CHASE MOUNTAIN
Klamath FPA / Oregon Department of Forestry; 40S-7E-10
????: An observation platform atop a 12 x 12 frame cabin with hip roof constructed. Later to be moved below the summit for living quarters.
June 25, 1924: " One forest fire was reported during the last 24 hours at the office here of Klamath Forest Protective Association. The blaze spotted late yesterday afternoon from the lookout on Chase Mountain was in the upper reaches of the Spencer Creek district above Upper Bridge. A ranger from the local office went out and the blaze was extinguished. It is believed to have been started by a camper. The relative humidity was at 33 this afternoon which is near extreme danger conditions." (The Evening Herald)
July 14, 1924: " A small spot fire near Parker station, 27 miles west of Klamath Falls, was reported this morning by the lookout on Chase Mountain. Fire fighters were immediately dispatched to the scene." (The Evening Herald)
July 12, 1924: "Reuben Gardner, lookout on Chase Mountain, reported this afternoon that a general survey of the country from his post indicated that most of the fires were under control. He was, however, doubtful of the fire on Little Aspen Mountain as the blaze could not be seen through the hazy atmosphere in the vicinity." (The Evening Herald)
April 7, 1925: "By the fifteenth of this month, it is planned to start construction on a forest fire lookout cabin on the top of Chase Mountain to the west of Klamath Falls, Jack Kimball, connected with the association said today." (The Evening Herald)
August 29, 1925: " A small slash fire was burning today near Topsy Grade in the logged off section owned by the Kesterson Lumber Company was reported today by the lookout on top of Chase Mountain.
Investigators revealed that the fire was placed under control and that danger to adjacent timber was eliminated."
(The Evening Herald)
June 3, 1926: " The Chase Mountain lookout this morning reported a small blaze several miles from the base of the peak. Fire fighters were investigating the blaze this afternoon." (The Evening Herald)
May 13, 1927: "Forest fire season in Klamath will officially open Sunday, May 15, and on Monday a definite plan of forest fire control will be mapped out, it was announced today by Duncan McClean, connected with the Klamath Forest Protective association.
Two forest fire look-outs, one on Yainax Butte in eastern Klamath and a second on Chase Mountain west of Klamath Falls will be maintained." (The Evening Herald)
1928: Living quarters constructed. A 1960 photo shows the living quarters as two separate buildings joined together, one being a 10 x 10 gable roof structure which was the kitchen, and the other a 12 x 12 hip roof building used as the living room. The 12 x 12 structure may have been the original lookout building.
November 2, 1931: "Lloyd Johnson, lookout from Chase mountain, was a Keno visitor on Monday afternoon." (The Evening Herald)
1935: A new tower constructed.
August 22, 1937: " Paul Berg, Paul has been a forest lookout for sixteen years. For ten years he was lookout for the Deschutes Forest Service on Walker Mountain, in northern Klamath County." (Klamath News)
June 6, 1938: "Main lookouts in this area are now manned. Paul Berg is back on Chase mountain." (The Evening Herald)
May 16, 1940: "Lookouts will be placed at forest stations in the Klamath area next week, and under an expanded fire prevention program radios will be put into use at the Chase mountain and Yainax butte lookout stations. Portable radio sets are to be used at the Klamath Falls offices and at Bly." (The Evening Herald)
August 22, 1940: "State Forester Nelson Rogers sent extra radios and foremen here to help coordinate the fire fight, forest protective officials said. Radio communication was maintained with the state offices where Sam Rose, former lookout on Chase mountain west of here, is now dispatcher." (The Evening Herald)
1940: The lookout staffed for 180 days and reported to the Clover Station. Communications by both radio and telephone.
June 8, 1943: " Thelma Duke, first woman lookout to be stationed in this area, last week took her post on Chase Mountain in the Greensprings area." (Herald and News)
1943: A frame cabin constructed at a cost of $153.05.
June 7, 1946: "David Griffiths has gone to Chase mountain for the KFPA for the season." (Herald and News)
May 27, 1948: " Dave Griffith lookout for Chase Mountain, livened things up at the fire school by drawing cartoons on a blackboard in front of the class to illustrate points in the life of fire crews and lookouts.
