LINCOLN COUNTY

YAAK MOUNTAIN

Kootenai National Forest
32N-34W-2

August 27, 1931:  "Fleeing to safety from his fire-menaced lookout station in the Yaak river region of northwest Montana last night, Anton Obermeyer, 22, forest service observer, was killed by a falling tree.  His body was found today.
     Forest officials said they ordered Obermeyer to abandon his station when the fire crept toward it and to seek safety in a camp.
     Obermeyer's death brings to seven the number of men killed while fighting fires in the Montana-Idaho-Washington sector this season."  (Morning Oregonian)

July 10, 1956:  "That brings Yaak Mountain to first priority on the Kootenai.  The road to Yaak Mountain is now completed to the lookout.  The cabin on the ground is in deplorable condition, a porcupine having chewed through the floor, and with the rotten wall logs bulging out, ready to come apart.  The roof of the ground cabin needs immediate replacement, and the steps and catwalk around the cabin are rotted out.
     The four main legs of the lookout tower appear to be in fair condition as do the cross braces except for fungus fruiting bodies now growing from the apparently sound timbers.  An increment borer was not available for checking the timbers, but such check will be made immediately for safety's sake.
     The tower cab is about 8 x 8, and shows the ageing typical of such an old cab.  The guard rails on the tower stairs were round poles, never painted.  They are partly rotten and do not appear to be safe.  Most of the lookout catwalk has been replaced and the guard rails are scheduled for replacement unless a new tower can be planned on this fiscal year.
     Because of the ready accessibility of Yaak Mountain for replacement work this fall, the high priority of Yaak Mountain on the Troy District and the Kootenai and the very poor condition of the existing facilities, we would like to be able to replace Yaak Mountain this fall if it is at all possible and in line with regional plans.
     Could you advise us as to the likelihood of such replacement and we will plan our repair work on the existing structure accordingly."  (Memorandum to the Regional Forester from the Forest Supervisor)

July 19, 1956:  "Yaak Mountain will be placed on the high-priority list for replacement along with others in the region.  As you know we were able to purchase only four towers and houses and pay erection costs for those structures purchased the previous year out out last fiscal year's funds.  The picture does not appear much brighter for this fiscal year.
     The best we could plan to do would be to purchase the tower and house out of this year's funds for construction next summer.  At the present time, your needs for Yaak Mountain appear to rank high in the region and we should be able to include it in this year's purchase program.  This would mean that you should plan to make whatever temporary repairs are necessary to keep the structure useable and safe for occupancy through next season.
     You should also check the profiles for this point and let us know whether or not a 40-foot tower is the correct height needed."  (Memorandum to Forest Supervisor from the Assistant Regional Forester)

January 28, 1957:  "Reference is made to our memorandum of July 10, 1956, and your reply of July 19, 1956, which refer to the fact that the road to Yaak Mountain has been completed and the proposed reconstruction of the lookout can be completed more economically.  You indicated that the best you could plan to do would be to purchase the tower and house out of this year's funds with construction next summer.
     We appreciate your consideration of the Kootenai lookout replacement needs and hope the purchase and erection of the Yaak Mountain tower and house can be carried out as planned."  (Memorandum to the Regional Forester from the Forest Supervisor)

December 3, 1957:  "The lookout observatory and log cabin at Yaak Mountain, north of Troy, are being replaced by a new tower, it has been announced by Howard Ahlskog, Kootenai National Forest supervisor.
     The old 48-foot tower with 8-foot square house on top was built in 1930 of native timber and lumber packed to the top of Yaak Mountain by horse.  Since that date the lookout has been used as one of the primary fire detection points for the Kootenai Valley.  The untreated timbers in the tower have rotted until it is becoming unsafe for use.
     The new lookout tower built this fall is 41 feet tall, built of pressure treated sawed timbers on a foundation set on bedrock.  Erection of the tower was by personnel of the Troy ranger district.
     The observatory and living quarters will be a 15-foot square cabin to be built on top of the tower next spring.  Materials for the tower and lookout house were hauled to the top of Yaak Mountain on the road built by J.Neils Lumber Company in conjunction with the logging of national forest timber on Yaak Mountain last year.
     Yaak Mountain is one of 19 lookouts used in the Kootenai forest fire detection organization."  (The Daily Inter Lake)

December 17, 1957:  "A new 41-foot tower was built this fall at Yaak to replace the old lookout observatory tower and log cabin residence, whose timbers had become so rotten as to render the tower unfit for use.
     The new tower is built of pressure treated sawed timbers on a foundation set on bed rock.  The observatory and living quarters will be in a 15-foot square cabin to be built on top of the new tower in the spring.
     One of 19 lookouts used in the Kootenai forest fire detection organization, the old 48-foot tower was built in 1930 and since that date the lookout has been used as one of the primary fire detection points for the Kootenai Valley."  (The Daily Inter Lake)

July 5, 1966:  "Ranger Bob Lichlyter reports the Troy Ranger District put up its first lookout last week on Yaak Mountain.  Keith Kendall, a college student from California, who spent last year at school in France, will be in charge of binoculars and alidade."  (The Daily Inter Lake)