Hi Mountain Lookout Revisited

Today I and a friend (Kameron) had the privilege of joining my friend Mike on an excursion into the Santa Lucia District of the Los Padres National Forest in the Santa Lucia Mountains separating North County from South County of San Luis Obispo County. Mike who lives in Atascadero did some errands in San Luis Obispo and then we drove down to rural Arroyo Grande and headed out to Lopez Lake. From there we picked up Hi Mountain Road and took it up into the mountains en route back to the North County via Pozo. At the spine of the mountain range we turned left and headed up to the Hi Mountain lookout (which is now used more for a California condor observation tower than a fire lookout as was originally the case) and checked out site having not been there in quite some time. I had hoped to observe any Day Two activity on the Calf Fire from here but it turned out to be a one-day fire which is quite fortunate considering how hot it was last week. Indeed, today was uncannily cool and humid as a strong onshore flow was in effect again today as it did yesterday. Note: I visited this place back in 2008 and published Hi Mountain Lookout. 

My little monster Tequila leading the way to the lookout tower.

The tower and environs looked more spiffy than at my previous visit in 2008.

This visit I note they now have a nice picnic table...

.... or two with a deck and an outdoor chaise longue.

The path to the pooper.

Ye Olde Pooper!

View of the eastern hillock atop Hi Mountain from the vantage point of the western hillock atop Hi Mountain.

Memorial to local resident Frank J. Garcia who had his ashes scattered here earlier this year.

View looking northwest into Rinconada Valley and Santa Margarita beyond.

View looking north by northeast towards Black Mountain in the distance.

View looking northeast towards Black Mountain at left and Pozo Valley at right.

View looking southeast towards Sierra Madre Mountains and the San Rafael Wilderness Area of the Los Padres N.F.

View looking southward towards the Huasna Valley and Santa Barbara County beyond.

View southwest towards the Pacific Ocean and the coast and sand dunes of that area as well as the Nipomo Mesa and Arroyo Grande and Halcyon areas with Lopez Lake visible nestled in the canyons below. 

The dirt track up from Hi Mountain Road to the mountaintop lookout. This road is gated at the Hi Mt. Rd. intersection.

All photos by Kim Patrick Noyes (all rights reserved).