ARIZONA
1927: A 62-foot Aermotor tower and cab was erected.
June 16, 1944: "Elmer Kendall is lookout at the Gentry station, 19 miles south of Heber, his home. This is his first year as a lookout, but he has worked a number of seasons as "smokechaser" and in other capacities." (Winslow Mail)
1965: A 68-foot K-Brace tower with a CL-100 series cab erected.
GOBBLER POINT
1992: National Register of Historical Places: "Grandview Lookout Tree (added 1992 - - #91001945)
June 6, 1941: "At Heliograph peak, the forest service has established a look-out tower where visitors are welcomed and treated to a view of unsurpassed beauty. The mountain is a game preserve and occasionally bear and deer nonchalantly amble across the roads in front of tourist's cars. Many of the animals have become so used to humans that they are almost pets." (Arizona Silver Belt - Miami)
1988: National Register of Historical Places: "Heliograph Lookout Complex (added 1988 - - #87002467)
HULL TANK (TREE)
1992: National Register of Historical Places: "Hull Tank Lookout Tree (added 1992 - - #91001947)
HUMBOLDT MOUNTAIN
May 2, 1940: "A lookout house has been constructed on Humboldt peak, Mr. Kirby, forest supervisor, said, its principal purpose being the detection of fires on the west slopes of the Mazatzal range. Radio communication will be maintained between this lookout and the one on Mount Ord on the Mazatzal mountains, he said." (Arizona Independent Republic)
1958: A CL-100 cab erected on a steel K-Brace tower.
HUTCH MOUNTAIN
September 18, 1935: "The tower on Mahan is in fairly good condition but if possible I would like to replace it with a tower on Hutch Mountain. Hutch Mountain is a higher point and covers all of the country which Mahan sees as well as the area north of it which is blind to Mahan.
Your approval is requested to replace the Bakers Butte and Mahan towers with standard Region 3, 30-ft. towers with living quarters on top. If the replacement of these towers is approved, it is planned to order the new towers from E.C.F. this winter and put them up in the spring with CCC labor." (Memorandum for Regional Forester from Forest Supervisor, Coconino N.F.)
September 19, 1935: "We agree with you that the tower on Bakers Butte should be replaced by the standard 30-ft. tower with living quarters on top, if you feel that a 30-ft. tower is high enough.
We are willing to approve a similar tower for Hutch Mountain if you have determined that a 30-ft. structure will be ample. If I remember correctly some one made a study back in Drake's or Guthrie's time which indicated that Mahan had certain advantages over Hutch for some of the bad fire country unless a high tower were constructed on Hutch. Of course everything had to be packed and that may have been considered. The area north and east of Hutch that is blind from Mahan is fairly well covered by other lookouts including Chevalon. If I remember correctly, the largest fire in that country in the past sixteen years was seven or eight acres.
If you do build a new layout on Hutch, we would recommend that the present layout on Mahan be left intact for use by emergency firemen and as a camp for district rangers." (Memorandum for Forest Supervisor, Coconino N.F. from Assistant Regional Forester)
September 25, 1935: "I have looked into the matter of new towers for Bakers Butte and Hutch Mountain and found that the 30-ft. structure at either place would be ample to cover the fire country. I am sure that a 30-ft. tower on Hutch Mountain will cover all of the country now covered by Mahan as well as a direct view into the Sawmill Springs Unit, and a great deal of the north end of the Forest which is now blind from Mahan.
I also made a preliminary location for a truck trail to the top of Hutch Mountain. This is all easy construction and will be about 2 1/2 or 3 miles of truck trail. However, the Region plan dies not at present provide for a truck trail to this point. It would be appreciated if we could secure approval to add this spur to project No. 135 to the top of Hutch Mountain. If such an approval, is granted, I would plan to do at least a part of this clearing for this truck trail before winter." (Memorandum for Regional Forester from Forest Supervisor, Coconino N.F.)
1936: A 30-foot Aermotor model MC-24 tower with a 12x12 cab constructed to replace the lookout at Mahan Mountain.
November 19, 1963: " Plans - FY-1965.
Attached herewith is form 1300-4 covering the construction of a new lookout on Hutch Mountain. This lookout is fast becoming a safety problem due to its overall condition and age of the structure.
The cabin is a substandard 10'x10' which is very inadequate for occupancy and lookout duties.
