Mt. Tom Fire Watch Tower Traditional Cache
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Size: 
(regular)
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For a fun experience visit the Mt. Tom Fire Watch Tower. It is open for visitors everyday except Monday and Tuesday. (Please see the photograph of the sign for complete visiting rules)
Jim Payne is the ranger that mans the tower form June to November. He is on duty five days a week, but stays atop his tower all the time leaving the mountain only once a months to get supplies. Jim loves visitors and will gladly explain his job and equipment, just don't come on a Monday or Tuesday. We spent over an hour in the tower. From the top of the tower you can see 40 miles in every direction. On a really clear day you can see the coastal mountains 140 miles away. Bring your camera!
To get to Mt. Tom take the Sample Meadow turnoff from the main Kaiser Pass road. After you have driven 4 miles you will come to the sign for Mt. Tom. Turn right and continue the remaining 7 miles up the mountain. For most of the way you will driving on an excellent dirt road. The last mile the road is perched on the side of the mountain. Drive very carefully at this point as the slope falls away at about an angle of 70 degrees. In the final few hundred feet the road becomes steeper and more dusty. Any vehicle should not a problem getting to the top.
There are now two caches on top of the mountain. My cache is located about 70 feet from the stairway up the tower. Ranger Jim knows about both caches and was the first to sign the log sheet. He even put several Smokey Bear items in the ammo box. When first placed the cache contained items that would remind you of your adventure to the top of the mountain.
Don't miss this geo-adventure. Visit Mt. Tom!
Happy hunting!
Gordon the AgoutaCharger
9/22/12 Ranger Paine gave me the direct line to his fire tower. It is not to be used just to chat! It is a business phone.
Jim suggests that you when your reach the narrow dirt road that winds up the mountain for the last mile, you give him a call to make sure that another vehicle is not on its way down. The are very few spots to pass another vehicle.
The other time you might call is if there is any pending bad weather. (lightning or heavy rain) The tower is closed to visitors when bad weather condition exist.
His number is (559) 877-3135
Please not abuse his kindness in providing his private number
Gordon the AgouraCharger
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