Lake Tahoe Blue

The grandeur of Lake Tahoe has always amazed me. Its beep blue color makes it the jewel of the Sierra Nevada. The waters of Fallen Leaf Lake in the foreground are blue. This picture was shot from Angora Ridge, near the old lookout.

Eldorado National Forest rangers placed the Angora Lookout on the narrow Angora Ridge in 1924. Lookouts had an almost unobstructed 360-degree view of the forest in the South lake Tahoe area. This structure was built in 1935 by the Civilian Conservation Corps. The original lookout cab was converted to a residence after this one was completed.

The Angora Fire scorched the trees to the left of the lookout. The ridge formed the eastern flank of the fire. Firefighters used the ridge road as a natural fire break. Fortunately, the lookout was spared.

Alder Ridge Lookout, Part II

Internal conflict between desiring solitude and craving the company of others has plagued me since childhood. Give me a good book at a noisy party, and I'll homestead the couch. I may be drawn into an occasional conversation. But, in the end, the book will win.

That's why Alder Ridge Lookout appeals. The well-groomed grounds of the lookout gives me the chance to read and write in notebook in solitude. I haven't seen anyone else at the lookout my four or five trips to the top.

I'd love to see the Forest Service establish a cabin rental at Alder Ridge like the one at Robbs Hut (PDF file), about 15 or 20 miles north. Family and a few friends would provide conversation and fellowship. And there are plenty of nearby rocks when solitude needed.

This is the residence at Alder Ridge Lookout in Eldorado National Forest from the lookout cab. The lookout sits a top a plateau at the highest point on Alder Ridge. The ridge stands guard over the confluence of Alder Creek (above in the photo) and South Fork of the American River. The lookout was built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in 1936.

Lessons in Digital Photography

By the time I returned to the truck last President's Day, I realized that I had shot over 100 digital pictures of Alder Ridge Lookout in ISO 1600.

In the past, I've taught myself to watch the different exposure settings and to make sure I framed the picture to my liking. This day I forgot to change the ISO back to 100 or 200 after shooting low-light pictures the night before.

I've developed a mental checklist that I run through each time I get the camera out of my daypack. And I've shot several hundred test pictures so I can test the result as I learn to adjust aperture, shutter speed, ISO, etc. Normally, I reset each setting to a default to avoid problems like this one.

ALDER RIDGE LOOKOUT

This 60-foot Aermotor lookout tower was built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in 1936. Situated at 6,687 feet above sea level, the tower overlooks the South Fork of the American River. A 2004 U.S Forest Service Passport in Time project was planned to restore the cabin for use a rental.

The single-car garage and residence were painted within the past two or three years. To this point, the lookout has not been offered for rent by the Forest Service.

No Visitors Here

After viewing mop up of the Ralston Fire from Nevada Point Ridge in northern Eldorado National Forest Saturday, my son and I stopped by Bald Mountain Lookout. The lookout, one of three with the same name in California, is located about eight miles east of Georgetown.

My intention was to view the fire area from the lookout tower and visit with the attendant. Instead, I found a 10-foot chain-link fence guarding the steps up into the Coppola.

Unlike many western lookouts, Bald Mountain is closed to the public. The attendant never ventured out onto the cat walk to greet us. He (or she?) kept busy monitoring the radio and watching for fires.

Bald Mountain is one of several active lookouts in Eldorado National Forest. The current tower is the fourth one to occupy the site.

Big Hill Lookout is the most prominent. Perched a top the 6132-foot mountain, the tower sits in full view of Union Valley Reservoir. It was rebuilt after the 1992 Cleveland Fire destroyed the 1935-era tower.