LEMHI / CUSTER COUNTY
TWIN PEAKS
Challis National Forest
15N-17E-33
15N-17E-33
September 6, 1913: "Twin peaks, which form a part of the divide between the Salmon river basin and the Middle Fork of the Salmon. The higher one of these peaks has recently been made a lookout station by Supervisor Laing of the Challis forest, and has been connected by telephone with forest headquarters at Challis, twenty miles distant. A forest guard is stationed at this lookout during the fire season, and a small cabin is being built for his use.
From this point, vision is unobstructed to the Continental divide on the north, seventy-five miles distant. To the west sight is cut off by the Salmon River mountains, but to the south there is again no hindrance to the view to the sawtooth range, which marks the southern boundary of the Challis. In all, three-fourths of the Challis forest of over a million acres can be overlooked from this point, besides a larger portion of the Lemhi forest on the southeast and of the salmon on the north.
For lack of water and building material, the cabin was necessarily constructed at 2000 feet less altitude than the lookout. This distance the guard climbs daily, but not in the cool of the morning, unless it is an exceptionally dry or windy time and expects to remain all day, or he has previously sighted a fire and wishes to make a progressive report. Instead, he waits until noon, since the most profitable period at the lookout is from 3 o'clock until sundown. A fire which smolders down during the night may fill the air with haze and the creek bottoms with smoke, but not until noon does the smoke arise from a small fire so as to indicate its location." (The Ogden Standard)
From this point, vision is unobstructed to the Continental divide on the north, seventy-five miles distant. To the west sight is cut off by the Salmon River mountains, but to the south there is again no hindrance to the view to the sawtooth range, which marks the southern boundary of the Challis. In all, three-fourths of the Challis forest of over a million acres can be overlooked from this point, besides a larger portion of the Lemhi forest on the southeast and of the salmon on the north.
For lack of water and building material, the cabin was necessarily constructed at 2000 feet less altitude than the lookout. This distance the guard climbs daily, but not in the cool of the morning, unless it is an exceptionally dry or windy time and expects to remain all day, or he has previously sighted a fire and wishes to make a progressive report. Instead, he waits until noon, since the most profitable period at the lookout is from 3 o'clock until sundown. A fire which smolders down during the night may fill the air with haze and the creek bottoms with smoke, but not until noon does the smoke arise from a small fire so as to indicate its location." (The Ogden Standard)
1920: A 7 x 7 lookout cabin was built. This structure was of lumber packed to the site and native rock. Rocks were used on the sides to the bottom of the windows.
July 8, 1924: "Struck by a bolt of lightning while engaged in forest fire lookout duty at Twin Peaks observatory on the Challis (Idaho) forest, V.E. Elliott was knocked unconscious on July 4, according to a report received this morning by District Forester R.H. Rutledge.
The lightning badly damaged the roof and walls of the lookout building. When Elliott regained consciousness he managed to make his way down the side of the mountain for about three-fourths of a mile to the cabin used as a dwelling by him and his wife.
Dr. E. Kirtley responded to a telephone call and treated the injured man. Outside of a cut on one hand, caused by flying glass, badly shattered nerves and an aching body, the man seems to be none the worse off for his experience. He will resume his duties at the lookout in about 10 days unless complications set in, the report states." (The Standard-Examiner)
The lightning badly damaged the roof and walls of the lookout building. When Elliott regained consciousness he managed to make his way down the side of the mountain for about three-fourths of a mile to the cabin used as a dwelling by him and his wife.
Dr. E. Kirtley responded to a telephone call and treated the injured man. Outside of a cut on one hand, caused by flying glass, badly shattered nerves and an aching body, the man seems to be none the worse off for his experience. He will resume his duties at the lookout in about 10 days unless complications set in, the report states." (The Standard-Examiner)
1932: A R-1 14x14 gable roof live-in lookout house replaced the older day use building, now allowing the lookout to remain on the summit at night, instead of hiking to the cabin on the summit each day.
September 13, 1953: "A new communications system for the back country and lookouts in the forest has been installed by the Challis Forest Service, it was announced Saturday.
The system was installed by Blaine Hansen, radio technician for the local forest. It is a combination of radio and telephone equipment and centralizes in the Challis fire dispatcher's office and Twin Peaks lookout.
Under the new operation, messages are radioed to twin Peaks and then carried on telephone lines to any point in the back country desired. However, the conversation is not repeated over the telephone connections but is radioed on radio waves by remote control.
The master sending and receiving cabinet in the Challis office was constructed by Hansen. A switch is thrown at the Twin Peaks lookout and the conversation is automatically picked up on the telephone lines, which all center at that point." (The Post-Register)
March 1, 1965: "Twin Peaks Lookout, located 14 miles northwest of Challis, received a face lifting during the past summer.
Ranger Don Owen reported that construction of the new two story building is nearly completed. The old building was no longer serviceable.
The modern two-story lookout replaces the one-story building constructed about 1930. The lower portion of the new structures made of cinder blocks for the purpose of weather proof storage. The work area and living quarters are combined in the upper half of the building constructed of wood. Large frame window on the upper floor provide unobstructed vision for continuous observation and fire detection.
Early next summer minor finishing work will be completed and the new building will be ready for occupancy.
The old building was moved about forty feet to the east so the new dwelling could be constructed on the original building site. The old structure served as living quarters for the lookout during the construction of the new building." (The Post-Register)
