September 20, 2026 - Park Ridge Lookout

 

 

Title: September 20, 2026 -  Park Ridge Lookout

Hike Info : Description

Hike Info:

Type:Lookout

Description:

Another good, but seemingly short night of sleep. I woke up at 0630 to the early morning light. My lightning report showed no lightning, like usual. Then I had my breakfast and got packed up, taking down what I did not need for today. Today, I will be staffing for about half a day until 1300. Sometimes plans go astray. such as I had planned on going for a good hike, but by the time I was done, I think it would be about 30 minutes max. I went up about 10 minutes up the Park Ridge Trail, enjoyed the view and returned,

By the time I got back into the tower it was 0845. I turned on the radio. Around 0900, I caught part of a conversation where Division 3 was investigating a smoke reported by AlertCalifornia around Millwood and Todd Eymann Roads. I do scan that area, but not really expecting to see anything as McKenzie Ridge would block that area for me. About fifteen minutes later, Division 3 gives a new location at Highway 245 and the Hogback. That I have eyes on. I scan the length of the Hogback and do not see any smoke. And then a second time; negative on the smoke. I radio’d that in the Division 3, but he essentially only heard static. So Porterville relays the information to him. He also noted that in what he was watching, there was no smoke either.

At 930 I go in service, noting I would be on until 1300. Normal stuff for most of the morning. I did have a couple of older visitors from Seattle. I talked with them for about 20 minutes. Then back to routine stuff.

Porterville does the Weather and Staffing at 1005. Then on the normal lookout stuff-sounds rather repetitive. There are some more visitors to which I talk about lookout life is like. They leave. Then a little before noon, my final set of visitors come by. They are from Poland, but speak pretty good English. They have been touring the Parks in America. This is the first Lookout they have been to and I show them around.

At 1242, I get a radio message from Delilah asking if I see anything down in Wonder Valley. After looking for a few minutes, I report back that all which I am seeing is haze.

I am trying to get out at 1300, but I am not going to succeed. First, I need to clean up a bit, wiping down the counters and mopping the floors. By the time I am ready to go out of service it is 1316. I lug my stuff down to the car and leave. There are many more cars coming up Panoramic Point Road than when I usually leave at 1800. But nothing terrifying. I get home about 1530. A good two and half days.