This is one of the Fire Lookout Towers called Black Mountain. We are preparing it for a new season of action packed staring at the beautiful San Bernardino National Forest. Just to the west of it lies the flat lands of hustle and bustle where most of us live. Just to the east of it rests the nearly 11,000' peak called San Jacinto, with the Pacific Crest Trail (which stretches from Mexico to Alaska) nestled in between. To the north lies San Gorgonio, the snow covered peak in the photo on the right. To the south lies the pleasant little town of Idyllwild. A place to reward yourself with a slice of pie after a tough day of admiring the sun moving across the nooks and crannies of mother nature's finest.

The thrill of actually spotting a smoke is something else. We discovered one that was started by a hiker on the Pacific Crest Trail. Somehow a pack of matches that he was carrying in his knapsack caught fire. So of course he threw the sack off his back and it landed on the ground (I would have done the same thing) but it started a fire. The forest service took the entire day to put out that fire. It was amazing to watch from our eagles' nest. Fortunately the hiker was okay. When the fire was finally extinguished a small plane headed straight for the tower we were manning. It was actually below the cab that we sit in. As the plane got closer it started dipping it's wings first to the left, then to the right, over and over again. We were being waved at by an airplane. What a great feeling!
This is the first year since 1999 that I have not done this service. It is not a hard thing to do. It is really a piece of cake. But you have to be able to climb 20' of stairs that are situated at an elevation of 8,000'. So you must be fit.