TRINITY COUNTY
MAD RIVER ROCK
1S-6E-15
July 21, 1934: "Forest service is now building a new road to Mad River Rock where they will build a new lookout. Hetten Peak lookout will be abandoned and Mad River Rock will take its place." (Blue Lake Advocate)
September 1, 1935: "Take for instance the scenic and picturesque Mad River Rock Lookout, lying on Mad River Ridge between the valley of that name and the Van Dusen River Valley. This area is in the Coast Range country about midway between the valley and the coast and on the lower road between Redding and Alton.
Visibility mappers located the rock, which towers straight up from the top of the ridge for 200 feet, its top reaching an elevation of 4300 feet above sea level. The ridge is narrow and the ground drops abruptly to the valleys on either side, giving an appearance of a straight drop of some 2500 feet on either side. Visibility mappers are government men who penetrate into the far back country seeking the best spots for locating fire lookouts.
The pair who found Mad River Rock scaled it by using the mountain-climbing device of inching their way up a "chimney" or crevice in the side of the sheer rock face. They were enthusiastic in their recommendation of the rock as an ideal spot for a lookout and approval was finally won from the general forest offices.
Administrative reason made speed in construction necessary. Kaufmann was told to build a road to the foot of the rock and do it all in eight days. He shook his head and undertook the work, his chief Frank Delaney, district ranger promising every assistance possible. It was ONLY eight miles to the nearest highway.
Using a bulldozer, powder and a fleet of trucks and a crew of husky CCC youths the superintendent constructed the road in ten days. He admits that it's not much of a road but the trucks made trip after trip with materials needed for the lookout construction.
Boys climbed the rock, a high line was constructed and lumber and other materials were swung to the top of the rock. Steps were buily from the ground up. Steps? Yes, Sir. 230 of them and its quite a chore to climb them.
But once on top of the rock the view that unfolds is well worth the trip.
There is a deep crevice which reaches in toward the center of the flat top. This will be bridged so that sight-seers may get the full effect of the height over the valley floor.
At the foot of the rock there is a spring and a camp ground will be built there. The road will be improved with as many curves and steep grades eliminated as possible." (Oakland Tribune)
Removed