Ogle remembers Dave and his brother Ernest from the days when they were boys in Pokegama section. He said he hardly ever saw the boys but always knew they were in the country by the drawings in the dust along the trails. Dave will go up to his station this week-end." (Herald and News)
May 29, 1950: "Dave E. Griffith, lookout on Chase mountain and employed by the Klamath Forest Protective association, lacerated his left hand when an axe slipped as he was cutting kindling at his home. Griffith had five stitches taken but was able to be on the job today, KFPA men said." (Herald and News)
August 2, 1950: " Sparks from a brakeshoe of a logging train set fire to Weyerhaeuser Company’s trestle near Spencer Creek Tuesday afternoon.
A Weyerhaeuser crew brought a railroad tanker and a pump car was called to the scene shortly after, KFPA lookouts on Chase Mountain and Buck Peak sighted the smoke.
Two bents, trestle supports, were burned badly enough to delay a logging train for some time while repair work was going on.
This is almost exactly the spot where another fire started last year by a brakeshoe spark. The same trestle was damaged." (Herald and News)
1950: " Our budget last year called for a new lookout tower on Chase Mountain. When we were preparing to plan on construction, we found that some of the Clarke-McNary funds would not be available until this year so plans were dropped. The 1951 budget is set up for the tower. A local firm has submitted a price of $2340.00, for a 20 foot steel tower with a 14x14 house on top. If this item in budget is approved, an order will be placed immediately while he has the steel." (KFPA Annual Report 1950)
June 1, 1951: " Going up still higher atop 6800-foot Chase Mountain is this new all-steel lookout. Watching the construction is Jean Groth, who will perch atop the welded tower throughout this summer. Pade and Holland of Klamath Falls is doing the construction, and expects to be finished in time for the KFPAs intensive fire patrol starting later this month. [Photo of tower under construction]" (Herald and News)
July 13, 1951: " The first of its kind, in the Klamath area, is this all-steel lookout tower recently completed atop Chase Mountain, west of Klamath Falls near Keno. The structure is welded, with grounds built for lightning protection. The KFPA lookout was built by Pade and Holland of Klamath Falls, whose equipment remained atop the mountain during the building of the tower. [Photo of the new tower]" (Herald and News)
1951: The old lookout building moved to Hamelton Butte to be used as a lookout at that place.
June 7, 1952: " At 3:17 Chase Mountain spotted a smoke in the Big Bend country of the Klamath River. A smoke-chasing crew from KFPA descended halfway into the 1000 foot deep Klamath River Canyon and knocked out a potentially dangerous fire on the canyons steep slope.
At 3:41 p.m.: the same crewmen spotted another blaze, this one on the side of Chase Mountain itself, out of sight of the lookout tower." (Herald and News)
1964: The living quarters had fallen into a state of decay and had, more than likely not been used and maintained for intended purpose, dismantled. A 1960 evaluation remarked “Very poor condition would help looks of station if removed”
1965: On February 4th the Weyerhaeuser Company granted the KFPA a permit to construct, operate and maintain existing installations for the purpose of fire prevention and suppression. This is one of four lookouts on Weyerhaeuser lands.
1967: Eight fires reported from this station in 1967. The inside and outside of the tower completely painted.
1970: Seventeen fires reported from this station. A door installed for access to the catwalk. And the ceiling painted.
1970: " A series of incendiary fires plagued the District with the discovery of a fire at Aspen Lake reported about 7:00 pm on October 2 by Chase Mountain lookout as an oversize camp fire. This led to the discovery of seven fires in the area throughout the night, with additional two incendiary fires on Forest Service protection. On October 8, Chase Mountain reported a fire that led to the discovery of three additional fires, one of which was a bridge in the Klamath River Canyon." (1970 KFPA Annual Report)
1980: Permission requested from the Weyerhaeuser Company to run an underground power line for electricity to the lookout.
2004: The lookout received a remodeling, which included new windows and flooring.
STATION DESCRIPTION
DESCRIBED BY COAST AND GEODETIC SURVEY 1953 (CTH)
THE STATION IS ABOUT 14 MILES SOUTHWEST OF KLAMATH FALLS, 10 MILES NORTH-NORTHWEST OF DORRIS, CALIFORNIA, AND 4 MILES SOUTHWEST OF KENO. IT IS ON THE SUMMIT OF A TIMBERED PEAK THAT IS KNOWN AS CHASE MOUNTAIN.
THE STATION IS THE CENTER OF THE LOOKOUT TOWER, A WOODEN STRUCTURE THAT IS APPROXIMATELY 40 FEET IN HEIGHT.