This weekend I piled my kids in the car and headed out for adventure. Our friends, Erin and Julia, had rented Bald Knob fire lookout tower and invited us to join them for an epic camping trip. Although my dreams in life of becoming a solitary forest ranger staffing remote lookout towers has not yet come to pass in life, I discovered about 10 years ago that the US Forest Service rents out their towers for a very modest overnight fee during the off season for fire watching. I’ve stayed in a handful of them here in Oregon over the years, but Bald Knob, perched on the edge of the Wild Rogue Wilderness, is my favorite. If this sounds like a fun sort of adventure to you, there is a great book to pick up called “How to Rent a Fire Lookout Tower in the Pacific Northwest” by Tish McFadden and Tom Foley.

There is also a website through the USFS: Recreation Rentals of the Pacific Northwest

It’s not a terribly tall tower as they go, only about 20 feet compared to some that are 70 feet, but carrying gear up the steep stairs and catwalks is fun. It’s good for your calves!

It rained a good bit of the time we were there, which was fine with the dry, warm cabin with sweeping misty mountain views. Erin and I brought along our banjos and had a great time picking out clawhammer tunes and having singalongs with the kids.

I love that I have friends who bring along their lace crocheting projects camping. Erin is a professional seamstress and pattern designer, so she aways has a crafty project up her sleeve.

I spent a lot of time enjoying the views when we weren’t banked in by clouds. There’s something about being perched up on top of a mountain that deeply nourishes the soul. It’s a powerful feeling, kind of like, well…kind of like being on top of the world! And I almost feel like a forest ranger standing up there on the catwalk, looking out over the peaks.

Our stay wasn’t long, only one night because we already had to miss one day of school for our excursion, but it was a healthy dose of rejuvenation for this mountain woman. It reminded me of one of my all time favorite quotes by John Muir:

“Climb the mountains and get their good tidings.