Fire lookouts provide a unique perspective

SANDERS COUNTY- When I think of what it takes to have an adventure, I typically imagine an activity that involves a small degree of self-endangerment combined with a touch of recklessness topped off with a sprinkle of disregard for ones personal safety. I might even add a dash of “what the heck am I thinking?” to the recipe.

All these were in play when I decided to check out the remnants of the former network of fire lookouts that dot the summits of various mountains in Sanders County. The lookouts were constructed to provide the Forest Service with a means to locate and analyze fires before technology made them somewhat obsolete. There are now only two in the county that remain manned to this day.

The rest are in a wide variety of condition. Most have been restored. Some are now even available for members of the public to rent and spend the night with a view that you have to see to believe.

I decided that in addition to a killer view, the structures themselves might be interesting as most were built in the early 20th century and therefore might provide a window into what life was like in those days. We are talking about truly isolated places. There is no running water, no electricity and no quick way down if something weird were to happen.

People were manning these things before the Internet, before Netflix, before laptop computers, and smart phones. I was curious to find out what did the people tasked with staying up here for long periods of time do with themselves? It’s not like they were occupied with getting to level 4,285 of Candy Crush Saga. I seriously don’t get what the big deal is with this candy game.

Did they haul heavy books up there? Perhaps they just enjoyed the view that could easily occupy days on end. To these questions, I found few answers. My next question was: how the heck did they even get up there?

I chose Cougar Peak as my destination. I chose poorly. Do not try to get up there unless you have an M-1 Abrams battle tank sitting in your garage. Now I know my friends at the Forest Service are tasked with maintaining these roads and this time of year they have their hands full with other things like keeping the county from catching fire.

So I can forgive them for putting this one road on the backburner for awhile. They also probably didn’t intend for some lunatic to go hauling up the mountain in a little four-door compact, essentially a glorified go-kart. Clearly, they have no idea who they are dealing with.

Still, I did have the idea in my head the guys who originally built this road must have gleefully finished up work, gone home, called their broker and told them to put everything into Michelin and Goodyear. Rocks the size of basketballs belong somewhere else. I mean not everyone in this county has 4-wheel drive and tires the size of inflatable rafts do they? …Do they?

Okay now I know what you are saying, Colin we have seen that adorable little Toyota Corolla you drive. (It is really cute). Colin, that thing would high center on a pebble. What were you thinking?

Well in the spirit of adventure I put thinking on hold of course. If you think, then you are liable to just think yourself right out of the fun and thrilling madness. That’s my excuse. Also my editor would have killed me if I came back without a story so I had to keep going.

Now the drama doesn’t end with the boulders in the road or the heart-stopping drop-off with nothing to prevent yours truly from plummeting 5,000 feet to the bottom of the valley. I’m getting used to that but it will take some time. I mean really, in some spots there aren’t even trees to break the fall.

Just know that as my car is hurtling down the mountain I will try to snap a few photos so my editor has something to print since I was not capable enough to come back with an actual story.

No the real fun is when out of nowhere a semi comes barreling down the road at you. What was a semi doing on a one lane, boulder-infested road 5,000 feet up a mountain? How should I know? This guy didn’t even have anything on his trailer. Maybe his tank was in the shop.

Now it’s not like there are shoulders or rest stops with fresh coffee, donuts and dog-parks on this road. It’s one lane and that’s being generous. So I had to back up. Yes, that’s right. I had to back up on the one lane road with nothing to prevent me from going over. It was tricky enough going forward.

Anyway, I made it to a “shoulder,” the semi trailer of death and dismemberment passed by and I made it to the lookout. The structure sits atop a foundation of rock and commands an impressive view of the Cabinet Mountains. Why they didn’t take all the rocks up here for the foundation instead of embedding them in the road is beyond me.

According to a website devoted to fire lookout history, at one time there were more than 8,000 lookouts in 49 states. Fewer than 2,000 structures remain intact with only 500 still staffed.

The lookout at the summit of Cougar Peak was built in 1952 at an elevation of 6,694 feet. The structure was built to replace an aging lookout that dated back to the 1930s. The site is available for rent from July 1 through September 15.

So for those of you with 4-wheel drive, go for it. The view is absolutely brilliant. Stunning vistas, sunbeams shining through the clouds and a landscape that goes on forever await the brave (or stupid). Those of us fortunate enough to visit this spectacular part of the U.S. will realize why they call it “Big Sky” country when you make the trip to a lookout.

It was worth every death-defying moment. However I would make one recommendation. For those curious few who want to have an adventure at a lookout, for greater comfort and ease of mind, seriously… take the tank.