LEMHI COUNTY
LONG TOM
Salmon National Forest
23N-15E-10
23N-15E-10
June 19, 1918: "A heliograph is to be installed on Long Tom mountain, to be used in signaling to Bend mountain on the south side of Salmon river in Idaho county. This instrument is here and the forest force tried it out on the roof of the McNutt block Saturday, using the regulation shutter and Morse code." (The Salmon Herald)
July 26, 1918: "The Salmon forest office has a crew of twenty field men now on the job of riding range and installing two new telephone lines. This is the largest force ever employed from the Salmon office. Wires will soon be stretched from Baldy mountain to Taylor mountain and from the mouth of Big creek to Long Tom and Blue Nose mountains. Carl Kriley and S.C. Scribner are at the head of these constructions crews." (The Idaho Recorder)
July 21, 1920: "Frank L. Hall, who used the trade name of 'Ole Man Hall,' when he was painting signs and doing decorative work about this city this spring, but who has since entered the service of the forest department, was thrown from a horse last Saturday, and in the fall suffered the fracture of his thigh bone. He was brought to the lookout station on Long Tom mountain, where Dr. C. F. Hanmer was called to give him surgical aid. Fixing him up the best he could. Dr. Hanmer, S.C. Scribner, Carl Clark, and three others, by means of an improvised stretcher, carried the patient seven miles down the mountain to Pope's ranch at the mouth of Owl creek, where he now rests. Later, they will bring him on a boat to Shoup, then by auto to Salmon, where the break will be properly attended to. It is a serious accident, and made more so by the inaccessibility of the locality where it happened." (The Salmon Herald)
October 22, 1920: "Frank L. Hall, rancher on the lower Salmon river, has been in Salmon this week receiving surgical attention on account of the fracture of his right leg sustained last summer while engaged as a smoke chaser for the forest service on Long Tom mountain. He was brought up from the Pope ranch on a stretcher 21 miles to Shoup, where the A.M. Bradshaw automobile gave him a ride to Salmon. Two days were required for the trip over the rough trail to the wagon road end at Shoup, with Mr. Bradshaw, Joe Lehr, Carl Clark, Billy Hall, Fred Branstedt and four of the Bevan boys taking turns at the handles. It was found necessary to camp on the trail for one night, There were in the party, besides the patient, ten men. Thirteen horses were in use for the riders and their equipment." (The Idaho Recorder)
October 12, 1921: "E.A. Renner, the forest man, is building a lookout station on Long Tom mountain, north of Shoup." (The Salmon Herald)
May 23, 1923: "Three trail camps have been established on the Salmon forest this spring, with about a dozen laborers at each place. One is in Camas creek, one on Clear creek, and one running toward Long Tom mountain, three extensive projects being pushed to completion. On Clear creek they run from the mouth to the head of the stream. On Camas they go to the Middlefork, and on Long Tom, they go to the forest lookout on the peak." (The Salmon Herald)
1924: A Salmon Forest lookout report shows this as a primary lookout with a 10x10 building. Also states that two men are stationed there.
November 23, 1932: "Spring creek road was completed this fall as far as Long Tom lookout and the road extended two miles along the ridge toward Skunk camp. This new road presents one of the most scenic drives in Lemhi county." (The Recorder-Herald)
June 13, 1934: "Radio receiving and sending unit has been installed at Long Tom." (Recorder Herald)
July 18, 1934: "Murd McNicoll came in over the weekend from Long Tom lookout for a brief visit with friends in town." (Recorder Herald)
1940's: L-4 cab on log crib. (Kresek)
1949: The catwalk was reconstructed by Joe Denny. (The Recorder-Herald)
July 13, 1950: "High frequency radio has been installed at Long Tom." (Recorder Herald)
July 12, 1951: "Mr. and Mrs. Harold L. Edwards, Orem, Utah, are at Long Tom." (The Recorder-Herald)
October 25, 1951: (30 years ago) "E.A. Renner, the forest man, is building a lookout station on Long Tom mountain, north of Shoup." (The Recorder Herald)
September 25, 1958: "Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth Larson came down from Long Tom lookout Wednesday, after having spent two weeks there." (The Recorder Herald)
July 9, 1959: "Lightning shattered the radio antenna and the pole to which it was attached on Long Tom lookout, shortly after the equipment was installed on Monday. The lookout will now revert to the back pack radio set." (The Recorder Herald)
July 14, 1960: "On Sunday, Mr. and Mrs. Colin Smith drove to Long Tom lookout, and visited with Mr. and Mrs. Joe Plosser.
While there, they experienced seeing a large timber rattler, and helped dispose of it. The snake was in the building at the base of the lookout with only the tip of the snake and the rattles protruding on the outside of the building. Both couples were quite surprised at seeing such a snake at that altitude, as Long Tom lookout stands at 8154 feet elevation." (The Recorder Herald)
While there, they experienced seeing a large timber rattler, and helped dispose of it. The snake was in the building at the base of the lookout with only the tip of the snake and the rattles protruding on the outside of the building. Both couples were quite surprised at seeing such a snake at that altitude, as Long Tom lookout stands at 8154 feet elevation." (The Recorder Herald)
June 22, 1961: "Mr. and Mrs. Joe Plosser will take over at the Long Tom at the first of this week." (The Recorder Herald)
September 14, 1972: "Family members prepared a ham and chicken dinner and drove to Long Tom fire lookout, Sunday to share the meal with Mr. and Mrs. Ralph Roads, who 'man' the lookout. The occasion was Road's birthday." (Recorder Herald)
October 6, 1977: "The new lookout was constructed between June 1 and Oct. 5. It was built by Wes Dana, Sr., carpenter; Jim Sherman and Chuck Rummler, helpers, and Chet Rackham, who is stationed at Long Tom as the Forest Service lookout.
Large floor beams weighing between 350 and 400 pounds each were put in place by a Lama helicopter under contract to the Salmon Forest." (The Recorder-Herald)
December 3, 1987: "Vandalism and theft on the Salmon National Forest has increased slightly over the past few years.
The latest incident was a break-in of the Long Tom Lookout where a variety of tools and furnishings were taken.
Forest Law Enforcement Coordinator, Jim Sustaire said usually all property of value is removed at the end of each season and the buildings winterized. However, in the case of Long Tom Lookout, additional work was in progress so the building had not been winterized." (Recorder Herald)
August 5, 2012: The lookout evacuated, when the Mustang Complex of fires became a threat.