ROUND PASS
Lake County - Fremont National Forest - 35S-19E-32
1916: " During the summer, J.S. Elder was constructing the telephone line to Round Pass according to the journals kept by Ranger Elder." (Ranger Journal of Jason S. Elder, July 1 through August 20, 1916)
October 20, 1916: “The Forest exhibit at the Paisley fair merited more than simply a passing notice.
In the center of the space allotted the Service, appeared an eight-sided fire lookout tower, with a window on each side. This building was decorated with flags and pine boughs, with the Forest Service emblem directly over the entrance to it. In the center inside was a pedestal on which was attached an Osborne Fire Finder. Other articles inside the tower were, a pair of binoculars, a canteen and an iron telephone.” (Silver Lake Leader) (Later moved to Round Pass Lookout site)
November 1919: " Several weeks ago while digging about the foundation of the Round Pass Lookout Tower, Ranger Jason S. Elder found at a depth of 18” underground, imbedded in shell rock, a tin receptacle 4” long and ¾” diameter. On taking off the cap he found a form, evidently torn from a book, on which had been written:
“Corps of engineers U.S. Army. Expedition of 1878. Approximate Altitude- 7300 ft. above sea level. Party- No. 1, California Section. Executive Officer – Lieut. Thos. Symons. Typographical Ass’t.-____Kahler. Meteorological Ass’t.- Rob’t Goad, F.R.G.S. En Route- from Camp Bidwell to Fort Klamath. Date- August 17, 1878. Very hazy.”
Several of the entries, written with indelible pencil, could not be deciphered because of one end of the form having been rotted by water which had undoubtedly seeped into the tin under the cap.
Round Pass is the highest point on the chain of mountains south of the town of Paisley." (Six Twenty-Six)
1921: The remarkable efficiency of the lookout system was shown in August, when a rubbish fire near Paisley was reported before the smoke had barely started. This and two other lookouts reported to the local office.
1922: The 12 x 12 lookout house constructed.
March 1923: "John Donnelly, who has held the position of lookout on Round Pass during the seasons of 1921-22, called the supervisor’s office from Dairy Creek Camp Ground, which is about 35 miles north of Lakeview on the trunk line, the morning of February 9, the telephone line between these two points is in 100% working order. Mr. Donnelly is trapping beaver for the state in that locality. L.F." (Six Twenty-Six)
March 24, 1923: "The new telephone line being constructed from Paisley to the Finley Corrals will connect with Round Pass lookout and with the trunk line from Lakeview to Silver Lake at Dairy Creek and the fireman there will act as control." (Chewaucan Ripple)
December 1925: "On Sunday, Oct. 25, our lookout man, Chas. M. Hanas, stationed for the past two summers on Round Pass, died of heart trouble in the Lakeview hospital. Charley was faithful at his post and will be missed by the entire protective force." (Six Twenty-Six)
August 20, 1929: "On August 17 a fire was discovered by Round Pass Lookout late in the evening on Wildcat Creek under Deadhorse rim. A cross shot was secured from Cougar and the fire accurately plotted. Assistant Supervisor Frizzell and the fireman from Dairy Creek ran a compass course to the fire from a known section corner on Wildcat Creek, and by this means were able to locate the fire in the dark. It required 3 1/2 hours of hard work to suppress the fire, which was 1 1/4 acres in size and in very bad country. Tracks of sheep and a man's tracks were found leading into and from the fire. The footprints were identified with shoes worn by one of the sheepmen, Dennis McAuliffe, who pleaded guilty over the phone to Justice Duke and was fined $25.00 and costs." (Lake County Tribune)
1932: Lightning protection installed on the lookout house.
1946: During the summer a new roof and new shutters installed.
May 11, 1949: "Dr. and Mrs. Abbott will be stationed at the Round Pass lookout station this summer." (Herald and News)
1956: Air marking numbers were completed, this station numbered F-12.
1958: The lookout duties were transferred to Morgan Butte, the lookout house was moved on a low-boy trailer to its new location on Morgan Butte.
February 11, 1959: The OMNI range station placed in service on the site where the lookout once stood.
DESIGNATION - ROUND
PID - NY0805
STATE/COUNTY- OR/LAKE
COUNTRY - US
USGS QUAD - SHOESTRING BUTTE (1980)
STATION DESCRIPTION
DESCRIBED BY COAST AND GEODETIC SURVEY 1920 (EWE)
ABOUT 19 MILES S FROM PAISLEY, 30 MILES N FROM LAKEVIEW, ABOUT
ONE-HALF MILE S FROM ROUND PASS, ON THE HIGHEST POINT OF
ROUND MOUNTAIN, AND ABOUT 6 METERS SE OF A FOREST SERVICE
LOOKOUT HOUSE UNDER CONSTRUCTION (IN 1920). THE STATION IS
MARKED BY A BRONZE TABLET IN CONCRETE AS DESCRIBED IN NOTE 1C.
TWO WITNESS MARKS, EACH CONSISTING OF A TRIANGLE CUT IN THE
W SIDE OF A PINE TREE, ARE, RESPECTIVELY, 29.12 METERS (95.5
FEET) FROM THE STATION IN AZIMUTH 202 DEG 26 MIN, AND 29.26
METERS (96.0 FEET) IN AZIMUTH 234 DEG 40 MIN.
STATION RECOVERY (1935)
RECOVERY NOTE BY US FOREST SERVICE 1935 (NS)
THIS STATION USED IN 1935 BY U.S. FOREST SERVICE. DESCRIPTION
ABOVE IS SATISFACTORY.
CENTER OF U.S.F.S. ROUND PASS LOOKOUT HOUSE IS 5.69 METERS
(18.67 FEET NW OF C. AND G.S. STATION DISK.