Replacement of this lookout should be programmed within the next five years." (To: Forest Supervisor, Coconino NF, from Long Valley District Ranger)
2008: In the fall a steel catwalk was added.
KANABOWNITZ
KINNY BUTTE
LAKE MOUNTAIN
1926: A 49-foot Aermotor model LX-24 tower with a 7x7 cab was erected.
1930's: A stair kit was installed to make access easier.
June 16, 1944: "The Lake Mountain lookout is manned by Noah E. Woods, of Lakeside. The station is 20 miles east of Lakeside, and overlooks part of the Apache forest, a portion of the Apache reservation, and the east side of Sitgreaves." (Winslow Mail)
1988: National Register of Historical Places: "Lake Mountain Lookout Complex (added 1988 - - #87002453)
LEE BUTTE
August 13, 1932: "We would suggest that a 40-ft. tower be purchased for Lee Butte. We would prefer the inside ladder although would not object seriously to an outside ladder if cheaper. Munro and I recently covered both Lee Butte and Rock Top and decided that Lee Butte will be a better location than Rock Top since we can easily construct a road to the top of Lee Butte whereas it would be practically impossible to get closer than three or four hundred yards from the top of Rock Top. The view from Lee Butte seems to be fully as good as that from Rock Top." (O-Improvement, Coconino N.F., letter to Regional Forester from Forest Supervisor)
September 7, 1933: "Dear Sir: Reference is made to our wire of June 24 ordering 4 steel lookout towers with 7x7 cab for shipment to several points in this Region.
The Forests are beginning to inquire about the status of this order since the season is advancing and possible moves of ECW camps to new locations may prevent building of the towers unless they are received shortly.
We should be interested to know just when we may expect these lookout towers. (Letter to The Forester, Wash. D.C. from Regional Forester, Region 3)
September 19, 1933: "Replying to your letter of September 7, the orders for the lookout towers have been placed and copies have been sent to you. It is expected that all towers will be shipped before October 15 inasmuch as a as a penalty attaches to any towers not shipped at that time.
Accordingly, the towers should be received by you soon after the 15th of October, and some may arrive before that time." "Coconino - Lee Butte 45' " (Letter to Regional Forester, Region 3 from The Forester, Wash. D.C.)
1934: "Lee Butte Lookout Tower, cabin, cistern and road. Road approximately one mile long." (O-Improvement, Coconino N.F.)
October 5, 1949: "Three of the guy wires at the Lee Butte Lookout Tower need immediate repair. The fourth has previously been broken and the proper repairs made.
What is need is three 3/4 anchor bolts with welded eyes. Their length should be approximately 3 feet. These anchor bolts should be placed in the deadmen at their respective locations and guy cables attached.
The guy wire cables were placed immediately into the cement in the deadmen and have rusted at their entry into the cement. One guy has broken completely, and the other two would probably break under strain.
There is a pile of sand at Lee Spring. This with about two sacks of cement could be used to set the anchor bolts in the present deadmen after they were star drilled." (F-Improvements, Coconino N.F.)
October 9, 1950: "The present wall telephone set at Lee Butte Lookout Tower should be replaced by a suitable hand set." (F-Improvements, Coconino N.F.)
