July 3, 2025 - Park Ridge Lookout

 

 Title: July 3, 2025 - Park Ridge Lookout

Hike Info : Description : Background : Menu : Extra Photo's 

Hike Info:

Type: Lookout

Description:

It is a busy morning. I woke up at 0515 and started on the lightning report. Lots of stops and starts to it. There were 550+ strikes yesterday in our area. I did a partial report without all of the details. There was just too much with the laptop I have. It has got me wondering, should I get a different laptop? Can I do the report on my tablet? Things to ponder.

 Today will be a long day. I go in-service with both Sequoia National Forest and the Park at 0800. I am the only lookout I heard going into service at this time. Later on Jeff at Buck Rock reports a fire, but I did not hear him going into service. The fire I heard reported is behind Maddox Mountain. But initially I could not place it as I was only given the lat long. But I gradually worked out where it was. The smoke has not risen to where I can see it. It was probably caused by yesterday’s lightning. Division 3 takes charge and orders up a team. They will hike in a couple of miles over Marvin Pass to the fire.

In the meantime, the Big Stump Incident Commander is reporting on the prescribed burn. Even with the wind last night, the lines held and they will mop up. I add I saw some smoke around 1910, but it died down. He indicated that the wind had kicked up some embers, but it died down again. I confirmed that he wanted to know about any smoke there

Park Ridge Greeters

Then it is the normal routine stuff. Scan, listen to the radio, take the weather. Oh wait, I am late in doing the latter. Still not a big issue as things are pretty calm. The Gammon fire is a little interesting, but now that the crews are mobilizing, there is not much radio traffic. That will come this afternoon when the crews have tackled the fire and report back on what they found. When I asked Buck Rock where it is, he said it was a bit south of Shark Rock-I do not know where this is.

At 0931 I took the weather-nothing unusual today. Then at 1000 the weather and staffing is reported by Porterville. I got some company about 1020-a crew from PG&E had come up and was clearing the brush and tree limbs from the power lines.

But that is not my only entertainment. I watch a couple hawks gliding around the air current off towards Buena Vista Peak. Then they swoop down in front of me and disappear for away, only to reappear to do their sky dance.

I must be getting really bored. The lookout at Delilah, it is his first day soloing, so I call over to see how things are going over there. Finally a bit after noon, I got my first visitors. They ask questions and I try to explain the functioning of a lookout, along with the territory they are seeing.

We hear a little more about the Gammon Fire. The crews have made it in and gave a size up on it. It is 50’x50’ with a fire burning in the top of a tree 30-40’ up. They intend to secure the lines around the area and then hike out, starting in 2 to 2.5 hours.

Elwood Fire

Patrol 33 over in the Big Meadows area has her hand full. There is a report of a downed tree across a road. She goes out and clears it. Then found another one. An engine wants to put signs around saying no off-road vehicles-does Patrol 33 have any? None today-she usually has everything in her truck.

 

Elwood Fire after 30 minutes

I have continued doing my scans. There is a lot of haze, but I see a bit of something unusual around Tivy Mountain. I call over to Delilah and ask if he sees it. He does now. Buck Rock says that CalFire is responding. Delilah will call in a confirmation. SQF personnel start to respond. After about 40 minutes they are called off.

Park Ridge Lookout

The Big Stump burn reports in. I later told him that I had been seeing puffs of smoke all afternoon. Apparently that is not what Ash Mountain wants to be hearing as Wendy calls me up. She got a call and is relying on that they do not want to hear about the smoke on the prescribed burn. 

Evening

 

A little before 1900 I go out of service with Ash Mountain. But I keep on scanning until 2000 for SQF. Then with Buck Rock, I go out of service.

Today after putting stuff away, there is time to go for a short walk just down the road to the base of the knoll the lookout is on. Then back up to the cab. I talked with Sherri for a little bit. Then back down to the ground. I tried to get some pictures of the stars, but no success. But I did get one of the lookout. By the time my head hits the pillow it is getting close to 2200.

Background

Not really background, but as I am trying to find where the Gammon Fire is, I wonder, can I build a spreadsheet which will compute the lat/long based upon the azimuth and distance from a location? I already go the other way and compute the azimuth and distance from a lookout, based upon the lat/long.

Menu

Breakfast	Lunch	Dinner	Snacks
Granola	Peanut Butter and Nutell along with some sun chips	Quesadilla	Granola, ritz crackers Jelly Belly

Extra Photo's

Park Ridge Lookout at Night

Morning to the east

Sunrise

Sunrise