MEMBERS OF THE SMITHER FAMILY GATHERING AT SIGNAL PEAK ARE PICTURED, TOP ROW, FROM LEFT, APRIL SMITHER, DEB GRAY, JEREMY SMITHER AND BILLY SELLARS; AND BOTTOM ROW, FROM LEFT, HARVEY BRAZIEL, ARETTA SELLARS, BRYON CALDERON, CAP SMITHER, CORYNNE HOEFNER AND CHRISTINE BRAZIEL. ALSO IN ATTENDANCE THAT DAY BUT NOT PICTURED WERE JIM GRAY AND TY WILCOX. The weather was delightful as the Smither family gathered to make their trek to Signal Peak in October. The Signal Peak fire lookout has been part of the lives of several generations of Smithers. It was manned and rebuilt the second time by Thomas Benton Smither in 1911 as a 12 by 16 foot cabin. In September of 1928, Thomas and Olive Smither’s son, Raymond, eloped with Muriel Crumb, and they spent their honeymoon at the 6,990 foot summit. Raymond and Muriel’s son, Cap Smither, also worked at the lookout while employed for the U.S. Forest service.

Cap Smither, a native of Mariposa guided the group through unpaved, dusty, windy road to the top of Signal Peak. As soon as Cap noticed the flag flying at Signal Peak he knew the station was being manned. The group was able to tour inside and outside of the station while taking in the astonishing views.

Cap Smither, retired from the Forest Service, demonstrated how the “Firefinder” a topographical map centered on a horizontal table is used for locating a fire.

There was a feeling of family unity and history at the Signal Peak lookout that day with six generations of Smithers being represented: Thomas and Olive Smither, Raymond and Muriel Smither, Cap Smither, April Wilcox, Christine Braziel, Debby Gray, Jeremy Smither; Billy and Aretta Sellars, Raymond Coyne Smither, who was born five days later to Billy Sellars and Corynne Hoefner, and is Cap Smither’s first great grandson.

The Smither family members and guests sat at the base of the fire lookout for a photo to memorialize the generations of Smithers being represented that day.