DESCHUTES COUNTY
CULTUS MOUNTAIN
Deschutes National Forest
20S-7E-22
20S-7E-22
October 18, 1933: " A telephone line is to be built to Cultus Mountain, the site to be developed as an emergency lookout point. This line will extend from Deer Creek to the lower end of Cultus Lake, then on to the mountain." (The Bend Bulletin)
1935: A 20-foot round pole tower with a 10x10 L-5 lookout cabin was constructed. Total cost of this structure was $947.24.
July 14, 1957: "Deschutes national forest officials have announced plans for construction of a lookout house on a high peak where a helicopter may be needed to carry in the required material.
The lookout building, on top of a 20-foot tower, will be erected on Cultus mountain, a 6750-foot high volcanic cone in the eastern Cascades south of Elk lake.
Material for the building will be provided by the forest service, but the contractor will be required to move this material up the steep mountain. He will have the choice of using a packstring over a 3 ½ mile long trail up the steep cone or a helicopter.
Cultus mountain, near a lake of the same name, overlooks the southern part of the Deschutes National forest.
Bids for the lookout house and tower will be received at the regional office in Portland, July 19." (The Oregonian)
The lookout building, on top of a 20-foot tower, will be erected on Cultus mountain, a 6750-foot high volcanic cone in the eastern Cascades south of Elk lake.
Material for the building will be provided by the forest service, but the contractor will be required to move this material up the steep mountain. He will have the choice of using a packstring over a 3 ½ mile long trail up the steep cone or a helicopter.
Cultus mountain, near a lake of the same name, overlooks the southern part of the Deschutes National forest.
Bids for the lookout house and tower will be received at the regional office in Portland, July 19." (The Oregonian)
May 21, 1958: "Bids are being called by the U.S. Forest Service for the construction of a tower and lookout house on Cultus Mountain, overlooking the upper Deschutes region in the Bend district.
These bids will be opened on May 27, in the U.S. Forest Service regional office, Portland. Plans for the structure can be examined in the Bend office of the Forest Service.
The successful bidder will be required to remove the old lookout buildings on the mountain, in the Cultus Lake country. Material and aggregate required in the new work will be placed on the site by the Forest Service.
A road is now being built to the top of the mountain in connection with a right of way sale of timber. This work is being done by R.S. and Ira Skidgel of LaPine, purchasers of the timber.
The structure to be erected on the eastern Cascade mountain is of the same type as the new lookout building on Lava Butte just south of Bend. However, the Cultus Mountain tower will be 20 feet high. The lookout house on top will be a flat topped building about 15 by 15 feet in dimension.
Work planned for Cultus Mountain this season had been originally set for 1957, but bids were rejected because they were considered too high." (The Bend Bulletin)
1968: The lookout was sold as surplus, stripped and the remainder burned.