Calandra Lookout
US 395, CA 46
Lookout Details
| Registry Numbers | US 395, CA 46 (view other lookouts in United States, California) |
| Date Registered | January 12, 2002 |
| Location | Monterey County, California |
| Coordinates |
N 35° 57.097' W 121° 00.095' (view using Google Maps) N 35° 57' 06" W 121° 00' 06" N 35.951620° W 121.001580° |
| Elevation | 2,774 ft (846 m) |
| Built | 1944 |
| Administered by | Cal Fire |
| Cooperators | Cal Fire |
Description
Once widespread across California, only four L-601 towers remain in the Dept. of Forestry inventory. Calandra Lookout with an BC-301 cab was constructed in 1944. The name of the mountain is actually Williams Hill. There is a stone and concrete monument at the site which has a bronze plaque that reads: "Calandra Lookout is named in memory of Assistant State Forest Ranger Joseph Calandra who saved a companion but lost his life in the Bixby Mountain Fire of 1939." In 1945 Assistant State Forest Ranger Nesgis and Edward Gates of U.S. Forest Service died in a fire within sight of this station.
Map
Change Basemap
Photos
Calandra Lookout and Williams Hill
Visit Reports
November 4, 2019: Scott McClintock
Condition |
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| Needs paint? | Yes |
| Shutters OK? | Yes |
| Condition of wood OK? | Yes |
| Stairs OK? | Yes |
| Glass intact? | Yes |
| Good condition? | Yes |
| Comments: | Tower was covered with an aluminum skin which has well protected the support timbers. A chain link fence around its base protects it from vandalism. Signs of some water penetration. Catwalk wood is weathered, but in good shape. Rodent invasion has been tamed by poison being placed inside. Considerable construction debris in the interior. A nearby pit toilet is operational, but needs a new roof. Fire finder not present. <br /> <br />Overall, this tower is serviceable, but would need visits by state building inspectors as well as a radiation safety check. |
Electronics and Enroachments |
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| Are electronic sites enroaching on tower? | Yes |
| Comments: | Tower is surrounded by 8 communications towers, but the view from the cab is still viable. Some microwave drums are pointed at or near the cab. A radiation safety check would be needed. |
Access and Signs |
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| NHLR sign posted? | No |
| Directions to tower signed? | No |
| Comments? | Two dirt roads lead to the top of Williams Hill. One runs through private property, but Cal Fire has good relations with the landowner and permission to enter. The other road travels through a Bureau of Land Management recreation area and goes to a locked gate at the summit. |
Staffing |
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| Staffed? | No |
Opportunities for Volunteer Support |
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| Volunteers staffing opportunities? | Yes |
| Volunteer maintenance opportunities? |
Yes
Local ranch population is scarce. Population centers of Paso Robles and King City are 1-1/2 hours away.
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