SHOSHONE COUNTY
COUGAR PEAK
Coeur d'Alene National Forest
50N-2E-16
50N-2E-16
1927: log cabin cupola. (Kresek)
August 1928: "On August 10, with Ranger Hand we visited the Cougar Mountain Lookout, a log house 13'6" x 13'6" inside was being built at this point. The photographs will give a clear idea of the appearance of this building. There is a floored loft in it which provides a small sleeping space and storage room under the cupola floor. The window sash are four light, 14 x 14. The logs for this building were cut in 1926, the walls were laid up in the season of 1927, and the lookout had worked all of the available time this season in an endeavor to get it finished. At least ten days' work were necessary to finish it when I was there. A good job of construction has been done.
From the improvement card it was ascertained that the expenditures for the calendar years 1926 and 1927 had been S&E $192.82, contributed time labor $416.94, contributed expense $116.50, a total cost for those two years of $609.27. The improvement fund allotment for this building was $350, and I understand from Ranger Hand that practically all of it had been used on the house. There is also this season's contributed time to add to the total, which will probably be around $850. It seemed to me that with the full glassed-in lower story that this building could have been roofed in at the second log above the windows, and a fully adequate and satisfactory lookout house been secured.
I could not help but note the contrast in time of construction, and cost of construction of this lookout house as compared with a lookout house built by Ranger Vanairsdale on the Kaniksu this year. Vanairsdale used standard plan L3, skidded the logs on August 1, and on September 13 the house was finished except daubing and hanging the door. Most of the material was salvaged, the total outlay from the improvement fund was $22.78, the total labor was 82 man-days.
To me it seems that there is no appreciable difference in adequacy or effectiveness of either structure as a lookout house. The Kaniksu house will give comfortable quarters for two or three men regularly and six men if needed.
There has been considerable argument in favor of a larger lookout house in order to provide quarters for six or eight men if needed. If there is need for additional quarters at lookout points, why not build a fireman's cabin in addition to the lookout house for housing those extra men? The total cost of a standard lookout house and fireman's cabin will not equal the cost of one large lookout house, and will certainly provide more satisfactory quarters, and the presence of the additional men will not interfere with the lookout man's efficiency." (Inspection Report)
1931: patrol tower one mile NW. (Kresek)
1955: Destroyed (Kresek)