The Summer of 2018 will be remembered as one full of historical, devastating wildfires across California. Many tragedies have occurred as a result of raging fires. This blog is about a survivor - Tahquitz Peak Fire Lookout Tower.
A few days ago, I hiked up to the tower for the first time since the fire devoured 13,000 plus acres in our mountains. My soul is filled with gratitude for the untouched forest that remains. Jeffrey Pine, Sugar Pine, White Fir, Canyon Live Oak, Black Oak and Limber Pine trees some over 100-200 years old still stand tall.
Birds like this Western Tanager are still busy foraging and some are fattening up for their upcoming migration south.
The first sign that a wildfire touched our wilderness begins after many miles of hiking through a beautiful forest. About a half mile from the peak, a charred hillside and pink boulders line the trail.
What a relief to see the tower untouched!
Facing north and west, the views are just as I remembered them on July 23rd, two days before the fire.
The reality hits home quickly! The fires came within feet of the tower. Entire mountainsides full of trees have been replaced by black sticks and gray ash.
Climbing up to Tahquitz Peak at 8,846 feet is important to a vast number of people for different reasons. Over the 5 years that I have been a volunteer, people have shared some of their stories with me. Many people hike up this peak to train for bigger climbs like Mt Whitney. For others, this is their Mt. Whitney. They reach this peak emotionally because they have overcome a battle with a serious health issue. This is their victory hike. Some climb this challenging hike to celebrate a milestone birthday. A few return after decades to get a new Squirrel Card. By hiking this mountain, they are able to become members of the"Ancient and Honorable Order of Squirrels". They promise to do their part of caring for the wilderness. Solo hikers come for the solitude while other come in a group to forge relationships. Many find this a place to restore their inner peace and spirituality.
Then, there is a group of dedicated volunteers that love this place so much that they spend hours week after week looking out for smoke and fire; they restore weak places on this 101-year-old structure, and they educate the public.
On behalf of all of us who find inspiration from atop Tahquitz Peak, thank you, firefighters, for protecting it from the flames!!
Photos and content by Robin Roberts.
Click on photos to enlarge.
