PLUMAS COUNTY
RED HILL
Plumas National Forest
25N-7E-10
25N-7E-10
October 22, 1931: "The forest service will place a lookout station on Red Hill which will give added fire protection to a considerable area of forest lands." (Indian Valley Record)
May 3, 1934: "E.N. Cole's men at Rich Gulch have broken through the new road to the Red Hill lookout, a 60-foot steel tower." (Feather River Bulletin)
July 19, 1934: "Lots of dogs may be envious of their canine brethren who spend the summer at the fire lookout stations on the Plumas forest.
But 'Spot,' who keeps Bob Cotter company on Red Hill can testify that sometimes this is a dog's life. Luck makes it so.
Spot is full of vim and vigor, and last week he decided on chasing the cat as a suitable means of working off energy.
As the hunt warmed, Spot got up steam, and it was probably inevitable that he would sooner or later fail to make one of the turns.
Unfortunately, this occurred at the corner of the lookout occupied by a door, and Spot flew out into the open spaces.
He lit on a rock ledge 40 feet below. When Cotter got up courage to view the remains, he found it hard to believe his own eyes. For Spot must have sprouted wings on his way down. He regained his wind, let out a yelp, shook off the dust, and climbed back to the lookout.
The kitty gave Spot its most leering grin and dared him to chase her again." (Feather River Bulletin)
July 10, 1941: "James Fair, who has been mining on Nelson Creek for some time, has accepted the position as lookout on Red Hill." (Plumas Independent)
October 30, 1941: "James Fair, who has been lookout man on Red Hill this summer, is visiting Mrs. F.E. Gray for a few days before taking up his duties as caretaker of the camp at Granite Basin." (Plumas Independent)
November 13, 1941: "Jim Fair, forest lookout man on Red Hill during the 1941 fire season, has been appointed as caretaker of the CCC camp buildings at Granite Basin this winter. He fully expects to be cut off by snow drifts for several months and is preparing accordingly." (Feather River Bulletin)
October 15, 1942: "James M. Fair has completed the season as look-out on Red Hill and moved down to Quincy this week. He rooms at the home of Mrs. Frances E. Gray. Following a couple of days' vacation, Jim is going back on the forest service payroll as a timber scaler and will work at that until the snow flies. Jim reports he had only 50 visitors at Red Hill this season, compared to a normal total of 250 or more." (Feather River Bulletin)
October 22, 1942: "James Fair who spent the summer months as Lookout on Red Hill, returned to Quincy last Thursday afternoon after spending a couple of days in Reno, Nevada. He is now employed as scaler at the Quincy Lumber Company mill." (Plumas Independent)
April 22, 1943: "Mr. and Mrs. Terry of Vinton have moved to the Belden lookout station." (Portola Reporter)
August 26, 1943: "Mariemily Lenartz, handling the Red Hill station, comes from Carmel and is a former California Fish and Game field employee." (Feather River Bulletin)
June 14, 1945: "Lt. Robert L. Pease, veteran of the Philippine campaign and a prisoner of Japan since the fall of Corrigador, has been assigned to the Red Hill Fire Lookout Station in the Plumas National Forest. According to Ranger H.F. Wilcox, who installed Pease at the Red Hill Station Monday, the veteran, who was just recently discharged by the army, was a survivor of the famous death march from Bataan. Later transferred to a Jap prison camp on the island of Mindanao. Pease escaped following 18 months of incarceration. From that period early in 1943 to the time of liberation, Lt. Pease fought with and trained native Philippine guerrilla fighters in waging constant war against the outposts of the Japs.
The Red Hill Lookout Station overlooks the Feather River Canyon areas in the Beldon-Caribou and Grays Flats section of the Plumas Forest." (Feather River Bulletin)
July 28, 1946: "Ranger Leonard Beltz of Greenville, leading a suppression crew to a fire on Cherry Peak late Tuesday night, was guided to the blaze in a unique manner. Carrying a portable radio, Beltz kept in contact with Rufe McFadden on Red Hill. McFadden, who was able to see the fire crew's flashlights in the dark, guided these men to the fire by radio." (Nevada State Journal)
July 5, 1951: "Lillie Andrews, forest lookout stationed on Red Hill overlooking the Feather River Canyon in Plumas National Forest, hurriedly called the chief dispatcher's office in Quincy last Monday afternoon stating, 'I'll be away for about five minutes -- I hear a rattlesnake downstairs.' Just 8 minutes later Mrs. Andrews called in to report she had killed two rattlesnakes instead of one, a 3-footer with six rattles and a 4-footer equipped with 10-rattles. Mrs. Andrews, who is stationed in comfortable quarters on top of a 50-foot tower, says the two snakes killed are the only ones she has encountered this season." (Feather River Bulletin)
June 21, 1956: "John Burkard, fire suppression foreman at Ganzer Bar, together with his crew have been busy this past week, getting the Red Hill Lookout in readiness for occupancy." (Feather River Bulletin)
August 13, 1959: "Bob Newsome, Red Hill lookout, was bitten by a rattler. A PGE&E truck was in the vicinity and he was given first aid by the truck crew and taken to the Plumas District Hospital where he is recovering rapidly." (Indian Valley Record)
July 9, 1964: "Mrs. Jean Rippey of Caribou is again a lookout for the Forest Service and is now on Red Hill." (Feather River Bulletin)