1988: National Register of Historical Places: "Lee Butte Lookout Tower and Cabin (added 1988 - - #87002461)
LITTLE MOUNTAIN (TREE)
ot In Use"
MAHAN MOUNTAIN
May 22, 1914: "A small forest fire of less than five acres near Lockwood Spring was reported to the local Supervisor from seven different lookout stations, the farthest station from the fire was thirty miles away, located at Mahan mountain. The forest office reports that rain last week Thursday started fourteen fires, all but two were kept down to less than a quarter of an acre." (The Coconino Sun)
May 1916: "As soon as Carpenter Fisher completes the Blue Ridge Cabin he will come to Mahan Mt. and build a cabin for the lookout, similar to the cabin he built in 1915 at Baker's Butte." (The Ranger)
July 13, 1922: "We are working on the new Mahan tower at the present time, and it is going to cost more than we figured to complete it. We should build a new cabin, similar to the one just completed on Woody Mountain for the lookout. We should, likewise, build a cement cistern. It will cost $350-375 to build this type of cabin that we want, and it will take the balance of the $600 to build the cistern and complete the tower. I would, therefore, like to have your permission to abandon the Mormon Lake lookout project for this year, with the understanding that the funds will be transferred and used on the completion of the Mahan tower and for the construction of a cabin and cistern on top of Mahan Mountain." (O-Improvement - Letter to the District Forester)
August 15, 1922: "The tower we purchased this year for the Mahan Lookout was secured from the Aermotor Company at a cost of $240; this is a 30-foot tower and is very satisfactory, meeting our needs in every way." (To the District Forester from the Forest Supervisor)
September 18, 1935: "The tower on Mahan is in fairly good condition but if possible I would like to replace it with a tower on Hutch Mountain." (O-Improvement Memo for Regional Forester from Forest Supervisor, Coconino NF)
MANZANITA
McKAY PEAK
MERRILL PEAK
MICA MOUNTAIN
July 10, 1975: "When not fighting fires -- usually caused by summer lightning storms -- the aides do trail maintenance work, repair buildings and other equipment in Manning Camp, pack supplies to lookouts on Happy Valley Knoll -- five miles from Manning -- and take turns manning a 100-foot lookout tower perched on the highest point on Mica Mountain." (Tucson Daily Citizen) (Note: Before the helicopter, all supplies were packed in over a ten mile trail to Manning Camp.)
MOORE CREEK / PERLEY CREEK TREE
2009: Has steel telephone pole bolts for steps. No crow's nest. has a circular driveway at base. Probably used as a patrol lookout.
MOQUI
January 23, 1951: "Part of the cost of erecting a new lookout tower on Blue Ridge has been set up in the slash disposal account. The balance, approximately $4800.00, was to have come from P%M funds. We have been informally advised that the entire job may be done with slash money. If this can be done, we will proceed with the job in 1951." (F-Plans - Coconino-General)
January 17, 1952: "The forest service has called for bids on a 54-foot steel lookout tower to be erected on Blue Ridge, about 10-miles northeast of Long Valley, Coconino National Forest officials said today.
The tower will give better fire detection service to an area where considerable logging is underway with heavy accumulations of slash, forest officials said.
At present the area is covered from a tall tree, which has been topped and in which a lookouts stationed during the fire season.
The new tower will have a 14x14 foot square cab at the top which will provide living as well as working quarters for the lookout, it was explained.
Bids on the tower will be received until 2 p.m., Feb. 8. Specifications and full details can be obtained at the forest service offices in the post office building." (Arizona Daily Sun)
November 9, 1953: "An 81-foot lookout tower is being erected on Blue Ridge about 46 miles southeast of Flagstaff, a few miles east of Long Valley, Coconino national Forest Supervisor Kenneth A. Keeney has announced. About half of the tower is completed. The new lookout tower will provide a clear view of more than 60,000 acres of valuable timber, and will also be of value in spotting fires outside of the immediate area. The lookout should be completed and ready for use when forest fire season reopens next spring." (Arizona Daily Sun)
May 7, 1954: "I inspected the construction work on the Moqui Lookout Tower on the afternoon of May 6, 1954.
While I was very favorably impressed with the progress of the job, I was amazed at the complete disregard for common-sense rules of safety which I encountered.
The catwalk surrounding the cab was in place and its guard-rails properly installed. The crew all wore hard hats. With these exceptions, safety measures failed to exist.
(1) The 2x4s which are to support the sub-floor of the cab have been installed, forming an open lattice. One member of the crew, apparently in an attempt to impress me with his surefootedness, walked across one of the center 2x4s. While I might have admired his skill in doing so, I take a very dim view of his attitude toward safety on the job. After pointing out that a slip would result in a very messy job of clean-up work on the lower steel, or on the ground, I insisted that planks be placed across the 2x4s and all walking be confined to them. Only one 2x12 was available for this purpose. This provided minimum safety, which was my only reason fot not shutting down the job immediately.
(2) As is usually the case, certain steel members fitted rather crudely. To lever them into place required the concerted efforts of all four men in the crew. These men stood on whatever was available, apparently with the hope that nothing would slip. The potentialities of an accident involving two or more fatalities were too numerous to mention.
(3) There was no staging at an intermediate level below the work area. Any fall would almost inevitably have been for the full 80 feet from the catwalk to the ground.
