Once again, we headed to Tahquitz Peak Look Out early in the morning. This time we were planning on completing our final training to become official Look Out Tower hosts on Tahquitz Peak.
Despite the lack of water, there are wildflowers that bloom along the trail like this Indian Paintbrush.
This is an old photo of the original Tahquitz Peak Lookout.
It's exciting to be a part of a historic tradition.
We spent a lot of the day welcoming visitors to this beautiful spot. I am quite inspired by those who hike despite their age. Today we had an 87 year old make the 8,828 ft hike. I hope I will be able to do the same when I am that age and older.
When there weren't visitors, we practiced using the Osborne Finder. It enables the host to locate smoke in relation to the Tower and other landmarks which assists the firefighters in locating the fire. We also take the weather twice a day since this plays a role in the conditions for fire as well.
Our Smokey the Bear mascot is a reminder that we all have an important role in preventing devastating forest fires. Currently, the drought conditions are severe in Southern California. Open campfires are not allowed anywhere in the wilderness.
As the sun started to go down, the scenery changed including the appearance of these desert mountains.
The views east and west were completely different.
However, they both were glorious - A blessing to experience.
As the sun went down, the magnificent moon views took over.
The wind blew strongly all night long. When we awoke the next morning to the sun coming up, the clouds that rolled in looked like the sea surrounding islands. It was like being in a lighthouse instead of a look out tower.
We are honored to be a part of the volunteers who look over this part of the forest and we welcome visitors to share in the beauty of this land.
