Santiago Peak Lookout Site
US 518, CA 4

Lookout Details

Registry Numbers US 518, CA 4 (view other lookout sites in United States, California)
Date Registered February 17, 2009
Nominated by Brad Eells
Location Cleveland National Forest
Orange County, California
Coordinates N 33° 42.634' W 117° 32.000' (view using Google Maps)
N 33° 42' 38" W 117° 31' 60"
N 33.710560° W 117.533330°
Elevation 5,687 ft (1,733 m)
Built 1913
Administered by U.S. Forest Service

Description

The first tower was a unique ground-mount two-level peak roof structure built in 1913. This was replaced in the 1930s with a 75' X-Brace steel tower with 7'x7' Aeromoter cab. The tower height was lowered to 20' in the late 1940s. A C2 Fireman/Lookout 19'x30' ground cabin was also contructed - a Region 5 BC-201 design. In 1951, that lookout was replaced with a 35' H-Brace steel tower with a modern C-10 13'x13' all steel live in cab. In 1964, the AT&T telephone company constructed a telephone relay building on the exact site of the lookout.

They agreed to add a tower and cab to the roof of the building. The cab was unique in design. The Forest Service discontinued use of the lookout in the late 1970s/early 1980s. AT&T removed the cab by 1988. The tower and catwalk still stand on top of the relay building. Santiago Peak is known as "The Talking Mountain", the busiest communications site in the United States. The peak is the highest point in Orange County and the Santa Ana Mountains at 5687'.

Map

Change Basemap

Photos

1916

1916

1969

1969

1970s

1970s

1960s with Radios

1960s with Radios

Watchers Spot Fires From Lofty Towers

Watchers Spot Fires From Lofty Towers - courtesy of Los Angeles Times