I left the crew bolting into place the steel frames below the window level. All of this work could be done from the catwalk, and with minimum hazard.
Upon my return I phoned Mr. Adams and advised him of my findings. He agreed to visit the job first thing on the morning of May 7, and take care of all of the safety measures necessary. He is also to discuss construction safety with the crew, especially the foreman. Since safety on this particular job is his complete responsibility, I shall expect him to stay with the crew until he is fully satisfied that the work is being conducted in the proper manner. K.A. Keeney, Forest Supervisor" (K-Safety - Coconino, General)
1988: National Register of Historical Places: "Moqui Lookout Cabin (added 1988 - - #87002457)
MOUNT KELLOGG
MOUNT ORD
1936: A 60-foot Aermotor MC-39 with a 7x7 cab was erected.
June 17, 1976: "Four persons were evacuated from atop Mt Ord by helicopter shortly after the fire began. Two were forest service personnel who man a fire lookout tower atop the mountain. The others apparently were there to service radio equipment operated by a number of utility companies and others." (Arizona Daily Sun)
1983: The old tower was replaced with an approximately 100-foot K-Brace steel tower with a CL-100 cab. The old tower was to be moved to a park in Phoenix, but instead ended up at a museum in Payson.
MOUNT WRIGHTSON BALDY
May 14, 1922: "Reports of a forest fire in the Huachucas proved to be unfounded yesterday afternoon when the lookout station of the forest service on Mount Baldy, in the Santa Ritas, reported that the fire was apparently only from a small building or burning rubbish. The same station had reported earlier in the day a pillar of smoke, thought to be from a forest fire, was apparent in the San Rafael grant district.
The Baldy lookout station reported yesterday that a forest fire had been observed yesterday afternoon in Mexico, apparently about 30 miles south of Nogales. Although the fire appears to be of fairly large proportions, it will not offer any problem to United States forests, since the distance between it and the border is too great and the region too sparsely timbered." (Tombstone Epitaph)
MUNDS PARK
OAK RIDGE
ODART MOUNTAIN
O'HACO
1966: A 100-foot Aermotor model LS-40 tower with a 7x7 cab was erected. This is one of the newest lookout sites in the state.
OLD SUMMIT
PINEY HILL
P S KNOLL
1939: A 46-foot Aermotor MC-40 tower with 7x7 cab was erected by the Civilian Conservation Corps.
1988: National Register of Historical Places: "PS Knoll Lookout Complex (added 1988 - - #87002451)
RED HILL
Kaibab National Forest - 24N-4E-17 - Coconino County
RED MOUNTAIN
RENO
Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest - 3N-28E-10 - Greenlee County
June 1, 2011: "A fire started a few days ago just a couple miles from Reno Fire Lookout (the Wallow Fire) on the A-S National Forest (AZ). It is romping and as of yesterday Reno completely disappeared into the smoke. Awaiting news as to the fate of the tower." (Zeyn O'Leary, Rose Peak Lookout)
June 2, 2011: "The Reno Lookout is safe. A successful burnout operation was done around the tower. Next worry...the town of Alpine. Fire is now 40,000 acres +. It moved 7 miles last night." (Zeyn O'Leary, Rose Peak Lookout)
RIM COUNTRY MUSEUM (PAYSON)
This lookout is the cab and top 15 feet of the old Mount Ord lookout that was replaced in the early 1980's. Now displayed, along with many interesting exhibits, at the Museum in Payson.
ROOF BUTTE
ROUND MOUNTAIN
ROUND TOP
SADDLE MOUNTAIN
Coconino National Forest - 24N-6E-26 - Coconino County
SENTINEL PEAK
SIGNAL HILL
1926: "A telephone line was built this fall from Pasture Wash Ranger station to Signal Hill near Bass Camp. A fire lookout was established at Signal Hill and gives observation on Powell Plateau and Swamp Point ridge, areas where the greatest fire hazards exist." (Report of the Director of the National Park Service)
SIGNAL PEAK
SILVER PEAK
May 21, 1945: "The third woman to serve as a lookout for spotting fires during the current dry season in the Coronado forest, Mrs. Lyn Stevenson, winter hostess of Desert Grove ranch, went to assume her new duties atop Silver peak, in the Chiricahua mountains today.
