CERRO PELADO
New Mexico - Sandoval County - Santa Fe National Forest - 18N-4E-20
September 19, 1916: "Telegraphing by means of the sunshine is now in progress between U.S. forest service rangers at Cerro Pelado and Rabbit mountain, reports Forest Examiner J.W. O'Byrne to the local forest service offices.
As stated last week, when the apparatus arrived, it is a new stunt for the foresters of this section to use the heliograph as a means of communication. Examiner O'Byrne went out to see the instruments set up and heliographing tried out.
At Cerro Pelado there is telephone connection with the forest service system. Rabbit mountain is innocent of telephones. Now, however, with the heliograph, forestry lookouts at Cerro Pelado may exchange messages with Rabbit mountain all day long.
The chap at Rabbit mountain can heliograph his reports to Cerro Pelado and his fellow worker there can transmit them to the district office by telephone. Otherwise, to exchange messages, it would be necessary to make a hard ride of eight to ten miles between the two places.
As long as the sun shines, the Rabbit mountain lookout can utilize its rays to keep in immediate touch with the outside world. If he spots an incipient forest fire, he can immediately radiograph the information to Cerro Pelado and he can demand from the latter place that the results in the big leagues be flashed to him.
In transmitting the messages something similar to the Morse code is used. O'Byrne reports that the men are not as yet rapid senders or receivers but that they soon will be." (The Santa Fe New Mexican)
As stated last week, when the apparatus arrived, it is a new stunt for the foresters of this section to use the heliograph as a means of communication. Examiner O'Byrne went out to see the instruments set up and heliographing tried out.
At Cerro Pelado there is telephone connection with the forest service system. Rabbit mountain is innocent of telephones. Now, however, with the heliograph, forestry lookouts at Cerro Pelado may exchange messages with Rabbit mountain all day long.
The chap at Rabbit mountain can heliograph his reports to Cerro Pelado and his fellow worker there can transmit them to the district office by telephone. Otherwise, to exchange messages, it would be necessary to make a hard ride of eight to ten miles between the two places.
As long as the sun shines, the Rabbit mountain lookout can utilize its rays to keep in immediate touch with the outside world. If he spots an incipient forest fire, he can immediately radiograph the information to Cerro Pelado and he can demand from the latter place that the results in the big leagues be flashed to him.
In transmitting the messages something similar to the Morse code is used. O'Byrne reports that the men are not as yet rapid senders or receivers but that they soon will be." (The Santa Fe New Mexican)
June 28, 1946: "Ernest Salazar, who was an aerial gunner on the USS Yorktown, is a lookout on 11,000-foot Cerro Pelado in the southern part of the Jemez range. He spends 24 hours a day five days a week in a small wood-and-glass tower, anchored to the peak with wire cables to keep it from blowing off. The wind always blows there, only sometimes harder some days than others." (Santa Fe New Mexican)