THORN POINT

Archived TRs for the Los Padres National Forest.
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Girl Hiker
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Post by Girl Hiker »

A week ago Wednesday, I bagged another peak in the Sespe Wilderness with my usual Wednesday hiking crew.

Thorn Point is one of the last Lookout towers still standing in the Los Padres.
W. H. Thorn was an early day surveyor with the U. S. Geological Survey that mapped the Ventura County area in 1905. Both the meadow, camp and point were named for him.

Thorn Point trailhead is located off of Forest Service Road 7N03.1.
SUV recommended.

Most of the trail has steep switchbacks with lots of shady trees and cool rock formations along the way.
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Looking down at the canyon.
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First glimpse of Thorn Point Lookout from the trail below.
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Final push to the summit.
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Whoohooo! Thorn Point.
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Views from the summit.
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Views from inside the Lookout Tower with a few surprises.
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Scrambled down the ridge on the other side of the summit.
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Stats: 8.5 miles, 2200 elevation gain.
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Uncle Rico
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Post by Uncle Rico »

That's a nice hike to a unique area.

A couple of years ago, David Stillman introduced me to Lorinda Poole whose father helped build the lookout tower atop Thorn Point in 1933. She spent the summer of 1971 as a lookout there for the forest service and shared some of her pics and story with me. If you're interested, you can read about it here:

http://wildsouthland.blogspot.com/2015/ ... story.html

Here are a couple of pics she shared with me:

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I don't think I've posted this before, but if I have, apologies for the duplicate post.
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Girl Hiker
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Post by Girl Hiker »

Uncle Rico wrote: That's a nice hike to a unique area.

A couple of years ago, David Stillman introduced me to Lorinda Poole whose father helped build the lookout tower atop Thorn Point in 1933. She spent the summer of 1971 as a lookout there for the forest service and shared some of her pics and story with me. If you're interested, you can read about it here:

http://wildsouthland.blogspot.com/2015/ ... story.html

Thank you Uncle Rico!
I will read the story and I appreciate the photos!
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Girl Hiker
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Post by Girl Hiker »

girlhiker70 wrote:
Uncle Rico wrote: That's a nice hike to a unique area.

A couple of years ago, David Stillman introduced me to Lorinda Poole whose father helped build the lookout tower atop Thorn Point in 1933. She spent the summer of 1971 as a lookout there for the forest service and shared some of her pics and story with me. If you're interested, you can read about it here:

http://wildsouthland.blogspot.com/2015/ ... story.html

Thank you Uncle Rico!
I will read the story and I appreciate the photos!
Now I know who was responsible for the drawings on that cabinet, they were kinda faded. I took a picture will submit it later.
Fascinating story! Thanks for sharing!
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Girl Hiker
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Post by Girl Hiker »

This is how the cabinet looks now
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Uncle Rico
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Post by Uncle Rico »

Now I know who was responsible for the drawings on that cabinet, they were kinda faded. I took a picture will submit it later.
Fascinating story! Thanks for sharing!
You're welcome. From your pic, it looks like those etchings have faded considerably in the last couple of years. It won't be long until they won't be visible at all.
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AW~
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Post by AW~ »

I want to read about a mountaineer summiting in the snow. With pictures.
:) And yes I know its a long approach in the winter....start early!
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Girl Hiker
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Post by Girl Hiker »

AW wrote: I want to read about a mountaineer summiting in the snow. With pictures.
:) And yes I know its a long approach in the winter....start early!

Sounds like a good idea ;)
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