Title: September 22, 2018 - Delilah Lookout
Hike Info : Description : Extra Photo's
Trail head: Delilah Lookout
Hike Info:
Type:
Lookout
Description:
I woke up a bit later than
usual when I am at Delilah
lookout.
Sherri got up a few minutes after I did. The sun has come over the
eastern Sierra, but a bit later than the last time we were here. We
go down stairs for our morning business, then have breakfast of
oatmeal. Sort of is peaceful. No smoke and we can see forever!
 |
| South towards Mineral King |
We go into service at 0927 and
start doing our scans. It is an exceptionally clear day. We are
seeing 45 miles to the north, all the way to Kaiser
Ridge,
and all the way to Sawtooth
Peak,
near Mineral
King to
the south. If there is a smoke today and we do not see it, we are
blind. In some ways, this is the type of day which we live for. I
can spend all day just gazing, which I suppose is what a lookout’s
job description is. Only thing, a lookout is to gaze with a purpose.
While right now I am gazing
for pleasure. There is even a hang glider or three to make a visual of my pleasure. I think the pleasure is a bit of relief for me. It has
been a month since my mother passed. I am hoping that today will give
me a time of just pondering, enjoying the sights and remembrance of
the things which my mother meant to me.
On more of an outer level, I
had read a note in the log saying that a peak we can sometimes see is
really Stag
Dome.
“Where in the world is that?” I wonder. Looking at a spreadsheet
of all of the surrounding points, I found it, along with the lat/long
for it. Then I started comparing a couple other peaks in the same
direction, all within two degrees of each other (I am suspecting, but
with no proof that our fire finding has at least a half of a degree
of error.). I also calculate the vertical angle of all of the items
in that direction and find that Park
Ridge
has a greater angle than Stag Dome, so it hides the Dome. Sort of
conclusive in my mind that it cannot be Stag Dome. But it will take
a few more items to conclude if it is Hutchings
or Clarence
King.
 |
| Looking up the North Fork of the Kings |
We get a few of the resources
in our area going in service, but it is pretty light. Some of the
Sierra lookouts are seeing signs of smoke from the Ferguson
fire-this
is over 50 miles away and unless it gets large, we will not see it.
Back in July, I did see that smoke, but only after every other
lookout in the area saw it. When we do the afternoon weather
readings, we get a low relative humidity, so we radio that in. For
today, that counts as excitement-we will take that kind of day today.
 |
| First signs of smoke from the Oak Fire-see Extra Photo's for more |
It is getting close to 1600
and time for the Sierra Lookout check-in. But wait at 1553, we hear
three beeps from Sierra-some sort of incident is to be announced.
Then we hear that there is an MMU incident (CalFire Madera-Mariposa
Unit) near Ahwahnee. Two things happen in my mind: 1) not in our
neighborhood; 2) is this close to some friends of ours? The location,
including the legal information and the lat/long is provided.
Looking up the legal (Township and section), I see that it is close
to some friends of ours. I try to call, but no answer-they may be
trying to evacuate. We can see a column of smoke to our NorthWest and
with the lat/long and a spreadsheet I created, I can see that the
smoke we are seeing is from the Oak Fire, as it is now being called.
 |
| Helicopter, maybe from Ash Mountain |
Around 1730 Sierra orders all
Prevention, Detection and Suppression units on until 2000. We are
part of detection, but after it starts getting dark, our superiors do
not like us traveling the road back to 180 in the dark. So we will
stay until 1830, which is about the same time as they will ground the
fixed wing aircraft.
 |
| Sun-setting on Spanish Mountain |
Right around 1800, we notice a
haze down by the Kings
River.
Now we cannot see the Kings so there is not a direct confirmation.
There is something gray down by Sycamore
Creek.
There is a type of bush which shows gray in certain light, also there
was a lot of haze as the sunlight passes through the day’s dust.
But was this smoke from a fire? That is the question. We call over to
Fence Meadow Lookout to see if he can see down into the River from
his perch. No he cannot. Evidently, we both are blind to that area.
He also does not see the haze. A few minutes later, we get a call
from a battalion chief on the Sierra side asking what we were seeing.
We explain to her what we see and what we cannot tell. We will
monitor it for a bit. After the sun hides behind a ridge, the gray
goes away and we decide that the gray was the haze. We give Fence a
call to let him know and then start packing up.
At 1845 we go out of service
and start down the hill. We hit pavement as it gets dark and then
move on for dinner at Bear Mountain Pizza. By the time we get back to
Fresno it is around 2130. A full day, one which I could be content
with.
Extra Photo's
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| Northeast towards Spanish Mountain |
 |
| Well east beyond the Monarch Ridge |
 |
| Smoke from Oak Fire |
 |
| Smoke from Oak Fire |
 |
| Smoke from Oak Fire |
 |
| Smoke from Oak Fire-without telephoto |
 |
| Smoke from Oak Fire |
