#lookouts — Public Fediverse posts on home.social

Panethos @[email protected] · 2025-08-25 · 09:00 UTC

Hiking to the first fire lookout in the Rockies

Devil’s Head as seen from Castle Rock, Colorado

In 1912, the very first fire lookout in the Rocky Mountains began operation atop 9,748 foot tall Devil’s Head located west of Castle Rock, Colorado. Today, 113 plus years later, a fire lookout structure (built in 1951) still graces its stony summit, as the lookout’s cabin residence sits astride the trail at the base of the winding metal stairway that rises to the majestic apex.

Devil’s Head Fire Lookout

As peak climbers, certain mountains exude an extra touch of charisma than others. It may be the vista, the trail, the scenery, the challenge, the height, the history, or some indescribable other factor. Well, to this avid peak climber, Devil’s Head possesses all of the above factors and then some.

The exhilaration one feels upon reaching the summit of this impressive and tallest Rampart Range mountain (a subrange of the Rocky Mountains) is truly palpable. Its zenith in altitude is only challenged by the fulfilling accomplishment and personal pride. Meanwhile, the sheer awe of the surroundings, the overarching skies, and the distant horizons boosts ones endorphins into an intoxicating overdrive. Perhaps, this is why the informational signs along the route up from the trailhead offer a series of inspired poems as motivation to complete this hike.

Pikes Peak in the distance

Throughout such hikes, I often feel at one with the mountain…but only as a guest who has been allowed to trek and observe the varied terrain, not as a permanent resident. That is only reserved for the flora and fauna who know this mountain as their home. Scurrying chipmunks and squirrels, melodic nuthatches and chickadees, wafting butterflies, silent leafy and piney sentinels, weathered geological wonders, and delicate floral arrangements are among its most visible August citizens.

Only 143 steps – yikes!

Devil’s Head does not offer up its ultimate ascent easily. One must scale a series of 143 stair steps affixed to the rugged rock pinnacle. Not for the fainthearted, each step upward paints a separate image of the eons of weathered history that has taken place on Devil’s Head and that we humans are but a brief chapter in its storied narrative.

Oh…but to be just a momentary blip in this mountain’s timeless epochs is an honor I will always prize. Peace!

——-

p.s. Devil’s Head in Colorado is one clear example of why we must ardently defend the United States Forest Service, the National Park Service, and related agencies for the great, good work they do in preserving and protecting our nation’s scenic natural wonders.

Summit celebration!

#adventure #Colorado #DevilSHead #environment #fireLookouts #fun #geography #hiking #history #landUse #lookouts #mountains #nature #trails #travel #treks

#adventure #colorado #devilshead #environment #firelookouts #fun

Panethos @[email protected] · 2025-06-08 · 14:00 UTC

Hiking to historic and scenic Calpine Lookout

While in Northern California for a wedding, we decided to hike up to one of the classic wooden wildfire lookout towers of the state. Calpine Lookout, situated in Tahoe National Forest since 1934 is simply lovely. The white clapboard structure sits gracefully at the summit of the 5,980 foot mountain.

View from Calpine Lookout

The 17-foot tall tower was constructed for the U.S. Forest Service by the Civilian Conservation Corps during the Great Depression and is now available for overnight stays. When unoccupied, a walk around the second level exterior gangplank allows a wonderful and informative first hand glimpse into the living conditions of Forest Service Lookout personnel.

The surrounding scenery is spectacular with one exception. Logging is taking place on a portion of Calpine’s access drive and it degrades the otherwise glorious experience. Approximately one-third of the hike to the summit along is spent looking at fallen and stacked trees, as well as disturbed vegetation. All one could think of while trekking past this was John Steinbeck’s famous pondrance of “why progress looks so much like destruction?”

Fortunately, at the summit, no such work is taking place, so the historic setting remains as it has been for many decades. Mother Nature has graced this historic site and hopefully both she and Father Time will continue to bless it for many decades yet to come. Peace!

