Murphy Fire burns historic Atascosa Lookout

[SkyIslandHiker]

"Structures Lost: Historic Atascosa Lookout Tower in the Atascosa Mountains...
Summary: Aircraft was effective at checking and slowing fire growth in critical areas. Historic Atascosa Lookout burned down. Murphy Fire and Pajarita Fire burned together and are now being managed as a Complex."

source: http://www.inciweb.org/incident/2268/

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news.

Bill

[big_load]

I wonder if the jaguars got out OK.

[RedRoxx44]

Ugh, first they reported burn out successful in saving lookout. Now it's gone, another piece of Arizona I'm glad at least I had the experience of sitting on the steps and looking at an almost aerial view of the Santa Ritas. The old outhouse up there was something else too.

http://hikearizona.com/photoset.php?ID=6821

and before they painted it an ugly brown--

http://hikearizona.com/photoset.php?ID=897

I believe it was Sid Hayes who wrote this was one of the best short hikes in southern Arizona----

[Jeffshadows]

That's a shame!!

[Cheerycow]

That's a shame!!

Truly!

Thanks for the photos Red Roxx44...some beautiful shots there.

[cindyl]

Do not jump into your automobile next June and rush out to the Canyon country hoping to see some of that which I have attempted to evoke in these pages. In the first place you can't see anything from a car; you've got to get out of the goddamned contraption and walk, better yet crawl, on hands and knees, over the sandstone and through the...cactus. When traces of blood begin to mark your trail you'll see something, maybe." ~Edward Abbey

I am so sorry I missed seeing this historic tower where Edward Abbey served as a lookout. It's even more of a loss that I didn't get to see this little bit of desert in all its beauty. Thanks @RedRoxx44 for preserving it in pictures.

edit: abbey didn't say pumpkin!

[rwstorm]

My first visit to Atascosa Lookout was in December 1990. I was camping near Pena Blanca Lake and joined a SAHC hike there. Many good memories at that place.

I'll bet azbackpackr will recognize some of the folks in the photo. I see Theo, Frank Royball, Larry Aagard and his son, Jack Olson, Raj, and Judy Byrnes.