Butler Peak 9-23-2014

Looking towards Gray's Peak and Big Bear Lake from the Butler Peak Fire Lookout

     Butler Peak is the third highest peak in the Big Bear Lake area and is home to a fire lookout. This 14' x 14' room perched on the top of the peak is staffed by volunteers between approximately Memorial Day and the end of October each year and is used for reporting smoke sightings and lightning crashes in the ongoing fight against forest fires. These volunteers welcome any visitors to the lookout and are happy to talk about the work they do and show you the over 80 year old piece of equipment they use to their job. This particular lookout was built in 1931 and is listed on the National Historic Lookout Register. The hike to Butler Peak is between 10 and 11 miles, depending on where you park. From where I parked, and based on the path I took, the hike was 11.59 miles with 2,042 feet of elevation gain. My route may not have been the most optimal for several reasons so I will give a few alternatives at the end of this post.

The Hike

At the junction of Rim of the World and 2N68 go this way.

   I started my hike from a small turnout on Rim of the World Dr. in Fawnskin. After turning left from Highway 38, I continued up Rim of the World (which quickly becomes a dirt road) for approximately .8 miles until I spotted a turnout on the downhill side of the road. This turnout happened to be just before a "Rough Road" sign so I was fine with parking here. I headed up Rim of the World Rd. for about 1/2 a mile until I reached Forest Route 2N68 on the left. Check out the picture to see what the proper road to follow looks like. In less than a quarter mile, I reached Forest Route 2N80 and decided to take this road off to my right. In hindsight this may not have been the best road to take. 2N80 is a maintained road for a little while, then becomes riddled with fallen tress from when this entire area was burned in 2007 by the Butler 2 Fire.
 

A stretch of 2N80 blocked by fallen trees.

After a 1/2  mile, and climbing over a dozen or so trees, this road dead ends into Snow Slide Rd. After turning left, I continued another mile until the junction with Butler Peak Rd. where I headed left towards my destination. After a short hike I came to a locked gate to keep cars from driving through this dangerously dry area.

The final stretch of road to Butler Peak.

From here I just continued along the road for what seemed like 10 miles. I'm not a big fan of hiking on fire roads that don't have much in the way of foliage and this road as pretty barren save for the countless piles of tree trunks I later learned were cut down to prevent them from falling and blocking the road and were awaiting being sold to the highest bidders. In actuality this section of the trail is just under 2.5 miles but is the most difficult section of the hike. This is where you will gain the largest chunk of elevation and my legs were getting tired from the miles I had already covered. Thankfully there are several places on this stretch were Butler Peak Lookout is in clear view and provided me with the motivation to push on. After about 2 miles I started rounding the final turn and was rewarded with great views of Highway 18 as it snaked along the side of the mountain. Beyond the highway I could see down the valley into Redlands. After a few hundred more feet Butler Peak, with it's historic lookout perched on top, came into view. Suddenly the entire hike was worth it.

Butler Peak Lookout

Rejuvenated by the sight of my destination, I made great time up the last bit of trail and reached the small parking lot below the lookout. I was pleased to see a truck parked which meant the tower was currently manned. A small sign in the parking lot directs hikers up the final leg to a series of stairs that lead to the cat walk surrounding the living quarters.  As I reached the catwalk, a man inside the tower got up from his bed where he was listening to the radio, opened the door, greeted me, and invited me in. After taking off my pack and hat, he began explaining what it is volunteers like him do in these lookouts. Every 30 minutes they scan the area for smoke. If they spot any, they use a very cool mapping device called the Osborne Fire Finder, developed in the 1930's, (apparently the one is this tower was also built then) to report the location of the smoke.

Osborne Fire Finder from the 1930s

By using reports from multiple towers, the Forest Service can then use triangulation to pinpoint the fire's location. During storms, these volunteers also mark the location of any lightning strikes in the area in order to keep an extra close watch since apparently lightning strikes can smolder for up to 2 weeks unnoticed before becoming actual fires. After resting, taking some pictures, and signing the log book I headed back down to my car. On the way back I turned right after the gate to Butler Peak which put me on 2N13. After about a mile I turned right onto an unnamed road because it took me back to Rim of the World Rd. very close to where my car was parked. This was another unmaintained road but was way more passable than the first one I hiked. Towards the very end it became difficult to follow the road but luckily I had a map downloaded to my phone to make it easier. The last bit had me skirting between two areas very clearly labeled "No Trespassing." Fortunately I emerged onto the road without incident. After returning to my car I headed into town for lunch at a local Mexican restaurant. While the hike itself was not the most beautiful one I've done, the views from the lookout are amazing so I highly recommend it. The chance to visit one of these historic towers and get some insight from the people that man them is not to be missed.

Info and Stats

Passes Required: Adventure Pass (to park at the trailhead)

Total Distance: 11.56 miles

Total Elevation: 2,042 feet

Total time: 4 hours, 30 minutes

Getting There

     The trailhead is located on Rim of the World Rd. off of Highway 38 in Fawnskin, CA.

From 210: Take highway 330 north towards Big Bear. In Running Springs, 330 becomes highway 18. Follow highway 18 east towards Big Bear. Just before the dam, turn left on highway 38. Follow highway 38 for about 3.3 miles. Turn left on Rim of the World Road. I parked about .8 up the road in a turnout. You can park farther up the road but make sure your car is not blocking the road.

What I Would Have Done Differently

     In hindsight, on the way to the peak I would have continued going straight on 2N13 instead of turning on 2N80. I'm not sure if this would have shortened my hike but I wouldn't have had to climb over so many fallen trees. Likewise, on my return trip I would have continued on 2N13 instead of turning on the unmarked road. While the unmarked road was beautiful, navigating it was tough towards the end.

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