VENTURA COUNTY
TOPA TOPA PEAK
Los Padres National Forest
April 27, 1937: "A crew headed by William Pennington, as foreman, will make camp Wednesday four miles above upper Ojai valley, in Sisar canyon, to start building a scenic trail over the Topa Topa range to a height of 6,300 feet above sea level, where U.S. Forest service plans a new 30-foot steel lookout station to be erected during the coming summer." (Oxnard Daily Courier)
June 13, 1938: "Construction of a new lookout on Topa Topa mountain near Ojai is being undertaken by the Forest Service, it was announced today by F. E. Evans, engineer of the district supervisor's office in Santa Barbara, on a visit to the Santa Maria office.
A total of 350 packloads of material are required for the lookout, the engineer reported, with a 16-mile pack up the mountain peak. The packers are forced to trek back four miles down the mountain for their overnight camp.
The packers reported seeing the largest bear tracks in years on the mountain sides." (Santa Maria Daily Times)
July 28, 1938: "Carrying steel on mule back, for 15 miles, from Ojai Valley up a winding trail to the 6,000-foot summit of Topa Topa peak, for a 20-foot steel lookout tower, was commenced last week-end by Sherman Mansfield, chief U.S. forest service packer, who is using the government mule train from Los Prietos on Santa Ynez river canyon, for the big job.
Window glass, lumber and all other materials for the tall tower will be delivered on the sky-soaring peak, after which Peter Nielson, U.S. forest construction superintendent, of Santa Barbara, and his crew, will ride astride government mounts to the peak to spend several weeks in erecting the tower.
From the lookout a wide survey of the Sespe country will be possible, looking down into canyons that heretofore had been out of sight of other lookouts." (Piru News)
October 21, 1938: "The new lookout station on Tapa Tapa peak in Los Padres National Forest has been completed after 380 loads of construction material were carried up the mountain trail by mule packs." (Santa Maria Daily Times)
June 24, 1939: "Patrolman Gordon MacKinnon, of Los Angeles, is stationed at big Cone camp, in Santa Paula creek four miles above Ferndale ranch. Equipped with a horse and pack animal, MacKinnon will service the new Topa Topa lookout station with supplies, in addition to checking camp sites and campers in the area.
Dale Bever, forestry student from Oregon, installed himself in the new lookout atop Topa Topa last Sunday. Built last fall by the forest service, the station is being used for the first first time. It consists of a 30-foot steel tower, with a 14-foot square house on top. It replaces the old Santa Paula peak lookout, which will be left unoccupied except in emergencies." (Oxnard Daily Courier)
September 16, 2006: The wood cab was burned off the steel 'H' brace tower in the Day Fire that threatened several other lookouts.
September 16, 2006: The wood cab was burned off the steel 'H' brace tower in the Day Fire that threatened several other lookouts.