COLORADO LOOKOUTS
TWIN SISTERS
Larimer County
Rocky Mountain National Park
4N-73W-24
Rocky Mountain National Park
4N-73W-24
July 17, 1914: "Many miles of trail are being constructed in the Colorado forest, a look-out station is to be built and a large number of other improvements are being contemplated by the government for the protection of the forest from fire and to aid the thousands of people who seek pleasure and comfort in the mountains in making easy progress.
The plans for further improvements are extensive and will cost many thousand dollars. During the past few weeks men have either been doing trail work or have been preparing to carry out the plans of the department.
The most important step being taken is the construction of a trail and telephone line to the top of Twin Sisters' most northerly peak, where a look-out will be erected. H.G. Knowles, a fire guard from Longmont, will oversee the construction of the trail, which will start on July 16. He will also have charge of the look-out station and will be on duty during the entire summer. The station will afford a clear view of Estes Park and Allen's park to the south end of the Colorado forest. The trail will start at Charles Leving's place, known as the Gray Stones. It will be fully 4 miles long. The look-out station will be at an elevation of 11,384 feet." (The Weekly Courier)
The plans for further improvements are extensive and will cost many thousand dollars. During the past few weeks men have either been doing trail work or have been preparing to carry out the plans of the department.
The most important step being taken is the construction of a trail and telephone line to the top of Twin Sisters' most northerly peak, where a look-out will be erected. H.G. Knowles, a fire guard from Longmont, will oversee the construction of the trail, which will start on July 16. He will also have charge of the look-out station and will be on duty during the entire summer. The station will afford a clear view of Estes Park and Allen's park to the south end of the Colorado forest. The trail will start at Charles Leving's place, known as the Gray Stones. It will be fully 4 miles long. The look-out station will be at an elevation of 11,384 feet." (The Weekly Courier)
September 18, 1914: "Forest Supervisor Wheeler returned today from North Park and the Laramie river and will leave Thursday for Estes Park on trail inspection work. The trail to Twin Sisters mountain has been completed and the lookout station is now being constructed on the peak. An effort is being made to finish this building before winter sets in." (Fort Collins Weekly Courier)
July 13, 1917: "The highest fire lookout station in the Rocky Mountain National Park on the highest point of the Twin Sisters has been opened for the summer season, covering the period from July 1st to Sept. 1st. The station has an elevation of 11,436 feet and is maintained by the national forest service. It is in charge of Fire Observer Heaton of Boulder. The station is thoroly equipped with telephone connections by which observers can send out warning at the slightest sign of fire in the Colorado national forest." (Mancos Times-Tribune)
August 23, 1920: "Lewis Alsbury, a tourist, telephoned to his wife in Chicago from the forest ranger station on the top of Twin Sisters peak, an altitude of over 12,000 feet, Thursday afternoon.
Having scaled Twin Sister peak with a party of friends, Alsbury stepped into a forest-fire lookout station on the top of the peak. The sole occupant was busy at the time receiving his daily instructions over the telephone, and it occurred to the tourist to telephone his wife of his day's adventure.
They conversed for a period of three minutes at a total cost of $7.60 without interruption. Forest officials declared that it is no less difficult to telephone to New York City from these lookout stations, because they are thoroly equipped with an up-to-date telephone system used in reporting fires in the national forests of the state." (Loveland Reporter)
October 1, 1920: "At the last turn of the three mile trail, one makes a quick detour, and is at once infatuated with a quaint little 10 x 12 structure, made of stone. This little nook has two windows, a double-decker bed (with heaps of covers), a table, two chairs, a camp stove and a little cupboard containing a few dishes. The roof of the house is a composition of some sort, and the wintry gales often blow a part, or all of it off, during the bleak months.
Outside the house is a huge tank, marked 'gasoline.' This is a bluff--for it means water, instead. See--this cherished water is brought by a Forest Ranger, from a spring a mile down the trail, and is not supposed to be used, only by the occupant of the stone house; just a tiny knot or stick of wood can be seen in a pile near by, for the wood also has to be toted up from timberline.
On a top-notch, about one hundred feet away is a 7x7 Lookout House, this little white wood structure has windows on every side. From its tipmost point floats an American flag. Inside is a table with a map of the surrounding district, encased in a glass cover. An indicator rests on the glass. When this is pointed at the fire it enables the observer to locate it on the map.
The Twin Sisters have gladly given up this tiny corner of their great domain, and are happy to get away from their high seclusion, for the sake of their lower neighbor, the great and mighty forest." (Longmont Ledger) This is the last portion of a longer story.
June 1, 1922: "In company with Assistant District Forester M.W. Thompson and Ranger Joe Ryan, Mr. Krentzer visited the Twin Sisters' lookout station in the Estes Park district, on May 23. Improvements are to be made as soon as possible on the lookout telephone line and in the station as well as in the dwelling. The station is located at an elevation of 11,436 feet, and overlooks a considerable part of the Colorado National forest, particularly the Buckhorn, Estes Park and a portion of the Boulder-Ward districts. A.H. Heaton of Denver, who has had previous experience on this lookout, has been appointed as fire guard for the season of 1922, and will begin work on June 16. During the summer of 1921 more than 700 persons visited the lookout, and many of them declared that the view from the top was equally as good as that from the top of Long's Peak." (Fort Collins Courier)
August 11, 1922: "A fire on Windy Gulch Trail was discovered from the lookout on Twin Sisters about 12:30 Wednesday.
