19th Annual Hi Mountain Condor Lookout Open House Event and 25th Anniversary Celebration

Zoom virtual webinar 9:00am – 11:30am on Saturday, October 30, 2021! The annual open house event was cancelled in 2020 due to Covid-pandemic safety guidelines. This year the event is being conducted virtually! The California Central Coast Chapter of The Wildlife Society will be assisting with hosting the Zoom online event this year.

Hi Mountain Lookout has been restored as a biological field research station and visitor center. Take a virtual tour of the interpretive visitor center with condor and other wildlife displays and a collection of local natural history references. The open house schedule includes a ‘meet and greet’ among registered participants, a slide show overview of the 25 year history of the Condor Lookout Project, a virtual tour of the lookout facilities, the geographical landmarks that can be viewed in the distance from the Pacific coast to the snow-covered Sierras, and concluding with a question/answer session and virtual social hour!

Come and discover one of the largest and most endangered flying birds of North America. California Condors are radio tracked by volunteers and Cal Poly student interns from Hi Mountain Lookout, flying from release sites in Central and Southern California. This is an opportunity to learn more about condor biology and the reintroduction of this magnificent endangered species back to the wild.

The Hi Mountain Lookout Project is a collaboration between Morro Coast Audubon Society, U.S. Forest Service at Los Padres National Forest, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service California Condor Recovery Program, Cal Poly Biological Sciences Department, Ventana Wildlife Society, and Pinnacles National Park.

The Hi Mountain Lookout Project was founded in 1996 – join us for a 25 th year anniversary celebration! Participants are requested to register in advance (no fee), at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/hi-mountain-condor-lookout-open-house-tickets-173816689397

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18th Annual Open House / Campout Saturday, October 5th, 2019

Activities, beginning at 12 noon after the morning bird watching field trip, include introductions, condor program updates, lookout tours, and guided field trips. In the evening there will be a potluck dinner, evening program presentations, star gazing, and an optional overnight campout.

Visitors will find parking available close to the lookout throughout the day. Attendees are responsible for their own transportation. Note: high clearance vehicles such as trucks and SUVs are required for the unpaved 6-mile drive from Pozo to Hi Mountain – there are stretches of rough road conditions with deep ruts along the way!

Read through the pdf below for a detailed schedule of events, hope yop see you there!

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Hi Mountain Condor Lookout Picnic & Social Event Saturday May 4, 2019, 11am – 3pm

Hi Mountain Condor Lookout Picnic & Social Event
Saturday May 4, 2019
11am – 3pm

The event includes condor radio tracking demonstrations, native plant/wildflowers identification, birdwatching/bird vocalizations, geographical landmarks and local geology .

Bring a picnic lunch, snacks, and beverages. Families with children are welcome. Dogs must be on a leash at all times.
Note: High clearance vehicles are required – the road is driveable but rough in places with several deep ruts to be navigated over and around.

Visit the Hi Mountain Lookout Facebook page at www.facebook.com/condorlookout

RSVP’s not required but appreciated - please contact Steve Schubert by e-mail at: s_schub1@msn.com

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Old Hi Mt. Lookout photos

I came across these photos of the Lookout from 1970 the other day. They were taken by J. Delaney and originally posted to this now defunct url: http://www.jdelany.net/1970s/1970/hi-mountain-and-pozo-creek/ Hopefully the web page comes back online because it had a few more cool old images from the Pozo area. luckilly I snagged these two photos before they disappeared. Thanks Mr. Delaney!

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17th Annual Open House / Campout Saturday, October 13th, 2018

Hi Mountain Condor Lookout Project
17th Annual Open House / Campout
Saturday, October 13th, 2018

Bring your own lunch 11:00am to noon. The open house event at Hi Mountain Lookout formally begins at 12 noon, with introductions, condor program updates, lookout tours, and guided field trips. In the evening there will be a potluck dinner, evening program presentations, star gazing, and an optional overnight campout.

Visitors will find parking available close to the lookout throughout the day. Attendees are responsible for their own transportation. Note: high clearance vehicles such as trucks are highly recommended for the unpaved 6 mile drive from Pozo to Hi Mountain – there are stretches of rough road conditions along the way!

