BONNER COUNTY
LUNCH PEAK
Kaniksu National Forest
58N-2E-15
58N-2E-15
1937: 45-foot pole tower with L-4 cab. (Kresek)
July 19, 1956: "Reference is made to your telephone conversation with Mr. Coughlan on July 17 regarding the lookout replacement at Lunch Peak.
This point will be placed on the high-priority list for replacement along with others in the region. We were able to purchase only four new towers and houses last fiscal year plus erection costs for improvements purchased the proceeding year. The picture does not appear much brighter this year but we hope to increase the number by one or two more units.
The best we can do would be to purchase the tower and house out of this year's funds for construction next summer. At the present time, your needs for Lunch Peak appear to rank high in the region and we should be able to include it in this year's purchase program. This would mean that you should plan to make whatever temporary repairs are necessary to keep the present structure usable and safe for occupancy through next season." (Memorandum to Forest Supervisor, from Assistant Regional Forester)
1971: two-story concrete with R-6 cab. (Kresek)
November 19, 1975: "In fire control work, a new roof was put on the Lunch Peak lookout, the foundation of which was also painted, in addition to work inside the structure." (The Sandpoint News-Bulletin)
February 16, 1996: "The U.S. Forest Service is offering a $1,000 reward for information about vandalism to emergency radio equipment at a repeater station in Bonner County.
The station in the Lunch Peak Lookout about 20 miles northeast of Sandpoint, is used by local search and rescue teams as well as the Forest Service.
'That senseless action might have caused some deaths had rescue forces been needed while the repeater was out,' said Forest Service special agent Jerry Moore.
Moore said a vandal or vandals broke into the lookout in late January.
They left the door wide poen and rain and snow blew into the cabin and onto the radio equipment. That shorted a voltage regulator on the solar charging system.
The batteries then went dead and froze.
Moore said repairs are under way and the radios should be back in service by the weekend.
The damage is estimated at $5,000. If convicted, the perpetrator could face a 10-year sentence and a $10,000 fine." (Bonner County Daily Bee)