LAKE COUNTY
CRANE MOUNTAIN
Flathead National Forest
26N-19W-26
26N-19W-26
July 14, 1937: "Brush is being cleared for a forestry road to the Crane Lookout beginning from the Tykeson place. About 20 men are employed and they are camped near the Linden mill." (The Daily Inter Lake)
December 14, 1950: "Work started Friday on the forestry road being built to Crain Lookout by the Plum Creek Logging Co., of Columbia Falls.
Work will continue as long as weather permits and other equipment may be brought in later" (The Flathead Courier)
October 8, 1951: "With the completion of the first unit of this forestry road, many sightseers found their way up Crane mountain this summer. While the trail does not lead directly to Crane lookout, it skirts the lower edge of the peak and only a short hike is required to reach the lookout." (The Daily Inter Lake)
July 28, 1955: "The Crane lookout is not on the manning section this summer and fire detection is done by planes in this area." (The Flathead Courier)
July 16, 1957: "Crane lookout south of Ferndale is no longer maintained, forestry officials said, as it is aerial patrolled daily, and sometimes twice daily, by forestry planes out of Kalispell." (The Daily Inter Lake)
August 27, 1972: "Vandalism Discouraging" " 'It is discouraging. We've had to come out here six times just to fix the barricades.
In the same area, the Forest Service left an old outlook on Crane Mountain for a rest stop and a point of interest. But joy-seekers on a beer-bust ripped the entire place apart last spring, Samuelson said.
'We will be burning it down soon, because it is ruined,' he said." (The Daily Inter Lake)
Removed
DESIGNATION - CRANE LOOKOUT
PID - ST0623
STATE/COUNTY- MT/LAKE
COUNTRY - US
USGS QUAD - YEW CREEK (1994)
STATION DESCRIPTION
DESCRIBED BY COAST AND GEODETIC SURVEY 1956 (VRS)
THE STATION WAS RECOVERED IN GOOD CONDITION.
THE STATION IS ABOUT 6 MILES SOUTH EAST OF BIG FORK, 2 MILES
SOUTHWEST OF THE NORTH END OF SWAN LAKE AND 2-1/2 MILES EAST
OF THE EAST SHORE OF FLATHEAD LAKE AT WOODS BAY.
TO REACH THE STATION FROM THE POST OFFICE AT BIG FORK, GO EAST
ALONG GRAVEL ROAD FOR 2.2 MILES TO A BRIDGE, FOLLOW MAIN
TRAVELED ROAD FOR 1.2 MILES TO FERNDALE SCHOOL. TURN RIGHT
(SOUTH) AND GO 1.3 MILES TO A SAWMILL AND CATTLE GUARD, CONTINUE
SOUTH FOR 6.8 MILES UP GRAVEL ROAD TO A FORK. TAKE LEFT
FORK AND GO 0.4 MILE TO THE PARKING AREA AT THE LOOKOUT.
THE STATION IS THE CENTER OF THE SMALL WHITE HOUSE SET ON A
BARE ROCK OUTCROP.