Butler Peak Fire Lookout Tower

  

click photo to enlarge		 There are 7 fire towers still operating in the San Bernardino National Forest. The towers are all staffed by volunteers. We volunteer at Strawberry Peak because it is the closest to us and easiest to get to. On this day we decided to go visit on of the other towers, Butler Peak. It is on the top of the rock out cropping. If you look at the enlarged photo you will see it. Butler Peak is at an elevation of 8535 feet and they recommend a high clearance vehicle and 4 wheel drive. The last mile gets kind of rough.

click photo to enlarge		 The weather was sunny and hot at our house. As we climbed the mountain it changed radically. This guy was out scurrying about getting ready for the storm rolling in.

click photo to enlarge		 These hummers were at a feeder up at the tower. They were trying to get in  a last feeding before the storm.

click photo to enlarge		 The views from the tower are pretty spectacular but this day we were in for a real treat. A thunder storm. This it the first time I have seen lightening since moving to Southern California 3-1/2 years ago. Butler Peak is up near Big Bear Lake and up at the high elevations they get rain, lightening and snow. It was pretty spectacular to watch from this vantage point. Unfortunately as hard as I tried I couldn't get any pictures of the lightening.

click photo to enlarge		 This picture is the decking around the cab of the fire tower and shows the hail we also got. The temperature dropped from about 72 degrees to 52. HA and we had both worn shorts and short sleeve shirts and of course had no rain gear. So, we had to wait till the storm blew over to leave.