Rangers Hadley and Eddins with a crew of men succeeded in checking the fire before very much damage had been done. Only a small area was burned but it was at the edge of some of the most beautifully timbered land in the Park. Two men staid at the place Wednesday night to see that the fire did not pick up again.
The fire was caused from a camper's fire built against a log. Ranger Eddins said that if the fire had burned a half hour longer before being discovered, it would have been beyond control." (Estes Park Trail)
October 6, 1922: "A.H. Heaton, who has been stationed on Twin Sisters this past season, closed the station for this year Saturday and returned to civilization in Denver for the winter. Before closing the station he and Ranger Joe Ryan painted the building with a sparkling coat of white and put on new storm windows." (Estes Park Trail)
August 27, 1923: "Thomas Coulson, forestry guard, left here Monday for the Twin Sisters fire lookout station in the Estes Park district to relieve Kenneth Kavanagh. He will take up the work Mr. Kavanagh has been doing this summer of correcting the topographical map showing the zones of direct and indirect control and the non-control zones within the scope of that station.
The Twin Sisters station is connected by telephone with the forest supervisor's office here, and also with the various ranger stations in the forest and with the headquarters of the Rocky Mountain National park. The park service and the forestry service are cooperating in fire protection in the Rocky Mountain National park and the Colorado National Forest." (Fort Collins Courier)
September 5, 1923: "Kenneth Kavanagh, who has been stationed at the Twin Sisters fire lookout, just south of Estes Park during the summer, is back in town to return to college. Tom Coulson is taking his place at the lookout station." (Fort Collins Coloradoan)
April 16. 1925: "Minus every finger except one and additionally handicapped by the loss of half his toes, Walter E. Kiener, Swiss mountain climber, plans to return to the mountains that left him scared for life. Kiener lost the fingers and toes as a result of a mid-winter ascent of Long's peak, which ended fatally for his companion, Miss Agnes M. Vaille, Denver business woman. The members were amputated to check blood poisoning that threatened his life as a result of exposure he underwent in the climb. On his release from the hospital today. Kiener announced he had accepted a position with the forest service in Estes park, the scene of the fatal mountain ascent." (Nebraska State Journal)
1925: "The National Park Service took over the operation of the fire lookout station on Twin Sisters Mountain, which has been maintained for a number of years by the Forest Service. This station has been of much value to the National Park Service in past years in the detection and reporting of forest fires. Several fires were reported during the summer, but in each case the fire was extinguished before serious damage was done." (Report of the Director of the National Park Service)
June 12, 1926: "Walter T. Kiener, hero of the Longs Peak tragedy of a year ago last January, in which Agnes Vaille and Herbert Sortland were frozen to death during a mountain blizzard, is back in Colorado from the University of Nebraska.
Kiener, re-employed for the summer as a fire lookout in the park service, was in Denver Thursday, bound for the Twin Sister peaks, where he will be stationed for the next three months, within view of Longs Peak, the scene of the greatest tragedy of his life." (Daily Times)
June 15, 1927: "Walter Keiner, Swiss guide who was with Miss Agnes Wolcott Vaile when she died from exposure Jan. 11, 1925, returned to his summer post as a fire lookout on the Twin Sisters peaks today. He will serve as a lookout during the summer." (Fort Collins Coloradoan)
June 18, 1930: "Mr. and Mrs. Jack McNutt of Fort Collins are to be stationed at the top of Twin Sisters mountain above Estes Park this summer where Mr. McNutt will be fire lookout, according to the Estes Park Trail. Mrs. McNutt is a graduate nurse." (Fort Collins Coloradoan)
July 9, 1933: "Mrs. Loren Lane from Twin Sisters lookout station above Estes Park visited friends in Fort Collins over the week end. She expects to return Monday." (Fort Collins Express-Courier)
June 1, 1934: "Lawrence Solin, junior at the Colorado Agricultural college, is to be the fire lookout on Twin Sisters mountain in Estes Park this summer and will report for duty Sunday." (Fort Collins Express-Courier)
June 29, 1950: "A new $16,000 fire lookout has been completed atop the Twin Sisters in Rocky Mountain National Park near Estes Park." (Steamboat Pilot)
March 28, 1951: "Reports from Estes Park indicate that the fire lookout station on Twin Sisters mountain has fallen, apparently a victim of high winds. The lookout is not occupied at this time of the year.
Surveying the site with binoculars indicates the lookout is gone." (The Greeley Daily Tribune)
June 13, 1956: "Raymond Boyd, son of Mrs. Bob Webb, will work for the U.S. Forest Service this summer, having charge of the Twin Sister Fire Lookout near Estes Park." (Fort Collins Coloradoan)
1977: Removed