South Mt. Hawkins Trip - April 10, 2004

	April 10, 2004 After sitting through the winter just waiting to go up on the mountain, George & Pam, Ric, Kermit, Charley (me) & Susan take a trip up the mountain to see the condition of the road and the summit of the South Mount Hawkins site. We all meet at the Highway 39 Kiosk and park the extra cars. Since Susan and I must leave early we take my 4x4 Explorer and the other four take George & Pam's 4x4 pick up. It takes us about 45 minutes to get up to the Crystal Lake Campground.
	After two muddy stream crossings where the 4x4 drive was needed to get through, the caravan came to a stop. In the middle of the road was several large boulders. Everyone jumps out and starts moving rocks to the side of the road. Pam & Ric take on a huge boulder and coax it to the side. What a team. George finds a heavy weight and picks it up. Remember to lift with your legs, not your back! With all the rocks clear, we get into the trucks and continue up the road.
	After about another mile, a few but very large rocks block the way. Again we get out and clear the rocks and a few dead branches from the fire burned dead trees.
	More rocks and more branches. This road is not for the faint of heart and not for low-rider vehicles! It really shows how volunteers work so hard to participate in the forest that we all love.
	Snow Drift #1 Pam, George, Ric and Kermit try to cross the first of two snow drifts that survive the spring sun by hiding in the shadows of the day. Surprising, these drifts are about 18" deep. After four tries, all of us get out. It looks like we will have to back down... but then I remember that I have two trail shovels (my father always said, "It's better to have it... and not need it... then to need it... and NOT have it) in the back of my Explorer. I'm not telling what else I have back there, but let's just say I can go for a couple of days and be just fine. We break out the trail shovels and dig down enough so the wheels will pass, and we throw some sand on top of the tracks for better traction. Pam get's through then it's my turn and I my truck makes it through. We continue on...
	Snow Drift #2 Bigger than the first, we run into the second snow drift. Also about 18" deep, but much longer and higher over the lip of the cliff, this one is by far more risky to try and cross. Susan gets her hands wet too as she throws snow over the side. We take turns at the shovel breaking away blocks while George continues cutting the paths we are to follow.
	Everyone gets into the act. In the picture, George has cut a path for the left wheels while Pam cuts out blocks like she was making an igloo. Kermit is taking up the block and tossing them over the side.
	After about 30 minutes, the road is clear enough to get the trucks across. It was very impressive how this was the only snow in the area, yet very deep. We continue on and around the corner, we stop again. George gets out of the truck and removes some very large tree branches from the road. So... we made two muddy water crossings, three rock slide removals, two snow drifts and a tree debris removal but finaly... WE ARE HERE!
	Missing: One Fire Lookout Tower This is where the tower should be to the left of my truck. There are several debris piles of the tower organized by a clean up crew just before the winter. There are a few dead trees here that will have to come down.
	This is a shot of the garage in the foreground where Susan, Kermit, and Pam survey the foundation. George is checking out the condition of the road and the plant life. George and I take a minute to look down the south and west side of the mountain from which the fire came. It was so hot here that the fire scorched the soil. It was "Severe" and only now, after almost two winters, a few plants (and I mean very few) are starting to take hold.
	Pam is looking at the foundation of the storage shed and garage. The foundation is intact and can be used again. A few ideas are to build the storage shed, and put an open air platform on top so fire lookouts can maintain watch during the construction of the main tower.
	But the first building to go up... will be the outhouse! This is all that is left of the can, the can itself... and yes I do have a picture of me sitting on it out there in the open, but decency prevents me from posting it here, but I'm sure you get the visual. hehehe
	I take a moment to get a picture of a burned stump that could have burned for over a week after the fire. This type of stump in a fire zone is very dangerous because the roots burn under the ground and sometimes there is no clue it is burning underground. My foot is about 12 inches below ground level (hard to see in picture) but when I step down, it gives way another 3 inches. People walking through a fresh fire zone can actually fall into a burning pit of hot embers from a stump like this one. A fire ground is dangerous long after the fire is gone, and this stump is a good example.
	Kermit and George get to work. The first measurements are taken for the new outhouse. Both Kermit and George work to clear the old burned wood and remove the nuts from the bolts to prepare the foundation for a new outhouse that should go up in middle of May 2004.
	The trap door to the tower platform is found in good condition in a debris pile, and this item will be re-utilzed again in the new tower. It was much heavier then we thought so I put down the camera and help Ric and Pam carry it down for storage.
	Ric, George, and Pam take a look at some of the pieces of the tower. Hinges, covers, key plates, and various little things are rusted and damaged, but recognizable. What is really amazing is all the glass slag from the tower. I really didn't think how much the tower is made of glass, but considering all the windows a big part of the weight of the tower would be the glass itself. I find a bright piece of glass that was one of the insulators.
	Ric, Pam, George & Kermit are staying behind to work, but I have to get down the mountain to get Susan to her job in time. We stop and pause and take one last look around. Los Angeles was covered by an "over-achieving" marine layer, but the sight to Mount Baldy was fantastic. Someplace over the deserts was a huge thunderstorm brewing behind Baldy.
	With my new girlfriend Susie, we stop to take in the wonderful view from South Mount Hawkins. I really like this gal, as she was there and helping in every aspect. We made the run down the hill with a few looks to the summit, knowing, that we are coming back.

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