ARIZONA LOOKOUTS
AZTEC PEAK
Gila County
Tonto National Forest
5N-14E-3
Tonto National Forest
5N-14E-3
October 11, 1930: "T.T. Swift, supervisor of Tonto National forest, was at Aztec Peak yesterday supervising construction of a lookout tower and cabin." (The Arizona Republican)
June 5, 1939: "May Lavera Mowry and Bevis Cox, popular couple of this community (Young), were married Thursday in Heber. Mr. Cox will be lookout this summer at Aztec Peak." (Arizona Independent Republic)
May 9, 1940: "Two lookouts and one fireman were added to the fire-suppression force of the Tonto National Forest, F. Lee Kirby, forest supervisor, announced yesterday.
The first two lookouts were placed on duty last week. They are Charles C. Ewell at Mount Ord in the Mazatzal range and John J. Stanley at the Aztec Peak lookout in the Sierra Ancha mountains." (Arizona Independent Republic)
1956: A 42-foot steel K-brace tower with a CL-100 series 13'6" x 13'6" cab erected.
May 1, 2000: "The blaze started Wednesday in the Sierra Ancha Mountains about 30 miles north of Globe.
Campers, workers at the Murphy Ranch and a Forest Service fire lookout at Aztec Peak were evacuated Wednesday.
The ranch remained evacuated Sunday, but the lookout was restaffed Saturday after the fire passed by.
Years of fire suppression had helped to build up large amounts of undergrowth, leaves, pine needles and twigs in the area, and winter brought little moisture." (Casa Grande Dispatch)
“LOOKOUTS IN THE SOUTHWESTERN REGION”
USDA FOREST SERVICE
SEPTEMBER 1989
USDA FOREST SERVICE
SEPTEMBER 1989
"This lookout located on the Pleasant Valley Ranger District, was erected in 1956. It represents another USDA Forest Service Standard Plan CL-100 to CL-106 series type. The lookout has a 12 feet square steel cab on a steel tower 41 feet high. This lookout replaced a D-6 cupola style lookout house built in 1925. This lookout is less than 50 years old, does not represent an exceptional type and is not recommended for National Register eligibility."
STATION DESCRIPTION
DESCRIBED BY COAST AND GEODETIC SURVEY 1938 (FGJ)
STATION IS ABOUT 20 MILES S OF YOUNG, ARIZONA, AND 28-1/2 MILES
NNW OF GLOBE, ARIZONA, AND ON E RIM OF AZTEC PEAK ABOUT 42 FEET
E OF LOOKOUT STATION ON PEAK. IT IS NOT ON HIGHEST POINT OF
PEAK. THERE IS A STEEP CLIFF TO E WITH A SHEER DROP-OFF.
SURFACE AND REFERENCE MARKS ARE STANDARD BRONZE DISKS IN
OUTCROPPING BEDROCK.
TO REACH FROM YOUNG, ARIZONA, GO S ON MAIN-TRAVELED ROAD (ROAD
TO GLOBE, ARIZONA) 22.0 MILES TO AZTEC LODGE ON E SIDE OF ROAD.
ABOUT 150 YARDS BEFORE REACHING LODGE AND JUST N OF A SMALL BRIDGE
TURN L, E, ON A TRACK ROAD AND CONTINUE ON TRACK ROAD ABOUT 1.0
MILE TO END OF TRUCK TRAVEL. FROM THIS POINT PACK ON GOOD TRAIL
FOLLOWING SIGNS TO TOP OF AZTEC PEAK AND STATION SITE.
REFERENCE MARK NO. 1 IS SSW OF STATION AND ABOUT 2 FEET LOWER
IN ELEVATION. REFERENCE MARK NO. 2 IS NW OF STATION AND ABOUT 3
FEET LOWER IN ELEVATION.
MURPHY IS USED AS A RECIPROCAL AZIMUTH MARK.
STATION RECOVERY (1947)
RECOVERY NOTE BY COAST AND GEODETIC SURVEY 1947 (DHK)
STATION AND MARKS RECOVERED AS DESCRIBED AND FOUND IN GOOD
CONDITION WITH THE EXCEPTION OF DISTANCES AND DIRECTIONS TO BOTH
REFERENCE MARKS. THE CORRECT DISTANCES AND DIRECTIONS FOUND
BELOW.
THE STATION IS LOCATED ABOUT 28.5 MILES AIRLINE NORTH-NORTHWEST OF GLOBE, ABOUT 20 MILES AIRLINE SOUTH OF YOUNG, ON THE LEDGE TO
EAST OF HIGHEST POINT OF AZTEC PEAK, 16 PACES EAST OF THE
NORTHEAST CORNER OF LOOKOUT HOUSE AND APPROXIMATELY 6 FEET LOWER,
A BRONZE DISK SET IN BEDROCK FLUSH AND STAMPED--AZTEC 1938.
REFERENCE MARK NO. 1 IS A BRONZE DISK APPROXIMATELY 6 INCHES HIGHER
THAN STATION, 4 PACES NORTHEAST OF A WATER TANK, SET FLUSH IN
OUTCROPPING BEDROCK AND STAMPED--AZTEC NO 1 1938.
REFERENCE MARK NO. 2 IS A BRONZE DISK APPROXIMATELY 18 INCHES
HIGHER THAN STATION, 10 PACES NORTHEAST OF THE NORTHEAST CORNER
OF THE LOOKOUT HOUSE SET IN OUTCROPPING BEDROCK WHICH PROJECTS
APPROXIMATELY 10 INCHES. THE MARK IS STAMPED--AZTEC NO 2 1938.
TRIANGULATION STATION MURPHY 1938 WAS USED AS THE AZIMUTH MARK.
TO REACH FROM POST OFFICE IN YOUNG. GO SOUTH ON THE MAIN
TRAVELED ROAD TOWARD GLOBE FOR 22 MILES TO THE AZTEC LODGE ON THE
EAST SIDE OF ROAD. ABOUT 150 YARDS BEFORE REACHING LODGE AND
JUST NORTH OF A SMALL BRIDGE TURN LEFT (EAST) ON A TRACK ROAD
AND GO APPROXIMATELY 1.5 MILES TO THE END OF TRUCK TRAVEL. FROM
THIS POINT PACK ALONG GOOD TRAIL FOLLOWING SIGNS TO TOP OF
AZTEC PEAK AND STATION SITE AS DESCRIBED ABOVE. A 2-1/2 HOUR
PACK.
THE STATION ALSO REACHED FROM GLOBE BY GOING ON MAIN HIGHWAY FOR
3.3 MILES TO THE JUNCTION OF STATE HIGHWAY 88 (THE APACHE TRAIL).
TURN RIGHT (NORTH) AND FOLLOW THIS ROAD FOR 47 MILES TO THE
AZTEC LODGE ON RIGHT (EAST) SIDE OF ROAD.