October 18, 2020 - Park Ridge Lookout

 

Title: October 18, 2020 - Park Ridge Lookout
Hike Info : Description :

Trail head: Park Ridge Lookout

Hike Info:

Type: Lookout

Description:

Morning Light

Last night we stayed overnight at Park Ridge Lookout. Today we will briefly go into service But most of the time will be spent shutting down this Lookout. I woke up a little before 0700. The sun has not topped the mountains to the east. But light has started coming into the cab.

Shortly afterwards, Sherri gets up and we get most of our personal stuff down to the car, leaving only our binoculars and computer-after all, what self-respecting lookout would be caught without their computer? We take the weather, also get the fire weather off of the NOAA site. At 0930, we go into service with limited visibility-about 3 miles. Also a short day. Delilah follows us. Buck Rock comes in a bit later. Sherri gets the staffing from the SQF site while I do our scans.

Smokey Horizon to the West

 

Wendy and BJ have driven up. So the process of shutting down the lookout will start. BJ and Wendy are experienced in this, so Sherri and I assist where we can. Log books are gathered up, clipboards are ordered and put away. Outdoor rugs are removed, and the list goes on. Sherri is mainly involved on this end. Wendy takes us out of service for the seasonabout 1125. Ash Mountain Fire’s dispatch shows appreciation for our season with them.

Locking in the panels

SEKI fire comes up as well. BC-1, Captain 51, and Unit 42 come up to do their part of the close down. The latter are seasonal workers-but they attack this job with energy-not saying the rest do not. The first task is to put up the shutters, Some of the tracks are not set right, so the panels which usually slide right in, have to be wedged in. This makes a tedious task a bit harder. Then the rest of things like removing the water pump, emptying the trash, and removing volunteer access is done. We are all completed by about noon. Enjoyable working together.

 

Draining the Water

After giving BC-1 a thank you picture, we head on down the hill. Wendy and BJ invite us to lunch down in Grant Grove. We have an enjoyable time eating together, discussing various things. The ulterior motive which Wendy had in having Sherri and I help out was to work us into more of a role with Park Ridge, to spread the knowledge. We will see how that part is, but we enjoy our roles as volunteer fire lookouts. It gives us a chance to be outdoors and to give back to the places which has meant so much to us.

Appreciation

 We take off after lunch and head home. Seems strange getting home before 1500 without being smoked out. Now to see if we can get to Delilah before the end of her season!