Please RSVP if you are planning to attend the open house event and the number of people in your group by contacting Steve Schubert at s_schub1@msn.com or phone # (805) 440-9390

Schedule of open house activities at Hi Mountain Lookout:

Morning activity:
Bird watching field trip – 9:30am- 11:00am 
Hi Mountain Lookout (elev. 3,199 ft.), Santa Lucia Mountains, Los Padres National Forest. Carpooling drive from the lookout on the ridgeline of the Santa Lucia Mountains, towards Big Falls trailhead. Easy walking conditions. Meet 9:30am at Hi Mountain Lookout. Emphasis will be on identification of resident and migrant songbirds, raptors in flight, and birding by ear (what’s that sound?). Habitats: oak woodland & chaparral. Field trip leader: Steve Schubert, Morro Coast Audubon Society

Kids’ activities - 11:00am to 3pm, ongoing
-making plaster-of-paris animal tracks; condor biology and radio tracking demonstrations, and eco-scavenger hunt with prizes awarded for participation

Picnic lunch 11:00am -12:00pm (bring your own lunch and beverages)
-tour the Hi Mountain Lookout facilities and Interpretive Center
-sign the guest register

Welcoming comments 12:00pm
-Introductions of Hi Mountain Lookout staff, volunteers, and college student interns by Steve Schubert, Volunteer Coordinator, Hi Mountain Lookout Project and Kevin Cooper, Wildlife Biologist, Los Padres National Forest
-Morning birding field trip report by trip leader by Steve Schubert
-Updates on the California Condor Recovery Program by Condor staff
-Condor radio tracking demonstration by Hi Mountain Lookout student interns and condor staff. Note: Those interested in becoming volunteers staffing the lookout and conducting condor radio tracking are encouraged to notify our staff to arrange future training opportunities
-Lookout Project merchandise sales Lookout Project fundraiser conducted by Marcelle Bakula, Hi Mtn. Lookout Project Volunteer

Afternoon activities and field trips:
1:00pm Geographical landmarks - a 360 degree view from the Pacific Coast to the Sierra Nevada - and demonstration of the original Hi Mountain Lookout firefinder. Led by Kevin Cooper, Wildlife Biologist, Los Padres National Forest

1:45pm Native plant identification and geology walk along the crest of the Santa Lucia Mountains, on Hi Mountain Lookout Road. Led by Dr. Dirk Walters and Dr. David Chipping, Professors Emeritus, Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo and board members of the San Luis Obispo Chapter, California Native Plant Society

3:30pm California Condor Recovery Program and Condor Nesting update

Co-speakers representing the Condor Recovery Program and the Lookout Project Potluck dinner and sunset watch 5:00 – 7:00pm Wine serving compliments of Nancy and Bill Greenough, owners of Saucelito Canyon Vineyard & Winery. Participants are encouraged to bring a potluck dish to share with their friends and guests. Gas stove and oven in the lookout facilities are available for cooking and heating food. Partake of Jim Duff’s famous pineapple upside down cake for dessert, an annual tradition! Note: no open campfires, camping or backpacking stoves are permitted for cooking dinner or during the overnight campout.

Evening program beginning 7pm by the lookout deck (wear layered clothing). PowerPoint slide show presentations:

7:00pm -7:15pm The summer internship program and biological field research projects at Hi Mountain presented by Gio Espinosa and Marie Solis, 2018 Cal Poly student interns

7:15pm - 8:00pm Southern California Condor population and nesting updates presented by Vince Gerwe, Friends of California Condors Wild & Free

Astronomy observations- Telescopes will be set up for observations of the evening stars, planets, and constellations

Optional Hi Mountain campout- Camping sites are available Saturday night at ‘Cypress Hill’ near the lookout or at the USFS Hi Mountain Campground one mile down the road. Bring your own potable water. No open campfires, camping or backpacking stoves permitted – extreme fire hazard!

Visit the lookout project’s facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/condorlookout to view the photo album of past open house events. Join us in 2018 for our 17th consecutive year open house event!

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2018 Interns' Newsletter #3

Hi Mountain Lookout Summer 2018 Interns Gio Espinosa and Marie Solis have created the third Hi Mountain Lookout Summer Newsletter. Click "Read More" to read their full newsletter...

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