SIERRA COUNTY
BABBITT PEAK
Tahoe National Forest
September 28, 1928: "Work has been completed on the forest road from Pat Connelley pasture to the top of Bald Mountain which has an elevation of 8740 feet. A lookout station is to be established on the mountain next year. The road is a ten per cent grade except for nearly a mile which is eleven per cent. It will be closed this winter so that next summer it will be hard and smooth for travel.
The road will permit motorists to gain an exceptional view from the top of the mountain." (Reno Gazette)
The road will permit motorists to gain an exceptional view from the top of the mountain." (Reno Gazette)
July 14, 1929: "With the arrival of building material the past week, construction of a new lookout station will start within a few days at Bald Mountain, located near the Nevada-California boundary line in the high Sierras, it was announced yesterday by officials of the Tahoe National Forest. The new station will be known as Babbit Lookout in memory of a pioneer ranger of that section.
The station site is located between Loyalton and Truckee, and the lookout on duty at the lofty point will be able to cover a vast area in both Nevada and California.
The station building will be of wood on a flat mountain top, and the lookout will have a three-mile beat to patrol in order to cover the territory in all directions. The additional station will add materially to the efficiency of the forest fire prevention forces." (Nevada State Journal)
August 29, 1929: "The lookout station on Bald Mountain has its building completed and is now in use. Last summer Mr. English, with a crew of men, built the road up to the top of the mountain, ready for the building this Spring." (Feather River Bulletin)
May 1, 1930: "Fred Kyler has returned to Sierra county where he will be a Lookout for the forest service on Babbitt Peak." (The Journal-Republican)
August 28, 1935: "A forest ranger made good his promise that some day he'd do a good turn for the air lines in return for airplane pilots' helping him.
Several times this summer airliner pilots have reported forest fires, thus enabling the fire crews to nip possibly disastrous blazes.
This afternoon Ranger Merriman, scanning the horizon from Babbitt lookout during a storm, saw lightning strike an airways beacon transformer south of Verdi.
Merriman immediately called the airport to tell of the accident. The beacon was fixed before dark, its flashing beams cutting the darkness last night to prevent an airliner straying from the course." (Nevada State Journal)
November 2, 1944: "Mrs. Joe Murphy enjoyed a visit from her daughter Margaret of San Francisco. Mrs. Murphy is located at Babbitt Lookout on Bald Mountain." (Portola Reporter)
November 16, 1944: "Mrs. Joe Murphy, who has been at the Babbitt Lookout on Bald Mountain all summer, is at home since the last storm." (Portola Reporter)
August 3, 1960: "Babbitt Peak was chosen as one of three lookouts in Northern California to have a time lapse camera installed. As part of a cooperative study between the State Forestry Division and the Weather Bureau, the lookout operator is instructed to photograph any cloud build up that they see. This study is part of the new radar fire detection system being examined.
At night the lookout can't see and that's where the radar is especially valuable. Eventually, as a result of these observations, it is hoped that firefighters will be warned far enough in advance to move in before fires start. (Star-News)
June 24, 1965: "The Forest Service will open the Babbit fire lookout station Thursday after having been closed since last fall. Mrs. Jean Dixon will operate Babbit lookout." (Portola Reporter)
December 1, 1966: "Mrs. Fosten Wilson of Truckee cared for Babbitt fire lookout." (Portola Reporter)