.