Breckenridge Peak Fire Lookout

      Breckenridge Lookout is located in the Sequoia National Forest, Greenhorn District, in Township 28 S, Range 32 E, Section 31, at an elevation of 7,548 feet, and is the Southern most lookout on the Sequoia National Forest. Breckenridge lookouts also man a patrol in the early morning hours and have continually been of great help to the BLM and Kern County Fire Fighters.

      It is located approximately 50 miles east of Bakersfield off of the Caliente-Bodfish Road on Forest Service Road 28S62. This fire detection location was established in 1912; the original lookout being a crows nest observation platform in a tree on the top of the mountain. The current lookout is a “C-3” style live−in cab, was built in 1942 by the Civilian Conservation Corps and as such is considered a historically significant structure. Breckenridge has been accepted to the National Historic Lookout Register. The lookout is staffed full time during fire season and generally open to the public. Some of the information is courtsey of Buck Rock Foundation.

      Loren Ross spent time traveling to other SQF guard stations and fire lookouts, providing his own labor and materials to maintain several of those facilities, including Breckenridge Lookout where he repaired components on the outrigger shutter system. SQF FMO Scott Williams initiated the inspection of the lightning protection system of all four of the Kern River RD lookouts and found that while Bald Mt was operationally sound, Breckenridge was not. The SQF has contracted for a complete grounding system inspection and necessary upgrades or repairs to be made on all 10 of its remaining lookouts.