LAKE COUNTY
BALD BUTTE
Fremont National Forest
34S-16E-14
34S-16E-14
1911: The butte was used as a patrol lookout according to entries in Lester E. Elder's journal as a Forest Guard in July of 1911.
July 25, 1929: "Due to the critical fire weather an additional fire lookout is being stationed by the Forest Service at Bald Butte, states Supervisor Brown. These men are being put on to intensify detection and provide extra men for prompt suppression of any fires which occur." (Lake County Examiner)
August 12, 1930: "After a lightning storm a man placed on each emergency lookout to gain direct visibility in sections where "holes in the ground" are located and which cannot be seen by the regular lookouts. One of these emergency lookouts is at Bald Butte." (Lake County Tribune)
1931: The 14x14 Aladdin gable roof lookout ground house was constructed. Materials cost was $558.49 and erection costs came to $110.00. (Fremont National Forest Records)
October 2, 1931: "Just before reaching Ingram Station we turn off to Bald Butte. The Forest Service lookout towers are not built on hills convenient for automobiles and the climb takes about everything that the engine can give. Reaching the top we find a small wooden building in which the lookout lives during the summer months. Windows afford a view on all sides and the fire detector is placed in the middle of the floor. The wind has a force and a nip to it on the top of the hill. In the far distance Abert Rim can be seen in all its majesty, and there is only one regret in the view of the surrounding territory; the number of brown and dead trees in the timber is almost as large as that of the live ones. The beetle destruction becomes a reality in earnest. Because the lookout has completed his duties for the summer the windows are protected with shutters and the door locked." (Lake County Tribune)
1934: A 16 by 10 garage was built at the lookout site and the same year lightning protection was installed. (Fremont National Forest Records)
August 25, 1938: "Rex Truelove was down from his lookout station at Bald Butte Saturday evening after provisions." (Lake County Tribune)
1957: $668.49 was expended on a remodeling project on the lookout cabin.
Air markings were completed, this site was marked F-11. (Fremont National Forest Records)
July 14, 1960: "Mike Turner is a three-year man at Bald Butte Lookout. Turner hails from Texas where he is majoring in physics at the University of Texas. When he isn't watching for smoke, he's working on some complicated physics problem to keep in practice for school time." (Herald and News)
1962: In the Lookout Inventory dated December 4, shows the lookout as a reserve lookout. Also shows that the lightning protection consists of two rods connected to the four corners and grounded at a spring one half of a mile away.
1964: The last year that the lookout full time staffed.
1972: The 1972 lookout condition report has a notation stating that the useful life is gone. Emergency only, minimum maintenance.
1994: In September the lookout house renovation was completed. After two years of volunteer work, the passport in time project made the lookout house wheelchair accessible, but otherwise restored it to original specifications. A new toilet with an asphalt path topped off the project. Now the lookout is a very popular site in the recreational rental program.
1999: An OSHA inspection on September 30th, the lookout building was in violation of not having a properly inspected and signed fire extinguisher, no smoke detector or carbon monoxide detector, and that the propane tank did not have placards.
August 2016: The historic lookout, now in the Recreational Rental program received extensive refurbishing, floors, roofing, painting and other needed repairs.
DESIGNATION - BALD BUTTE LOH
PID - NY0843
STATE/COUNTY- OR/LAKE
COUNTRY - US
USGS QUAD - LEE THOMAS CROSSING (1980)
STATION DESCRIPTION
DESCRIBED BY US FOREST SERVICE 1935 (NS)
THIS INTERSECTED POSITION IS THE CENTER OF THE BALD BUTTE
LOOKOUT HOUSE, A WOOD STRUCTURE SITTING ON THE GROUND ON BALD
BUTTE, A WELL-KNOWN MOUNTAIN SITUATED ABOUT 12 MILES AIR LINE
SW OF PAISLEY.
TO REACH FROM LAKEVIEW, PROCEED NW ALONG FOREST SERVICE TRUNK
ROAD 47 MILES TO INGRAM RANGER STATION, THENCE W 1.5 MILES, THENCE
N 1 MILE TO LOOKOUT.