BEAR BUTTE
Klamath Forest Protective Association; 28S-11E-33
1930: This lookout point known as Baldy and/or Bear Flat.
June 10, 1937: "The lookout at Bear Flat, in the northern part of the county, sighted a fire near Wednesday night and extinguished it." (The Evening Herald)
August 7, 1947: " A fire burning on the Klamath Indian Reservation had covered about four acres of virgin timber in the Little Yamsay unit by noon today, according to reports.
The Klamath Forest Protective Association got news of the fire from the lookout on Bear Butte at 10:12 a.m. Thursday and sent two men immediately to investigate. The blaze was too much for this limited crew and the Indian Service fire fighters were called to assist.
The Indian Service plane was circling the location, guiding volunteer assistants to the spot." (Herald and News)
1949: A lookout house constructed at a cost of $177.83.
1956: The air marking number for this station, F-3.
1962: Electricity installed for Radio, lights, and heating.
June 12, 1964: " The first lightning fire in the KFPA district this year broke out in a tree about six miles southeast of Bear Flat about noon, Wednesday, KFPA supervisor George Wardell noted Friday.
The lightning strike set the tree afire despite the effect of a large quantity of rain that accompanied the storm. A thin sliver of smoke from the tree was noted by the lookout station at Bear Flat on the day of the fire and a firefighting team was dispatched to extinguish the blaze.
Firefighters said they walked past the tree five or six times before it emitted a puff of smoke, betraying the fire." (Herald and News)
1965: February 4, The Weyerhaeuser Company granted the KFPA a permit to construct, operate and maintain existing installations for the purposes of fire prevention and suppression. This is one of four State lookouts on Weyerhaeuser lands.
1966: This lookout not permanently manned this season. State radios were placed on Yamsay Mountain and Bald Mountain lookouts, this cooperation provided good coverage of the Bear Flat area.
STATION DESCRIPTION
DESCRIBED BY COAST AND GEODETIC SURVEY 1933 (FGJ)
SEE STATION BEAR BU
STATION RECOVERY (1935)
RECOVERY NOTE BY US FOREST SERVICE 1935
THIS INTERSECTED STATION IS THE CENTER OF THE BEAR BUTTE LOOKOUT HOUSE, ON THE SUMMIT OF BEAR BUTTE, ABOUT 15 MILES W OF SILVER LAKE TOWN, AIR LINE. LOOKOUT MAY BE REACHED BY TAKING FOREST ROAD EXTENDING E FROM BEAVER MARSH ON THE DALLES-CALIFORNIA HIGHWAY (U.S. 97) ON THE W, TO SILVER LAKE TOWN ON THE E. REACHED FROM SILVER LAKE BY DRIVING W ON SAME ROAD 21 MILES THROUGH BEAR VALLEY, THENCE S ABOUT 1 MILE ON SIDE ROAD TO STATION
UNCHECKED IN 1933. ADDITIONAL SHOTS IN 1935 BY U.S.F.S.
STATION RECOVERY (1953)
RECOVERY NOTE BY COAST AND GEODETIC SURVEY 1953 (HSC)
THE STATION IS THE APEX OF THE LOOKOUT HOUSE ON THE SUMMIT OF A LOW, CONICAL SHAPED BUTTE ABOUT 1 MILE EAST OF THE BEAR FLATS GUARD STATION. IT IS A SMALL 9 X 9 FOOT HOUSE BUILT ON A GROUP OF LARGE BOULDERS. INQUIRE AT THE SILVER LAKE RANGER STATION FOR THE MOST FEASIBLE METHOD TO REACH THE STATION. IT IS A 5 MINUTE PACK FROM THE END OF TRUCK TRAVEL.