Due to the acute shortage of men due to the war it has become necessary in the past three years to employ women in this type of work, C.A. Merker, Coronado national forest supervisor states, and it has been discovered that women so employed compare favorably with men.
The other two women lookouts are Mrs. Gloria McCauley, wife of Ranger Gilbert McCauley, stationed at Monta Vista in the Chiricahuas; and Mrs. Alice Hultz, stationed at Sentinel peak, also in the Chiricahuas.
Evel Nave, ranger of the Chiricahuas, concurs with Merker in the estimate of women lookouts. When not looking for fires their time is spent knitting or sewing." (Tucson Daily Citizen)
1988: National Register of Historical Places: "Silver Peak Lookout Complex (added 1988 - - #87002469)
SKINNER RIDGE
SLATE MOUNTAIN
Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest - 9N-23E-30 - Navaho County
SPRINGER MOUNTAIN
1933: An Aermotor MC-24 was erected on a 31'6" tower.
June 16, 1944: "Mrs. Armitta G. Younis, teacher during the winter months in the Joseph City school, is lookout at Springer Mountain lookout, 4 miles from Lakeside." (Winslow Mail)
1967: The lookout cab was remodeled, included were all the windows were replaced.
TATER POINT (TREE)
1992: National Register of Historical Places: "Tater Point Lookout Tree (added 1992 - - #91001946)
TELEPHONE HILL (TREE)
1992: National Register of Historical Places: "Telephone Hill Lookout Tree (added 1992 - - #91001952)
THORNTON
THUMB BUTTE
1911: Thumb Butte first used as a daily patrol lookout to supplement the primary lookouts on Mt. Union and the Derby mine in the Sierra Prietta range.
TIPOVER (TREE)
1992: National Register of Historical Places: "Tipover Lookout Tree (added 1992 - - #91001953)
April 27, 1921: "After about a week spent on the Prescott forest, J.C. Kircher, fire prevention specialist from the Albuquerque office, has approved the plans of Supervisor H.B. Wales for the construction of four lookout towers in the Prescott district. During their inspection trip Kircher and Wales went to the tops of Mount Union, Spruce mountain, Mingus mountain and Table mountain in the Crown King district and have planned that the towers be erected at these points." (Arizona Daily Star)
February 1, 1924: "A tower on Tower mountain has been completed, but the apparatus for locating smoke and equipment for fire fighting have not yet been installed." (Phoenix Arizona Republican)
September 20, 1933: "Two of the five lookout stations on the Prescott national forest will be modernized with a new type of steel tower, 30 feet in height, it was announced today by Chief Clerk Lyman C. Kiddoo.
One of them will be erected probably by Camp Bucky O'Neill (Groom creek) emergency conservation workers, at the Mount Union station in the near future; the other will go up near Crown King on Tower mountain.
Atop the steel towers will be cabins 12x12 feet in dimension, sufficient in size for permanent living quarters, to obviate the necessity of the lookouts' having to live in a cabin on the ground and climb up and down. The new towers also will make it possible to keep a fire in the cabins in cold weather, which is impossible in the present ones. The sides will be glassed in. Thorough insulation against lightning will be installed. Of more rigid construction than the wooden towers, the new ones of steel will be shaken very little by high winds that howl by on occasions." (Prescott Evening Courier)
May 17, 1938: "Ranger W.H. Cole of the Prescott National Forest, placed John F. Alpine, on the Tower mountain lookout in the Crown King district." (Prescott Evening Courier)
TURKEY BUTTE
Coconino National Forest - 19N-5E-18 - Coconino County
1937: A CCC crew erected a 30-foot tall steel MC-24 tower with the standard 12 x 12 foot cab. (R-3 Fire Tower Inventory Form, no date)
November 5, 1954: "TEN YEARS AGO" "Vance C. White, local game warden, was successful in bagging a good-sized black bear last Friday while hunting in Mooney Canyon district 30 miles south of Flagstaff. The animal was 150 feet below the rim of the canyon and nearly rolled off a 1,000 foot drop when killed. White who was aided by Dave Joy, veteran lookout at Turkey Butte for the forest service, would have had to come home empty handed if this had happened." (Arizona Daily Sun)
May 23, 1958: "Two men who were feared lost in the rugged wilds of Sycamore Canyon walked out of the forest at Clarksdale Thursday afternoon.
