This pole and wires are decaying monuments to a former system of railroad communication. They stand idle and decaying, having been replaced by microwave facilities and satellites.

This view looks north-northwest from Old State Highway just west of the grade crossing at Bray, California (20 miles northeast of the summit of Mt. Shasta). This route, used mostly by locals and some railfans like me, provides a pleasant diversion from US 97, the highway that superseded it.

The mountain at left is Mt. Hebron. To the right is the flank of Orr Mountain. Union Pacific's main line between California and Oregon is behind the pole. Trains bound for Oregon travel from left to right. There used to be a siding here, but progress eliminated the need for it and it was removed.