LEMHI COUNTY
MIDDLE FORK PEAK
Salmon National Forest
19N-15E-24
19N-15E-24
1924: A Salmon Forest lookout report had the lookout-fireman having a camp below the peak's saddle.
1929: "A standard lookout building was constructed on Middle Fork Peak, the first for the Yellowjacket District." (Alumni Bulletin – 1930)
July 1934: The peak was burned over in a major forest fire. The fire was so close to the lookout that the windows were hot, but no serious damage was incurred.
July 12, 1951: "Middle Fork Peak is manned by Bruce Nelson of Brigham City, Utah." (The Recorder-Herald)
August 28, 1952: "On August 22, Hank Schmitz, Middlefork peak lookout reported and suppressed a small fire on Jackass creek." (The Recorder Herald)
August 11, 1955: "A stricken forest service lookout, stationed at Middle Fork peak in the primitive area, was brought out Friday by helicopter to Salmon for medical attention.
Gary Hathaway, Idaho Falls, a forestry student at the University of Idaho, radioed for help early Friday morning and a 'copter and first aid man was assigned to the emergency.
Hathaway was taken ill Thursday night and suffered chills and fever and periods of unconsciousness.
Piloting the 'copter was Earl Thompson, Seattle, Washington of the Aero Copter firm, which has a contract with the forest service. Leonard Krout, Missoula, Montana, was the first aid man, who remained on the remote lookout while Hathaway was flown to Salmon.
The 'copter left Missoula at 7:05 a.m. Friday and landed near the 9,130 ft. peak about two hours later. Thompson was unfamiliar with the country and lookouts along the route radioed his position.
The 'copter and his passenger was delayed when it was necessary to put the flying windmill down on McDonald flat because of a broken fan belt. The part was replaced and the 'copter landed at the municipal airport at Salmon about 10:30 a.m.
Hathaway's malady was diagnosed by two Salmon physicians as being 'tick fever', the result of a tick which he had removed from his back about five days before, according to a forest service spokesman." (The Recorder-Herald)
July 10, 1959: "The first burglary of a lookout, committed on the Salmon National Forest in recent years, was reported by W.H. Shaw, superintendent.
Theft from the Middle Fork lookout tower, overlooking the central Idaho primitive area, of a sleeping bag, parts of three other sleeping other sleeping bags, gas lanterns, two pairs of lineman's pliers, fire fighting rations, two first-aid kits, 50-ft. Of new quarter inch rope and a quantity of miscellaneous lengths of half-inch rope was discovered by Craig Whitehead, when he opened the tower to begin his season's work.
Entry was gained by forcing the lock on the door, Shaw said, and investigation points to the break-in having been committed sometime in the spring, Shaw said." (The Post-Register)
July 19, 1959: "Slated for completion is the road to Middle Fork peak lookout, a project that was begun a year ago." (The Post-Register)
1962: R-6 cab atop concrete first floor. (Kresek)
June 20, 1963: "Mr. and Mrs. John Crisfield of Logan, Utah, arrived at the Cobalt Ranger Station on Friday, June 7th. Mr. Crisfield will be lookout on Middlefork Peak during the coming fire season." (The Recorder Herald)
September 24, 1964: "The Robinson family spent the summer on Middle Fork Peak." (The Recorder Herald)
September 13, 1967: "Middle Fork Peak, a Salmon National Forest Lookout west of Salmon, reported up to 10 inches of snow there Tuesday morning.
This was the most snow reported by any of the lookouts. Higher elevations throughout the area got some snow which was visible on the mountains from Salmon.
Middle Fork Peak is located above the Middle Fork of the Salmon River in the Idaho Primitive area and is about 9,000 feet in elevation." (The Post-Register)
July 4, 1974: "The last opening lookout for the fire season, Middle Fork Peak. Roger Kaiser, the lookout, was placed at that point by helicopter since the road to the peak is still closed by snow." (The Recorder-Herald)
July 31, 1975: "The Cobalt Ranger Station reports the roof of the Middle Fork Peak lookout has been tarred, the first since the original work.
Fernandez and Hade Roofing Co. undertook the job." (Recorder Herald)