Condors and a Fire Lookout, by Kathy Ball

In the heart of the range of the reintroduced California Condor sits Hi Mountain Fire Lookout.  Situated at 3,100 feet on the crest of the Santa Lucia Mountains, Hi Mountain is located in the Los Padres National Forest between Lopez Lake to the west and Pozo to the east

Condors tagged with radio transmitters are often recorded flying north and south through this area.  The Condors originate from release sites in the Ventana Wilderness near Big Sur, Castle Crags in the La Panza Range of San Luis Obispo County, Lion Canyon in the Sierra Madre Mountains of Santa Barbara County and the Sespe and Hopper Mountain National Wildlife Refuge areas in Ventura County.

The Hi Mountain Condor Lookout Project is a joint venture between the Morro Coast Audubon Society, the Forest Service and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to  monitor movements of the endangered Condor population from strategically placed Hi Mountain Lookout. Long term goals include developing an educational visitor center and a radio telemetry research site staffed by volunteers at the lookout.

A planning  meeting was held in February at the Audubon Society office in Morro Bay.  Among the attendees were representatives from the Forest Service, Fish and Wildlife Service, Ventana Wilderness Society, Americorp program, Audubon Society and the Buck Rock Foundation. 

It was agreed at this meeting to develop a Memo of Understanding between the federal agencies and a volunteer agreement with Morro Coast Audubon Society; implement radio telemetry volunteer training and begin tracking condors at Hi Mountain Lookout by June 1, 2001; and begin a fund-raising campaign with a goal to raise $20,000 for the rehabilitation of the lookout facilities and the development of a visitor center.  Eventually, solar power and propane will be installed so that volunteers and staff can stay on site during work shifts.  The visitor center will provide natural history references and field guides, scopes and binoculars, condor recovery information and interpretive signage.   

 If you are interested and available to participate in the telemetry training and research at Hi Mountain Lookout or if you would like more information, please contact: Steve Schubert, Coordinator Hi Mountain Condor Lookout Project, (805) 528-6138. 

Financial contributions are greatly appreciated with check made out to “Morro Coast Audubon Society”, (designate Hi Mtn. Lookout Condor Project) PO. Box 160, Morro Bay, CA