1989 Map of Observation Peak

About this map

Madeline Plains dominates the northern expanse of this Lassen County landscape, where the flat basin meets the rising slopes of the Skedaddle Mountains. The most prominent landmark is Observation Peak, reaching nearly 8,000 feet and topped by the Observation Peak Lookout Tower, providing a strategic vantage point over the high desert terrain. Water sources are critical in this arid environment, marked by several distinct sites such as Pothole Spring, Cottonwood Spring, and the drainage of Painters Creek. Human presence is sparse, centered on the Madeline Ranch and a network of 4wd tracks that navigate the foothills. A small Cem is located near the eastern edge of the quadrangle, while a Borrow Pit and a long Levee suggest the ongoing management of the plains' limited resources and drainage patterns during the late 1980s.