
Mills Peak Lookout - Historic Plumas County Fire Tower - Infrared

by Mike Lee
Title
Mills Peak Lookout - Historic Plumas County Fire Tower - Infrared
Artist
Mike Lee
Medium
Photograph - Digital Photography
Description
While exploring the area around Graeagle in Plumas County California, I went up a dirt road following a sign that said “Red Fir Trail” and “Mills Peak” with mileage indications for each. I greatly enjoyed the Red Fir Nature Trail and when I got to the top of Mills Peak was surprised to see the fire lookout there which I’d never heard of. Typically if the roads leading to a lookout the signage will specify that. At the time, I just thought I would check out a view and maybe get a cell signal to check in with the family. I liked the way the lookout tower looked framed through the trees and, being nearly noon on an August day, I knew the white structure would stand out against the dark sky if I shot it with my infrared gear.
According to the historic lookout register, the tower was built in 1933 and sits at 7342 feet in elevation. It was manned on the day I got up there, although whoever was manning it was seemingly quite the introvert as I didn't get an invite up for a tour (I've found that the folks manning these things are one extreme or other on the introvert/extrovert scale with a fair bit of leaning toward the former when the assignment is completely voluntary). In any event, I salute these folks for their vital role in public safety!
𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘯𝘧𝘳𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘱𝘩𝘰𝘵𝘰 𝘰𝘧 𝘔𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘴 𝘗𝘦𝘢𝘬 𝘓𝘰𝘰𝘬𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘪𝘴 𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘧𝘦𝘤𝘵 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘢𝘥𝘷𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘴𝘦𝘦𝘬𝘦𝘳𝘴, 𝘩𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘺 𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘩𝘶𝘴𝘪𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘴, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘤𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘩𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘤 𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘮𝘢𝘳𝘬 𝘱𝘩𝘰𝘵𝘰𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘱𝘩𝘺. 𝘐𝘵 𝘤𝘢𝘱𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘳𝘶𝘨𝘨𝘦𝘥 𝘣𝘦𝘢𝘶𝘵𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘗𝘭𝘶𝘮𝘢𝘴 𝘊𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘪𝘴 𝘢 𝘱𝘰𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘧𝘶𝘭 𝘳𝘦𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘩𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘤 𝘳𝘰𝘭𝘦 𝘧𝘪𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘰𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘺 𝘪𝘯 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘵𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯. 𝘈 𝘧𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘤 𝘢𝘥𝘥𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘰 𝘤𝘢𝘣𝘪𝘯, 𝘰𝘶𝘵𝘥𝘰𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘥, 𝘰𝘳 𝘣𝘭𝘢𝘤𝘬-𝘢𝘯𝘥-𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘵𝘦 𝘢𝘳𝘵 𝘤𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴!
Uploaded
August 31st, 2023
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Comments (31)

Nirav Shah 15 Days Ago
Lovely composition technique framing the tower with the trees and great application of infrared, making this piece look like an intricate etching! l/f

Alex Lapidus
Congratulations, your image has been featured in the Experimental Photography group -- thanks for sharing it with us! Please feel free to add it to the July - Sept 2024 Feature Archive in the Discussion section (using the "embed" link on your image page).

Jenny Revitz Soper
Great job! Your piece was featured on the homepage of the PLACES group on June 3, 2024. Please share it in the Group's Features discussion and other relevant threads. Thank you for your contribution to the group, and we look forward to seeing more of your beautiful artwork in the future.

Allan Van Gasbeck
Congratulations! Your outstanding artwork has been chosen as a FEATURE in the “The Gray Scale Outdoors” group on Fine Art America — You are invited to post your featured image to the featured image discussion thread as a permanent place to continue to get exposure even after the image is no longer on the Home Page.

Calvin Boyer
In addition to the banner, I am adding this more permanent recognition of its FEATURE on the homepage of A TREE OR TREES IN BLACK AND WHITE. I try mightily to feature only images that would be at home in a juried competition. No doubt that this image fits that bill. CONGRATULATIONS! And consider adding your image to DISCUSSIONS "Please post your featured photograph here" for greater, long-lasting visibility.