LANE COUNTY
SADDLEBLANKET MOUNTAIN
Willamette National Forest
19S-2E-25
19S-2E-25
June 28, 1921: "Three miles of the trail were built last year and the other seven miles will be started soon as the force gets into the mountain after July 1, it is stated. The forestry men also went up Saddle Blanket and Sour Grass mountains and decided to make the top of the former the official lookout station this year, according to Mr. Vincent." (The Eugene Daily Guard)
1922: A 30-foot tree lookout established.
August 23, 1924: "Mrs. Tillie Randall and Dorothy Gibson went up to the lookout, where Mrs.Randall's son is working, on Saddle Blanket mountain. They said they had a very interesting trip. They were gone four days." (Morning Register)
August 2, 1925: "The Saddle Blanket lookout is erecting a high tower, and already has his foundations in." (Morning Register)
September 23, 1925: "A steel tower was ordered some time ago for the lookout station on Saddle Blanket mountain but as it will arrive late it will not be erected until next year, said Supervisor Macduff. The tower will be feet high. The concrete foundation for the tower is already in." (Morning Register)
June 18, 1926: "Work will be started soon on the construction of three look-out towers in the Cascade National forest. This tower will be located on Saddle Blanker, the highest point in the West Boundary district. All the material, weighing about 8500 pounds, must be taken by pack horses for six miles to the site of the tower.
H. J. Engles, ranger in the West Boundary district, is packing the material, ready for its transportation to the lookout site. Building will be started early next month. The tower will be erected to steel and will be 60 feet high." (The Eugene Guard)
June 20, 1926: "Three new lookout towers will soon be erected in the Cascade national forest, according to Nelson F. Macduff, supervisor. One will be all metal, the first of its kind to be erected in this forest. It will be located on Saddle Blanket mountain and all material weighing 8500 pounds will be transported to the top of the peak by pack horses. The tower will be 60 feet high. The two other towers will be on Logger butte and Fuji mountain." (Morning Register)
June 27, 1926: "The work of packing the steel parts of the lookout tower to be erected on Saddle Blanker mountain had been started when the supervisor was there. The material has to be packed nine and a half miles with horses to the top of the mountain which is over 5000 feet above sea level and probably 4000 feet above the starting point. The tower will be 60 feet high." (Morning Register)
July 10, 1926: "In the West Boundary district a crew is engaged in packing the steel and starting the foundation for a 60-foot steel tower on Saddle Blanket mountain, and work is proceeding on a 48-foot bridge across Fall creek." (Morning Register)
July 31, 1926: "The lookout tower on Saddle Blanket mountain is pretty well toward completion, said the supervisor." (Morning Register)
September 1926: "During the lightning storm of July 5 the lookout on Saddleblanket Mtn., occupying a tree tower, remained in the crow's nest till after dark to pick up any fires that might be started. On his way down (via limbs eked out by a few slippery steps nailed on the tree trunk), he met a bobcat coming up. The story stops right there. We don't know whether he finished coming down or the bobcat finished going up!" (Six Twenty-Six)
January 7, 1927: "One lookout tower of steel, 60 feet high, was built on Saddle Blanket mountain." (Corvallis Gazette-Times)
June 9, 1927: "Construction of a strongly built shelter cabin, 12 feet by 12 feet in dimension, for the lookout on Saddleblanket mountain in the Cascade national forest, will begin about July 1. The lumber and materials must be carried to the top of the mountain on men's backs. Last year a tower was built there. The shelter cabin will be anchored to the rocks and lightning rods installed. Here the lookout will live for three months of the year in solitude." (The Eugene Guard)
July 19, 1927: "Construction of a fireman's cabin at Saddle Blanket lookout in the Fall Creek district of the Cascade national forest is being started, with lumber hauked in and packed on the backs of mules fore the work.
The cabin will be built at the foot of the 60-foot steel lookout tower which was erected last year." (The Eugene Guard)
August 10, 1927: "Work of packing materials for a cabin to be built on Saddle Blanket mountain in the Cascade national forest was inspected yesterday by R.F. Grefe of the forest staff. The cabin is one of two buildings now being built in the forest, a lookout house being under construction on Larison rock." (Morning Register)
1939: The lookout tower was modified. The original tower had a ladder that went straight up the side of the tower, this was replaced with the easier inside stairway.
June 3, 1969: "A 70-foot-high lookout tower atop Saddle Blanket Mountain is being offered for sale by the Willamette National Forest.
The successful bidder will have to take the steel structure apart and carry the pieces down from the mountain vantage point. A road stops several hundred yards short of the mountain lookout.
Al Lang, administrative assistant for the Lowell Ranger District, said the lookout is for sale because it no longer will be manned during the summer fire season. Aerial flights cover the same area, he said." (The Oregonian)
June 6, 1969: "There's still an opportunity to own a forest lookout of your own.
No formal bids were received Thursday for the Saddleblanket Mountain lookout. So now the U.S. Forest Service will negotiate with anyone interested in acquiring the 70-foot high steel structure.
Bill Roth, contracting officer for the Willamette National Forest, said at least 'a couple of people' expressed interest in the lookout but did not submit formal offers for Thursday's scheduled bid opening. He said one man was driving up to the lookout Friday to look it over.
A road stops several hundred yards short of the lookout tower. Whoever buys the tower will have to unbolt the steel sections and carry them out to the road. Under terms of the Forest Service offer, the tower must be removed from the site.
The tower is no longer used during the summer fire season. Observers instead check the area by airplane each day." (Eugene Register-Guard)
June 14, 1972: "Saddleblanket was inspected on July 1, 1972. Attached is a report of this inspection.
Replacement of several structural members in the stairs would be necessary. in addition to correcting lesser deficiencies, to return this structure to a safe and usable facility." (Lookout Condition Survey)
STATION DESCRIPTION
DESCRIBED BY COAST AND GEODETIC SURVEY 1953 (CTH)
THE STATION IS A 4-LEGGED STEEL STRUCTURE WITH A SMALL CABIN AT
THE TOP, AND IS ABOUT 70 FEET HIGH. IT IS LOCATED ON THE HIGHEST
POINT OF SADDLE BLANKET MTN.
A TRAVERSE CONNECTION WAS MADE TO TRIANGULATION STATION SADDLE
BLANKET AND THE DISTANCE WAS FOUND TO BE 29.52 METERS, 9.000
METERS EAST OF THE STATION.