We were to make it a weekend at Park Ridge Lookout. But yesterday-that would be Saturday, there was very limited visibility and at best very marginal air quality. Wendy and I came to the conclusion there was very little reason to go up. So I spent the day doing a few things, including figuring out that I was not going to be putting in a new bathroom faucet-I would let a professional do that. But last night before I went to bed, the air quality had improved enough to where I said I would go up unless things looked very bad.
 |
| Interesting Tree |
The drive up is non-descript. Wendy and I exchanged about will I staff today-yes, by this time I was in Squaw Valley. Actually, the non-descript is not quite true. Along Highway 180, a young deer jumps in front of me. I slow down enough to let it get by. Also, in thinking over this, how could I say it is nondescript? I saw three glorious sunrises going in. Always a great way to start the day, except the bright red sunrise also meant there is a lot of smoke in the air. Also climbing Park Ridge, there were three young deer feeding beside the road. I got to the lookout around 0815.
After texting Wendy and Sherri upon arrival, I go for a 45 minute walk along Park Ridge. I make it to the last mound before it drops into the saddle where the Azalea Trail meets the Park Ridge Trail. Another young deer hops away as I walk the trail. I do OK, but I can tell I have not been doing any hills lately. I am thinking I need to get up here more often, if not for lookout, at least to walk
 |
| Looking down into Wilsonia |
From here, it was mostly scan, listen to the radio, and piddle around. With limited visibility, it does not take long to do a scan. I do go over some of the closer points around Park Ridge Lookout. But that is pretty limited to within 3 miles. I also look at some of the references to the cabins in Wilsonia. I may come up with coordinates for various intersections. But that may be somewhat a project. Interesting that there are so many historical buildings in that area. Probably not from the point that something famous happened there, but it is part of the heritage of Wilsonia, which is a recognized historical district..
Around noon, a lone hiker from
Bakersfield comes up. We talked a bit; I was on the catwalk and he
was on the ground. We are not allowing visitors into the lookout this
year due to the COVID-19 virus, much to the disappointment of us all.
He is interested in volunteering at a lookout. Told him to look at
the Buck
Rock Foundation
site. Also told him that this year’s rookies have not been able to
be up here due to lack of training. He was the first visitor I have
had at Park Ridge this year. But then again, only have been up here
once before this season.
 |
| H522 |
At 1254, I hear this thumping sound. It is to the northeast of the lookout and it is getting closer.I realize, it is a helicopter. Wonder where it is coming from. Seeing a helicopter is usually a bit of major excitement for a lookout, at least for me. I round the southwest corner of the catwalk and I see it just after it passes over the lookout-maybe going to Porterville. I catch the tail’s number, N91158, and look it up on a flight tracker. It came all the way from Salt Lake. Wow. Also it was a Sikorsky. Just wish I had been ready with my camera.
That was enough excitement for the afternoon. But wait, there is still more! At 1300, I hear a sound to the south of Park Ridge. There is the General’s Highway down there, but it just does not seem right. So I start looking towards Redwood Mountain. Yep, here comes another helicopter. This time green. I know the Park’s 552 is green. But I do not see any tail numbers-I wonder what they do with blind, old fire lookouts? The helicopter passes by. In a few minutes I heard 552 telling Ash Mountain Fire that they have landed at Pan Pt. Guess that confirms.
I am now listening a bit more closely to Ash Mountain’s radio, not that I wasn’t before. 552 will notify them that they are lifting off. Also I should hear why they are over there. I heard something about a dead battery, but not really anything else, until they lift off again. They pass by the lookout at 1320, and fly on by back to Ash Mountain.
The rest of the afternoon is a bit anticlimactic. I do more scans. But these get done pretty quickly. The smoke is starting to get a bit denser and visibility is dropping. Jeff at Delilah gives me a call and asks about things at Park Ridge. He is losing visibility and will be packing up to go. Also he is smelling smoke while so far I am not, except for a few very light wiff’s. After this conversation, the smoke started coming in more, then receded.
A brief interlude in the smoke watch-not from scanning. But heard on the radio a patrol’s conversation about some campers-what are campers doing in the forest? The campers were complaining about being harassed by security. The patrol’s supervisor was asking, why is Hume Lake’s security involved? Good question. Later on the law enforcement officer reported that it was him who talked with the campers, not private security. You now understand how things get misrepresented. Of course, the question still remained, why is any private citizen on forest lands when they are closed?
 |
| View towards Eshom |
By 1600, the smoke was about a mile and half away. This is where it is difficult to see. So as a lookout, my usefulness is getting pretty close to zero. So I call the Kings Canyon Battalion Chief. We discuss the situation and it is decided this is enough of a day for me. I will start packing and cleaning. If it gets better, great, I will stay.
 |
| Park Ridge Lookout |
Buck Rock also checks on me and I tell her what the plan is. I get everything ready. Then clean and re-sanitize the lookout. At 1632 I went out of service. And now it is time for the journey home.
Normally going home is more recounting the day in my mind, keeping the eyes on the road and counting the miles. After I left the park, I see Patrol32’s truck. I follow him until he turns off to go to Pinehurst. Then after Snowline Lodge, I see Patrol 31’s truck. He had been up at Delilah in June. So I stopped to talk with him. Since the forest is closed, he is making sure there is no entry into it. As we finish talking, Patrol33 goes back. PT31 says she is going to get gas. We close our conversation and I head down. She stops in Dunlap and so do I.
 |
| Manzanita area looking down into Wilsonia |
This encounter typifies where the pandemic hits me the most-personal contact. Sherri and I usually see Patrol 33 at the beginning of the year training or the end of year lookout party. Neither of these will happen this year. It is great to see her and exchange hugs. Today, it is still great to see her, but when we start to give each other a hug, we realize, not this year. Still it was pleasant and so good seeing and talking with her for about ten minutes while she filled up her truck.
 |
| Sunset on the way home |
By the time I get home, our family meeting has started. I unload the car and join in. A bit tiring, but a good day.
 |
| Pandemic Lookout |
 |
| Park Ridge's Marmot |
 |
| Wasp under Park Ridge Lookout |
