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THORN POINT

Posted: Thu Jul 06, 2017 7:57 pm
by Girl Hiker
A week ago Wednesday, I bagged another peak in the Sespe Wilderness with my usual Wednesday hiking crew.

Thorn Point is one of the last Lookout towers still standing in the Los Padres.
W. H. Thorn was an early day surveyor with the U. S. Geological Survey that mapped the Ventura County area in 1905. Both the meadow, camp and point were named for him.

Thorn Point trailhead is located off of Forest Service Road 7N03.1.
SUV recommended.

Most of the trail has steep switchbacks with lots of shady trees and cool rock formations along the way.
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Looking down at the canyon.
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First glimpse of Thorn Point Lookout from the trail below.
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Final push to the summit.
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Whoohooo! Thorn Point.
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Views from the summit.
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Views from inside the Lookout Tower with a few surprises.
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Scrambled down the ridge on the other side of the summit.
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Stats: 8.5 miles, 2200 elevation gain.
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Re: THORN POINT

Posted: Fri Jul 07, 2017 6:55 am
by Uncle Rico
That's a nice hike to a unique area.

A couple of years ago, David Stillman introduced me to Lorinda Poole whose father helped build the lookout tower atop Thorn Point in 1933. She spent the summer of 1971 as a lookout there for the forest service and shared some of her pics and story with me. If you're interested, you can read about it here:

http://wildsouthland.blogspot.com/2015/ ... story.html

Here are a couple of pics she shared with me:

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I don't think I've posted this before, but if I have, apologies for the duplicate post.

Re: THORN POINT

Posted: Fri Jul 07, 2017 9:17 am
by Girl Hiker
Uncle Rico wrote: That's a nice hike to a unique area.

A couple of years ago, David Stillman introduced me to Lorinda Poole whose father helped build the lookout tower atop Thorn Point in 1933. She spent the summer of 1971 as a lookout there for the forest service and shared some of her pics and story with me. If you're interested, you can read about it here:

http://wildsouthland.blogspot.com/2015/ ... story.html

Thank you Uncle Rico!
I will read the story and I appreciate the photos!

Re: THORN POINT

Posted: Fri Jul 07, 2017 10:41 am
by Girl Hiker
girlhiker70 wrote:
Uncle Rico wrote: That's a nice hike to a unique area.

A couple of years ago, David Stillman introduced me to Lorinda Poole whose father helped build the lookout tower atop Thorn Point in 1933. She spent the summer of 1971 as a lookout there for the forest service and shared some of her pics and story with me. If you're interested, you can read about it here:

http://wildsouthland.blogspot.com/2015/ ... story.html

Thank you Uncle Rico!
I will read the story and I appreciate the photos!
Now I know who was responsible for the drawings on that cabinet, they were kinda faded. I took a picture will submit it later.
Fascinating story! Thanks for sharing!

Re: THORN POINT

Posted: Fri Jul 07, 2017 8:47 pm
by Girl Hiker
This is how the cabinet looks now
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Re: THORN POINT

Posted: Sat Jul 08, 2017 7:09 am
by Uncle Rico
Now I know who was responsible for the drawings on that cabinet, they were kinda faded. I took a picture will submit it later.
Fascinating story! Thanks for sharing!
You're welcome. From your pic, it looks like those etchings have faded considerably in the last couple of years. It won't be long until they won't be visible at all.

Re: THORN POINT

Posted: Mon Jul 10, 2017 11:46 am
by AW~
I want to read about a mountaineer summiting in the snow. With pictures.
:) And yes I know its a long approach in the winter....start early!

Re: THORN POINT

Posted: Thu Jul 13, 2017 7:43 pm
by Girl Hiker
AW wrote: I want to read about a mountaineer summiting in the snow. With pictures.
:) And yes I know its a long approach in the winter....start early!

Sounds like a good idea ;)