SOURCE:

#California #Calpine #CCC #environment #ForestService #forests #fun #geography #hiking #history #landUse #logging #lookouts #mountains #planning #tourism #travel #trekking #wildfires

#california #calpine #ccc #environment #forestservice #forests

BellingenNSW @[email protected] · 2025-02-01 · 07:01 UTC

The Dorrigo Escarpment Great Walk

Intensifying the throughput rate with a series of soaring walkways through the Gondwana Rainforest

The $56.4 million investment in Dorrigo National Park will create “accessible, engaging and immersive experiences for visitors. The 4-day walking track will “connect people with nature... The new 46-km multi-day walk along the rugged escarpment within Dorrigo and Bindarri national parks, includes hiker camps, pedestrian bridges and lookouts.”

The review of environmental factors for the Dorrigo Escarpment Great Walk is available for public comment
>> until 24 February 2025. >>
https://www2.environment.nsw.gov.au/topics/parks-reserves-and-protected-areas/park-management/community-engagement/walking-tracks-and-trails-in-national-parks/dorrigo-great-walk
https://www.nsw.gov.au/have-your-say/dorrigo-escarpment-great-walk

The Dorrigo Escarpment Great Walk project has the potential to put though an extra 200,000 visitors ...>
https://bellingenshirenews.com/2023/11/22/new-opportunities-flagged-for-shire/

There is an information session at the

Gleniffer Hall at 10am on Tuesday 11 February

at which staff from National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) will outline the draft review of environmental factors (REF) for the Dorrigo Escarpment Great Walk.

#biodiversity #rainforest #Gondwana #MidNorthCoast #NationalParks #NSW #BindarriNP #Dorrigo #AdventurePark #infrastructure #lookouts #views #cars #Climate #tourism #traffic #TheDrive #Bellingen #experience #stuff #walkways #ecology #MoreThanHuman #impacts

#ecology #impacts #morethanhuman #biodiversity #rainforest #gondwana

BellingenNSW @[email protected] · 2025-02-01 · 07:01 UTC

The Dorrigo Escarpment Great Walk

Intensifying the throughput rate with a series of soaring walkways through the Gondwana Rainforest

The $56.4 million investment in Dorrigo National Park will create “accessible, engaging and immersive experiences for visitors. The 4-day walking track will “connect people with nature... The new 46-km multi-day walk along the rugged escarpment within Dorrigo and Bindarri national parks, includes hiker camps, pedestrian bridges and lookouts.”

The review of environmental factors for the Dorrigo Escarpment Great Walk is available for public comment
>> until 24 February 2025. >>
https://www2.environment.nsw.gov.au/topics/parks-reserves-and-protected-areas/park-management/community-engagement/walking-tracks-and-trails-in-national-parks/dorrigo-great-walk
https://www.nsw.gov.au/have-your-say/dorrigo-escarpment-great-walk

The Dorrigo Escarpment Great Walk project has the potential to put though an extra 200,000 visitors ...>
https://bellingenshirenews.com/2023/11/22/new-opportunities-flagged-for-shire/

There is an information session at the

Gleniffer Hall at 10am on Tuesday 11 February

at which staff from National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) will outline the draft review of environmental factors (REF) for the Dorrigo Escarpment Great Walk.

#biodiversity #rainforest #Gondwana #MidNorthCoast #NationalParks #NSW #BindarriNP #Dorrigo #AdventurePark #infrastructure #lookouts #views #cars #Climate #tourism #traffic #TheDrive #Bellingen #experience #stuff #walkways #ecology #MoreThanHuman #impacts

#biodiversity #rainforest #gondwana #midnorthcoast #nationalparks #nsw

BellingenNSW @[email protected] · 2025-02-01 · 07:01 UTC

The Dorrigo Escarpment Great Walk

Intensifying the throughput rate with a series of soaring walkways through the Gondwana Rainforest

The $56.4 million investment in Dorrigo National Park will create “accessible, engaging and immersive experiences for visitors. The 4-day walking track will “connect people with nature... The new 46-km multi-day walk along the rugged escarpment within Dorrigo and Bindarri national parks, includes hiker camps, pedestrian bridges and lookouts.”