An extensive ground search for Robert Legg, general assistant Flagstaff district ranger of the Coconino Forest, and Taylor Sheffield, state employed lookout at Turkey Butte, reported they walked on through the forest rather than try to climb back out of the rugged canyon.
They came out of the canyon some 25 miles from where they parked their pickup Tuesday.
Dean Earl, fire warden of the Coconino, said Sheffield became sick on the second day and this prompted the men to continue on to the lower end of the canyon rather than come back to where they had parked their truck.
Legg returned to Sycamore Canyon Friday to continue his mineral right survey." (Arizona Daily Sun)
TUSAYAN (TREE)
1992: National Register of Historical Places: "Tusayan Lookout Tree (added 1992 - - #91001951)
VERDE VALLEY
April 1, 1931: "William T. Anderson will go on duty tomorrow morning as a lookout in the Verde district, at a station between Jerome and Clarkdale. He will be the first lookout to go on duty this year." (Prescott Evening Courier)
August 21, 1933: "Because of the rain, Supervisor Frank Grubb of the Prescott national forest has taken off three of the five lookouts, Tower mountain, Mount Union and Mingus mountain. Some time ago the Spruce mountain lookout was taken off. That leaves the Verde valley lookout still on duty, but it is possible that he will also be taken off when the grass gets a good start in his district. It takes only a little bit of dry weather for the grass to shrivel and constitute a fire hazard." (Prescott Evening Courier)
July 26, 1938: "The forest service has recently completed the construction of the fire look out cabin near the highway between Clarkdale and Jerome. The ground was donated by the Upper Verde Public Utilities corporation. A lookout is being maintained in this location from April 1 to July 31." (Prescott Evening Courier)
August 29, 1949: "The Verde valley lookout station is the only one that is not manned at this time." (Prescott Evening Courier)
April 19, 1950: "Last Thursday A.R. Cannell, fire lookout at the Verde station, spotted a fire on the edge of the highway below Jerome.
Cannell, with three men, went to the fire and extinguished it with Indian pumps and fire fighting tools. The blaze burned over about 1 ½ acres of grass and brush. It had been started apparently by the lighted cigarette of a careless motorist.
The fire had started in tumbleweeds piled along the roadside by the wind." (Prescott Evening Courier)
WASHINGTON PEAK
WEST PEAK
Coronado National Forest - Graham County
June 26, 1964: "A few months away from civilization may seem like an ideal situation at times--until it becomes a reality.
"It doesn't bother me," claims Robert Lee, who spends two to three and a half months in a remote Graham Mountains spot each year scanning for possible forest fires.
But he has seen non-drinking fire-watchers plunge into a two-week drunk after a lonely month in the forests. Others just pack up and leave without word--or bothering to pick up their pay.
Lee is a little more fortunate than some of his co-workers. He heads a three-man post and there is usually someone to talk to.
This, however, doesn't do away with the loneliness of the job, according to Lee, who has seen about a dozen men walk off their posts during his six years at West Peak.
Helping Lee man the 50-foot high lookout tower this year are Burr McRae, a senior at Brigham Young University, and Leroy Long, a senior at the University of Arizona." (Tucson Daily Citizen)
1988: National Register of Historical Places: "West Peak Lookout Tower (added 1988 - - #87002466)
WHITNEY PASS
WILLIAMS VALLEY
WILLOW MOUNTAIN
WING MOUNTAIN
WOODY MOUNTAIN
Coconino National Forest - 20N-6E-3 - Coconino County
March 24, 1911: "Ranger J.J. Fisher, assisted by Jack Wolfe, is building a forest service telephone line from Flagstaff to Rogers Lake ranger station. There will be one station between, at Woody Hill, which will be used as a lookout station for fires. The new line cuts off the Camp Verde line about five miles out of the city. A part of the line will be attached to trees. The A.L. & T. Co. contemplate carrying the line on down to their logging camps from Rogers Lake. When completed the line will be over twenty miles in length." (The Coconino Sun)
January 20, 1912: Woody Mountain was chosen as a primary lookout point at which a man is stationed at all times. The lookout has telephone connection with the Supervisor's office. (Winslow Mail)
1922: A wood tower with cab was constructed.
1936: A CCC crew erected a 46-foot Pacific Coast Steel Company tower with a 7x7 cab.