November 4, 2020 - Delilah Lookout

 

Title: November 4, 2020 - Delilah Lookout
Hike Info : Description :  Animals 

Trail head:Delilah Lookout

Hike Info:

Type: Lookout

Description:

Before shutting my eyes last night, there was a bright red moon-light going through smoke. Still no less awesome. I think we now know how the prophecy in Joel will be accomplished-through forest fires: The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord.

Last Night's Moon

I woke up pretty early, around 0400, but was able to get back to sleep until 0520. Pretty rested and feeling good. In the dark, it looks like a thick layer of smoke has come to rest below me in the Mill Flat Creek area. One of the things which kept me awake, was walking onto the catwalk to investigate a light at the top of Davis Road. A car was starting to make its way down. Makes you wonder what is so interesting and needed that vehicles would be on the road that early and late last night in the dark.

I finally moved out of bed around 0620. The smoke around Delilah is not as bad as I feared, still the visibility will be only about 5 miles at its best. I read a little bit and then have breakfast, my usual of granola. I take a load down to the truck. I noticed a wire laying on the ground. I trace it out and it seems to be unattached. Once I figured that out, I reported it to Buck Rock.

 

Note that in four years the pine beetle trees have lost their needles.

 During breakfast, I listened to John Michael Talbot. Yesterday, I talked about being a lookout and being able to look beyond the current environment, particularly the election yesterday. This JMT will help move me in that direction. The first song I played, I knew I would need to make that my prayer, it is St. Frances’ prayer of peace. It is my hope that I will find a way to fulfill that prayer. Maybe being up here will help.

Autumn View towards Dude Ridge

It is time for me to be a real lookout. I take the weather and go inservice with a low RH at 16% and 3-5 miles visibility. Sort of a rotten way to spend the last day of the season up here. Of course I have been saying this for the past two months. After this, I talk with Judy who will be here tomorrow. Always good to talk with a fellow lookout and be able to pass on what to expect.

 

 

 

 

 

More Autumn Color towards White Deer Saddle

And then the rest of the day is the normal stuff. Wash windows, do scans, do housekeeping. It sounds like lots of the forest is in the process of shutting down. Yesterday I heard Signal go out of service for the season. Today E32 shutdown the station at Lakeshore, Hume Lake. Tomorrow Buck Rock goes out of service. I think this is similar feelings as when Christmas decorations are taken down for the season.

After answering a few phone calls, I clean up the cab so that Judy will find it properly sanitized. As a note, when I follow Judy or Kathy, it gives me no hope in having things as clean and wonderful as they leave it. Still I try my best. By 1615, I went out of service for the last time this season.

Your fearless lookout

I always want to say what a wonderful season it has been. It is memorable, but I have my doubts about its wonderfulness. The pandemic stopped us from being in the lookout with visitors and other lookout friends. The smoke from the fires plagued the lookouts, creating both visibility and air quality problems. Still I look forward to being back up in the cab again next year.

 

 

 

 

 

 

More Autumn Colors

 

I think I will end this year with a Philip Connors quote:

    Time spent being a lookout
       isn’t spent at all.
    Every day in a lookout
       is a day not subtracted
       from the sum of one’s life.
Philip Connors, Fire Season, Chp May

Animals

Stellar's Jay