Needles Lookout - Short.mp4

At approximately noon on July 28th, 2011, Needles Lookout burned to the ground in less than thirty minutes. Located within the Giant Sequoia National Monument the lookout was built in 1937-38 by the Civilian Conservation Corps. Needles Lookout was situated atop one of the Needles' granite pinnacles - "The Magician" - at 8,245 feet elevation. Needles overlooked the Kern River Drainage, Mt. Whitney, Olancha Peak, Farewell Gap, Dome Rock, and served as a vital communications link with the backcountry.

Fire was caused by an ember that escaped from the tower's chimney.

It was one of a kind.

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• Needles
• Lookout
• Fire
• Sequoia
• climbing
• mountain
• Ponderosa

[CandaceMatthessohn]

I was in the area the day the lookout burned and am curious why over ninety minutes passed between the radio call, regarding embers on the roof, and the time of total ignition. The Forest Service has a heliport about one minute away, air time, yet never saw them place anyone on the helipad and only made one or two water drops. Seems the lookout was written off at the radio call. Was it a liability factor???????????????????????

Re: Venting

This is Needles on Planet Earth.

[ellectronico]

@strongwon1 Have you seen venting accruing at this location?

[ellectronico]

Thats a shame. That was a cool place to visit

[inspiralsunshine]

interesting coincidence

[Sagebrusher07]

@strongwon1

lol!!!

[strongwon1]

It may have been burned to avoid video of the venting now occurring in the ground all around it. to slow down the information getting to the masses.