DOG MOUNTAIN
Lake County - Fremont National Forest - 40S-17E-9
1918: The lookout duties provided by Bertha Covert.
July 4, 1920: (For the 1919 season) "Mrs. Bertha Covert of Yocum was in the Fremont national forest, 30 miles west of Lakeview, at the Dog Lake ranger station." (The Sunday Oregonian)
1926: A standard D-6 cupola lookout house constructed. The lookout equipped with a #4 Improved Osborne fire finder.
1932: New telephone lines built to the lookout.
1934: A 16x18 wood frame garage built by members of the nearby CCC camp.
August 1936: "Two (CCC) men are already stationed at Dog Mountain, using regular fire finding instruments and operating a short wave radio between other stations.
Ed Keyes and Jack Mckay are the men now on that work." (Camp Bly Camp Log - CCC )
1946: A new lookout house started.
1947: A 14x14 Aladdin style lookout house with no catwalk was completed, having been started the year before. The garage was moved from its former location, one quarter of a mile from the house, to the end of the road at the house. The cost of building this lookout was $2,700.00.
1956: The air marking number for this station, F-20.
October 24, 1956: "Returned to Malin after being on duty for the U.S. Forest Service at Dog Mountain Lookout are Mr. and Mrs. Ray Van Meter of Malin." (Herald and News)
October 16, 1960: "Mr. and Mrs. Ray Van Meter have returned to their home in Malin after spending the summer on Dog Mountain Lookout." (Herald and News)
1972: The Civil Engineer comments in the 1972 lookout condition survey: "The toilet has recently been replaced and appears to be in good condition.
Steps have been constructed leading to the lookout. Guy wires, metal railing which are grounded. The ground cab is fairly old, however it has been well maintained. Housekeeping in this tower is excellent. The fire finder is not grounded. There are two stoves. The wood stove is grounded. The propane stove in the tower is not grounded.
The roof on the lookout has been replaced recently. The cab is on concrete foundation which is bolted to the ground. There is evidence of guys, probably from earlier models, which are not now connected. One of the intermediate piers under the cab is setting on loose rock. The steps right at the beginning are very shallow and could be dangerous going down. The tread should be much wider. The propane tank requires grounding.
Old ground house needs replacing."
1981: " Ground cables not in earth, loose connections." These are remarks concerning failures of a lightning protection inspection.
1982: The 1982 condition survey states that there was termite or decay damage and the lookout needed new linoleum, waterproofing and paint.
1995: " Fire Facility Project Proposal – FY95:
This project is required in order to replace a lookout that has outlived it’s usefulness. This project will replace a facility that was built in 1947. The lookout is structurally unsound and has numerous code violations. The structure is required for early detection of forest fires. The lookout oversees part of the Gerber Resource area on the Lakeview District of the Bureau of Land Management, Oregon State Department of Forestry lands, Modoc National Forest, Big Sage Management area, and numerous blocks of private property.
The site also serves as a long term weather station which makes it important for historical continuity of weather records."
1997: A new lookout house constructed. A two story with living quarters on the first level and the lookout office on the upper level. This structure uses steel I-beam and aluminum pipe for safety rails on the catwalk. The windows are comprised two single light with a smaller opening window to each side, the window shutters raise up and fasten under the overhang of the roof. The exterior siding is a log-look type siding which gives the building a rustic appearance. This structure was built next to the older one on the east side, all that remains of the 1947 lookout are the concrete and tie down bolts. During the construction period, the lookout duties were transferred to Drakes Peak.
The constructing contractor was Hargrove Construction, Inc. of Brookings, Oregon. The net contract amount including modifications was $82,213.92. The lookout cabin measures 15’4” x 15’4”. The site of the old lookout was to be used as the site of the new building, but because the new structure has a larger footprint it would not fit on the original site and had to be relocated about 35 feet to the south.
The constructing contractor was Hargrove Construction, Inc. of Brookings, Oregon. The net contract amount including modifications was $82,213.92. The lookout cabin measures 15’4” x 15’4”. The site of the old lookout was to be used as the site of the new building, but because the new structure has a larger footprint it would not fit on the original site and had to be relocated about 35 feet to the south.
1999: The August condition survey indicates that the stove had a propane leak and some of the vinyl flooring needed re-gluing.
1999: A September 30th OSHA inspection found the following violations: Three violations on the propane tank. The living quarters lacking a smoke detector and carbon monoxide detector, no heater, nail heads sticking up on the catwalk and door step. The lookout had the wrong type of fire extinguisher, outdated first-aide kit, no carbon monoxide detector, and that the catalytic heater was not acceptable.
2001: The August condition survey only noted nail heads sticking up on the deck.
DESIGNATION - DOG MTN LOOKOUT
PID - NY0813
STATE/COUNTY- OR/LAKE
COUNTRY - US
USGS QUAD - DOG LAKE (1980)
STATION DESCRIPTION
DESCRIBED BY COAST AND GEODETIC SURVEY 1948 (WRH)
THE STATION IS LOCATED ON THE SUMMIT OF DOG MOUNTAIN, ABOUT 22 MILES AIRLINE SOUTHWEST OF LAKEVIEW, ABOUT 10 MILES AIRLINE NORTH AND WEST OF DREWS DAM AND ABOUT 4 MILES AIRLINE NORTHWEST OF THE DOG LAKE RANGER STATION. GOOD FOREST SERVICE ROADS LEAD TO THE STATION FROM THE VICINITY OF LAKEVIEW. IT IS A STANDARD FOREST SERVICE LOOKOUT HOUSE THAT SITS ON THE HIGHEST POINT OF DOG MOUNTAIN. THE BUILDING IS 14 FEET SQUARE AND IS PAINTED WHITE. THE CENTER OF THE BUILDING WILL SERVE AS THE PICTURE POINT FOR THAT VICINITY.