Fire lookouts: destinations for campers, hikers

Air surveillance of forest fires may have eliminated the need for the lookout towers that still rise high above the trees, but these reminders of another era are gaining popularity in another industry altogether – tourism.

Swede Mountain Lookout, one of the two towers in the Kootenai National forest that is manned during the summer months, can be spotted on the Swede mountaintop from several places in Libby, including the Fred Brown Pavilion. As of early July, the tower is now accessible by vehicle and visitors can make their way up to the lookout via a windy mountain road while enjoying beautiful scenery along the way.

The Swede Mountain Lookout tower stands high above the tree lines at 4,305 feet in elevation, creating a bird’s eye view of the Kootenai valley in one direction and an eye-level view of the worn mountain trails in another. The hustle and bustle of the town below occasionally echoes through the mountains as a reminder of the essential protection that the tower provides.

While only two towers in the Kootenai National Forest are used for the original purpose of fire surveillance, the rest now serve as historical landmarks that preserve the memory of sacrifices made by men and women who endured isolation for the safety of their community. 

The opportunity for the public to stay in one of these towers developed in the early 1980s as a result of their outdated technology.  

Jon Jeresek, retiree of a 25-year involvement with the fire lookouts, said a co-worker provided him the idea of renting the lookout towers to the public. Jeresek and his coworker eagerly pursued the idea which resulted in the Big Creek Baldy tower being the first tower officially open for rent in 1983. Nine other lookouts and three cabins have since opened for rent.

“Renting lookouts is a great thing,” Jeresek said. “They provide the setting for families to have a perfect time with each other and build memories.”

Carrie Croucher, recreation assistant for the Kootenai National Forest, has conducted work with fire watch towers for 11 years and plays a role in maintaining and cleaning them. She has visited many of the lookouts and spends her spare time picking out yard-sale items to furnish the towers.

“The cool thing is that one of every kind of tower made has been restored and is now rentable by the public,” Croucher said. “Each one is unique and has its own history. Some people say they have seen Bigfoot at the Webb Mountain lookout.”

These towers that are becoming an alternative to camping in the backcountry, were built in response to the devastating fires of 1910, the worst of which lasted 36 hours and destroyed three million acres of timber worth more than $13 million.

Many firefighters were trapped in the mountains and forced to retreat into mine tunnels. The firestorm took 85 lives, most of which were firefighters.

Prior to this, men on horseback were the only means of forest fire surveillance in Northwest Montana.

Before the shelter and the height advantage of the towers, rangers pitched a tent at the base of lookout points and hiked to the top, where they spent their days searching for smoke. All lookout areas were visible from a ranger station that remained staffed 24 hours a day. 

Rangers were educated on methods of smoke detection, including identifying different smokes and how to accurately describe the smoke. 

These skills allowed them to distinguish a potential fire danger from a harmless campfire.

The Osborne Fire Finder was an essential tool for rangers to identify fire locations. The tool was a large, compass- like disc mounted on a base board that contained a map of the area under surveillance. Rangers operated the fire finder by aligning a sight at the edge of the map with the visible smoke, and used orientation adjustments to pinpoint the location. Maintenance of the fire finder was a tedious task, as rangers had to check the tool on a daily basis for operational errors.

During fire season, fire watchers were expected to be near their phones all day. Leaving their post was not an option, unless a family death occurred. Their job entailed living on a mountain top for three months, for which they received a low wage of $70 per month.

The first towers were very basic and known as crows’ nests – just a platform mounted in a tree top accessible by a ladder. This structure remained popular until the 1930’s when the D-6 cupola design was invented. This new design resembled a one-room school house but with fewer furnishings. Years of trial and error led to nine different models of lookout towers. The most recent model is a four to five story tower with a small square room perched at the top that is protected by a flat roof, which is more efficient for rain runoff.

These towers are now becoming more sought after, and are gradually being opened up for public use.

Most towers and cabins are now equipped with propane lights, a stove, heaters and some cooking utensils. The beds vary from tower to tower, as some of them have two beds while others have only bed frames. Water and electricity are nonexistent resources at the lookouts, so renters must pack water for cooking, cleaning and drinking. Most towers have space for four adults and children and pets are discouraged due to the dangerous heights of the towers.

Croucher recommends checking out Fairview Ranger Station. She said it is the newest addition to the collection of rentable lookouts as restoration was just completed earlier this summer and it is now available for rent year-round. Minton Peak lookout was also recently replaced with an entirely new building that appears identical to the old one.

“It is awesome that people can rent these towers and cabins,” Croucher said. “You can’t do this type of thing anywhere else. At night, all you see is the stars because you are in the stars.”

HOW TO RENT A FIRE LOOKOUT

Renting dates are tentative due to weather conditions that prevent Forest Service vehicles from reaching destinations for maintenance and repairs. Some sites are directly accessible by vehicle, while others can only be reached on foot.

Reservations for the lookouts and cabins can be made online or by calling the local ranger station. Some rentals can be booked up to 180 days in advance, which can make openings difficult to find.

Renting fees vary for each lookout, ranging from $25-$40 per night. Cabin rentals range from $50-$60 per night. 

While lookout towers are only available for rent during summer months, cabins are available for rent on a year-round basis.

Information regarding opening dates and how to make reservations can be found at recreation.gov.