The review of environmental factors for the Dorrigo Escarpment Great Walk is available for public comment
>> until 24 February 2025. >>
https://www2.environment.nsw.gov.au/topics/parks-reserves-and-protected-areas/park-management/community-engagement/walking-tracks-and-trails-in-national-parks/dorrigo-great-walk
https://www.nsw.gov.au/have-your-say/dorrigo-escarpment-great-walk

The Dorrigo Escarpment Great Walk project has the potential to put though an extra 200,000 visitors ...>
https://bellingenshirenews.com/2023/11/22/new-opportunities-flagged-for-shire/

There is an information session at the

Gleniffer Hall at 10am on Tuesday 11 February

at which staff from National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) will outline the draft review of environmental factors (REF) for the Dorrigo Escarpment Great Walk.

#biodiversity #rainforest #Gondwana #MidNorthCoast #NationalParks #NSW #BindarriNP #Dorrigo #AdventurePark #infrastructure #lookouts #views #cars #Climate #tourism #traffic #TheDrive #Bellingen #experience #stuff #walkways #ecology #MoreThanHuman #impacts

#biodiversity #rainforest #gondwana #midnorthcoast #nationalparks #nsw

BellingenNSW @[email protected] · 2025-02-01 · 07:01 UTC

The Dorrigo Escarpment Great Walk

Intensifying the throughput rate with a series of soaring walkways through the Gondwana Rainforest

The $56.4 million investment in Dorrigo National Park will create “accessible, engaging and immersive experiences for visitors. The 4-day walking track will “connect people with nature... The new 46-km multi-day walk along the rugged escarpment within Dorrigo and Bindarri national parks, includes hiker camps, pedestrian bridges and lookouts.”

The review of environmental factors for the Dorrigo Escarpment Great Walk is available for public comment
>> until 24 February 2025. >>
https://www2.environment.nsw.gov.au/topics/parks-reserves-and-protected-areas/park-management/community-engagement/walking-tracks-and-trails-in-national-parks/dorrigo-great-walk
https://www.nsw.gov.au/have-your-say/dorrigo-escarpment-great-walk

The Dorrigo Escarpment Great Walk project has the potential to put though an extra 200,000 visitors ...>
https://bellingenshirenews.com/2023/11/22/new-opportunities-flagged-for-shire/

There is an information session at the

Gleniffer Hall at 10am on Tuesday 11 February

at which staff from National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) will outline the draft review of environmental factors (REF) for the Dorrigo Escarpment Great Walk.

#biodiversity #rainforest #Gondwana #MidNorthCoast #NationalParks #NSW #BindarriNP #Dorrigo #AdventurePark #infrastructure #lookouts #views #cars #Climate #tourism #traffic #TheDrive #Bellingen #experience #stuff #walkways #ecology #MoreThanHuman #impacts

#adventurepark #thedrive #morethanhuman #impacts #ecology #walkways

BellingenNSW @[email protected] · 2025-02-01 · 07:01 UTC

The Dorrigo Escarpment Great Walk

Intensifying the throughput rate with a series of soaring walkways through the Gondwana Rainforest

The $56.4 million investment in Dorrigo National Park will create “accessible, engaging and immersive experiences for visitors. The 4-day walking track will “connect people with nature... The new 46-km multi-day walk along the rugged escarpment within Dorrigo and Bindarri national parks, includes hiker camps, pedestrian bridges and lookouts.”

The review of environmental factors for the Dorrigo Escarpment Great Walk is available for public comment
>> until 24 February 2025. >>
https://www2.environment.nsw.gov.au/topics/parks-reserves-and-protected-areas/park-management/community-engagement/walking-tracks-and-trails-in-national-parks/dorrigo-great-walk
https://www.nsw.gov.au/have-your-say/dorrigo-escarpment-great-walk

The Dorrigo Escarpment Great Walk project has the potential to put though an extra 200,000 visitors ...>
https://bellingenshirenews.com/2023/11/22/new-opportunities-flagged-for-shire/

There is an information session at the

Gleniffer Hall at 10am on Tuesday 11 February

at which staff from National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) will outline the draft review of environmental factors (REF) for the Dorrigo Escarpment Great Walk.

#biodiversity #rainforest #Gondwana #MidNorthCoast #NationalParks #NSW #BindarriNP #Dorrigo #AdventurePark #infrastructure #lookouts #views #cars #Climate #tourism #traffic #TheDrive #Bellingen #experience #stuff #walkways #ecology #MoreThanHuman #impacts