SKAMANIA COUNTY
LOOKOUT MOUNTAIN
Gifford Pinchot National Forest
4N-6E-29
4N-6E-29
June 3, 1919: "Lookout mountain, in the Columbia national forest, will be provided with a lookout this summer." (Oregonian)
August 27, 1920: "John Meyers of Carson, employed on the Columbia national forest as fireman at Lookout mountain, has just finished a standard lookout house on the summit of Lookout mountain. The materials for this house, ready cut, were packed from the Wind river valley, 13 miles, over rough mountain trails. This is one of several lookouts of this character which have been constructed on the Columbian forest within the last year or two. This lookout point is located in the middle of what is known as the Yacolt Burn and covers approximately 100,000 acres of country. on which a magnificent stand of timber was killed in 1902. The entire area is now covered with a stand of young trees, which will produce railroad ties and other forest products in the future." (The Semi-Weekly Spokesman-Review)
October 5, 1920: "Lookout Mountain lookout was one of three built on the Columbia national forest this year. (The Oregon Daily Journal)
August 19, 1927: "Whipped into fresh fury by a strong east wind, forest fires in the Columbia national forest in Washington.
All crews had to be removed from the Siouxon fire district at once before the advance of the flames. Replacement for the ranks of fire fighters were sent today from Portland. It was believed that the Siouxon, Gumboot and Look Out mountain lookout stations will be burned. Instruments have been removed and the houses abandoned." (Statesman Journal)
September 1933: "On August 29 while at Lookout Mountain Camp on the Columbia, a severe lightning storm took place. A fire was set by the lightning in an old snag not more than 150 feet from the lookout cabin. At 5:45 p.m. the lookout reported the fire to Camp Supt. Erickson at F-43. At 5:50 p.m. five members of Co. 605 were en route to the fire via truck. Leaving the truck at a point along the road, the crew of 5 climbed to the ridge arriving at the fire at 6:12 p.m. At 7:00 p.m. the snag was down and the fire out. Albert Wisendanger" (Six Twenty-Six)
May 5, 1964: "A major change in forest fire detection in the Gifford Pinchot National Forest was announced today by Ross W. Williams, forest supervisor, in Vancouver.
Regularly scheduled air patrols by trained observers this summer are expected to replace coverage heretofore provided by an extensive system of lookouts.
The 37 regular and emergency lookout stations manned in previous years will be reduced to just six regularly manned lookouts during the coming fire season.
The six stations retained will help provide communications coverage for the forest -- the primary reason for their retention.
One of the retained stations will be Lookout Mountain, Canyon Creek District." (Longview Daily News)
Regularly scheduled air patrols by trained observers this summer are expected to replace coverage heretofore provided by an extensive system of lookouts.
The 37 regular and emergency lookout stations manned in previous years will be reduced to just six regularly manned lookouts during the coming fire season.
The six stations retained will help provide communications coverage for the forest -- the primary reason for their retention.
One of the retained stations will be Lookout Mountain, Canyon Creek District." (Longview Daily News)
Removed
DESIGNATION - LOOKOUT MOUNTAIN
PID - RD2109
STATE/COUNTY- WA/SKAMANIA
COUNTRY - US
USGS QUAD - LOOKOUT MTN (1994)
STATION DESCRIPTION
DESCRIBED BY US ENGINEERS 1946 (EBB)
ABOUT 8 MILES WEST OF THE HEMLOCK RANGER STATION ON THE SUMMIT
OF LOOKOUT MOUNTAIN IN THE COLUMBIA NATIONAL FOREST.
TO REACH FROM THE HEMLOCK RANGER STATION. GO WEST ON THE
LOOKOUT MOUNTAIN ROAD FOR 0.1 MILE, PASS THROUGH A BOARD GATE AND
GO SOUTH AND WEST FOR 7.6 MILES, TAKE THE LEFT HAND FORK AND
CONTINUE WEST FOR 4.6 MILES (AZIMUTH MARK), TAKE THE RIGHT HAND
FORK AND GO WEST FOR 0.9 MILE, CONTINUE STRAIGHT AHEAD AS PER THE
SIGN READING SUNSET G.S. 15 AND GO WEST FOR 0.3 MILE, TAKE THE
RIGHT HAND FORK AND GO SOUTH, DOWN GRADE, FOR 0.7 MILE, TAKE
THE LEFT HAND FORK AS PER THE SIGN READING LOOKOUT MTN. L.O.
AND GO EAST AND NORTH UP THE STEEP GRADE FOR 1.1 MILE TO THE
SUMMIT AND THE STATION.
REFERENCE MARK NUMBER 1 (U.S.ARMY) IS A U.S.ARMY CORPS OF
ENGINEERS MAP CONTROL STATION, STAMPED REF MK NO 1, SET IN THE TOP
OF A SQUARE CONCRETE POST THAT IS FLUSH WITH THE GROUND AND IS
ABOUT 5 FEET HIGHER THAN THE STATION. IT IS LOCATED UNDER THE
CENTER OF THE FOREST SERVICE LOOKOUT TOWER.