Chuchupate 900 California Condor Eben McMillan October 1964 A dense smog filled the San Joaquin Valley as Gladys and I drove towards Frazier Mountain. The desert situation near Blackwells Corner is increasing in size. In the development of a desert there must first be a starting point. Blackwells Corner has now grown out of the desert starting stage - Hundreds of Buzzards Sunning their wings near Old River 200m of Bakersfield We climbed above the smog at Lebec. The cubby Canyon from Frazier Park upwards was clear and cool. At Chuchupate Ranger Station I met Ranger Gary Plisco in the main office, he was chatting with another Forest Service man and seemed disinterested in Condor. We did divert his attention my way for one moment and stated he had seen 21 Condor when he was on the Santa Barbara fire. When I asked him the date he said, "Let's see, it was one of those days of thick fog". He thought it was about 27 September, just past noon, on Romeropk behind Santa Barbara. The Condor circled above him for about 15 minutes before they left for the Ojai area. Plisco said he and two other men saw them. Obviously busy with other matters of more import Mr. Plisco remained disinterested so I took my leave of his Office and drove to Lookout on top of Frazier mountain, which is still manned by Mr., and Mrs. Upham. We had been at lookout on Frazier Mountain only about 10 minutes when a Condor circled up out of the deep canyon northeast of the Lookout, rising as much as 500 feet at each circle and was soon well above the east Frazier ridge where it remained in the area for 10 minutes