What are your memories of Observation Place?
William remembers:
From 1936-1942 I was in Montclair School. I lived deep in the canyon on Pinehaven Rd. (alt 800 ft) due SW of Observation Place. (alt 1400 ft). The direct hiking distance to Observation Place was only 600 yards. The difficulty of the route was an altitude gain of 600 feet, or an average grade of 30%! Great exercise for scruffy urchins! It was a bright and sunny route. The plant cover along the direct path to Observation Place was tall brush ( lots of "Indian Soap Root", Baccharis, Poison Oak, Mimulus aka "Sticky Yellow Monkey Flower" etc.), tufts of perennial native bunch-grass, & Wild Oats, & Foxtail, etc., scant clumps of Elderberry and Buckeyes, few established trees (Eucs, Live Oak, Monterey Pine or Cypress), but scattered young seedlings of the more common species.
