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Ksolem
Trad climber
Monrovia, California
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Topic Author's Original Post - Jul 28, 2011 - 08:25pm PT
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Bad news!
I just got an email from a friend who lives in Ponderosa. In an event apparently unrelated to the Lion Fire burning nearby, the Lookout at The Needles was destroyed by fire at about noon today.
Margee is fine. The cause is not known. This is no gag, my friend sent me numerous pictures which I'll post if he gives me permission.
I am seriously bummed.
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klk
Trad climber
cali
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Jul 28, 2011 - 08:25pm PT
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wow. bummer
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Levy
Big Wall climber
So Cal
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Jul 28, 2011 - 08:26pm PT
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WTF??
That really sucks.
I'm glad nobody got hurt. I'd imagine they won't replace the lookout due to prohibitive costs in this age of dwindling budgets.
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Ghost
climber
A long way from where I started
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Jul 28, 2011 - 08:32pm PT
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An icon if there ever was one.
Actually that goes for both the lookout and its occupant.
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Fat Dad
Trad climber
Los Angeles, CA
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Jul 28, 2011 - 08:35pm PT
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Wow! I was just up there (and met Margee for the first time) weekend before last, checking out the Lion fire in part. Very sad news for a very cool lady.
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TGT
Social climber
So Cal
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Jul 28, 2011 - 08:39pm PT
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This really sucks!
Post pics when you have em' Kris
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Ksolem
Trad climber
Monrovia, California
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Topic Author's Reply - Jul 28, 2011 - 08:51pm PT
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Slater
Trad climber
Central Coast
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Jul 28, 2011 - 08:55pm PT
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Dude, that sucks!
Surely they'll rebuild!?
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labrat
Trad climber
Nevada City, CA
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Jul 28, 2011 - 09:15pm PT
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Sad day indeed :-(
Hope they replace the lookout.
Erik
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Morgan
Trad climber
East Coast
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Jul 28, 2011 - 09:19pm PT
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I don't know that area, but it looks like an excellent 360-degree view for spotting fires. And doesn't the fire sort of prove the need to have a lookout like that one. There must have been serious flames because the lookout seems like it's on some pretty bare rock. Maybe the staircase was a primary fuel source?
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Todd Gordon
Trad climber
Joshua Tree, Cal
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Jul 28, 2011 - 09:19pm PT
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Too bad;...sorry to hear this;.......end of an era for Margee;.....during the 80s we were always happy to go visit Margee;....the lovely young lady who lived in the lookout tower at the Needles........I saw her a few years ago;...it was good to see her after a couple of decades in between. She will find a new quest in life, I'm sure.........
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Ksolem
Trad climber
Monrovia, California
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Topic Author's Reply - Jul 28, 2011 - 09:28pm PT
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If anyone has contact info for Margee, please email it to me? All I have is the phone number in the tower (installed last summer) which obviously will not work.
I'll send her a letter c/o the Forest Service station up there but anything more direct would be nice...
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BillO
Trad climber
Yachats, OR
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Jul 28, 2011 - 09:58pm PT
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Such sad news. Margee and the Lookout were iconic.
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bluering
Trad climber
Santa Clara, CA
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Jul 28, 2011 - 10:27pm PT
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I can't see why they wouldn't rebuild it.
Still sucks for Margee though....
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k-man
Gym climber
SCruz
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Jul 28, 2011 - 10:39pm PT
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Wow, such a wonderful piece of history ...
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Crimpergirl
Sport climber
Boulder, Colorado!
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Jul 28, 2011 - 10:47pm PT
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Whoa. Terrible news. Glad M is okay though. RIP lookout.
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XavierLV
Trad climber
Las Vegas, Nevada
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Jul 28, 2011 - 11:12pm PT
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Very sad... Good memories.
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Ksolem
Trad climber
Monrovia, California
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Topic Author's Reply - Jul 28, 2011 - 11:16pm PT
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It's just such a loss. Not just the tower but the contents. Guidebooks annotated by great climbers, signed posters, a large collection of hand drawn topos, an amazing collection of handmade pottery, the newly restored US Navy ship's telescope, and so on... Fortunately I copied the climbing related materials with a good camera last year. Still those were originals...
Good news that Margee is okay. I hope her little kitty, named Needles, is okay too.
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Fat Dad
Trad climber
Los Angeles, CA
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Jul 28, 2011 - 11:21pm PT
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One in our party got her email so he could email a pic of her. I'll see if I can get it from him.
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socalbolter
Sport climber
Silverado, CA
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Jul 28, 2011 - 11:27pm PT
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Sad news...the needles won't be the same without the lookout on the skyline and Margee's cookies at the end of the day.
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