Fire Watch

About a year ago, Kevin came across an article that talked about renting out an old fire watch tower at Morton Peak in the Angeles National Forest (in San Bernardino, by the back-way route to Big Bear). We filed it away in the "when we have a free weekend" file, and finally got to pull it out and use it a couple weeks ago. It's billed as one of the area's best-kept secrets with a view to die for. They weren't kidding.

Three Hipstamatic Shots:

So, basically, what we have is cabin two stories up on top of a peak that sports 360-degree views of Yucaipa, Mentone and Redlands and the forest. Volunteers from the U.S. Forest Service staff it during the day to keep an eye out for smoke in the forest. There are several of these scattered on peaks throughout the forest, but this is the only one the public can rent for the night.

We arrived mid-afternoon and ran into some volunteers who gave us a crash course on the tower, smoke spotting and everything else we'd need to know about (like rattlesnakes). Then, they got in their four-wheel drive trucks and headed down the three-mile, one lane, bumpy dirt road to the main highway. And we were on our own - just us, the view and a warm breeze.

We explored, we played catch, we cooked dinner on our grill at a picnic table below (no cooking inside). And we really, really enjoyed the view, the sunset and the stars.

Inside the tower - the thing in the middle helps volunteers spot and report exact fire locations. There is just enough space for two twin beds and kids on the floor with sleeping pads and sleeping bags.

The kids tried to stay up to see as many stars as possible, but by 8:30, our early risers were asking to go to sleep. Before that, Riley correctly spotted and named Mars and the Big Dipper, proclaiming himself a "genius."

I stayed inside with them a bit until they were settled then wandered back out on to the balcony, only to be overcome with feeling so small and insignificant at the vast universe showing itself around me. Nothing like feeling like a speck of insignificant dust in the universe to make your problems seem small.

This was something Holden, our aspiring astronomer, could not miss. Kevin went in and woke him and picked him up to carry him outside. "What's going on? Where are we go- WHOA!" he said when he saw the twinkling sky. It was a magical moment we will never forget. (Be sure to click on the photos to see them larger).

None of us slept well, unfortunately. The wind rattled the vents on the roof and a wire on a pole outside and Riley wrestled around restlessly in his sleeping bag all night.

Before our early departure back down the mountain, the kids honed their rock throwing skills over the side of the cliff.