SHIP MOUNTAIN
Del Norte County - Siskiyou National Forest > Six Rivers National Forest
July 1, 1914: "The heliographs and fire finders are being put in operation on High Dome and Ship Mt. Guard Kramer is making a workout with Guard Morgan on High Dome, preparatory to taking up long distance from his station at Ship Mt." (Siskiyou Bulletin)
July 1, 1914: "This month it is expected to start work on the telephone line to Ship Mt., in connection with the trail from Smith Fork to Madrone Camp." (Siskiyou Bulletin)
October 1, 1914: "The storm, which was accompanied by cyclone winds, made things very unpleasant for the lookouts on High Dome and Ship Mt. From the lookouts' report they were lucky to be able to report. Lookout Morgan on High Dome was forcibly reminded at 2 a.m. that the place for him was 3-1/2 miles distant at Patrick Creek Station, which he proceeded to make for while the wind and rain made for him -- blowing him in one instance from the trail. From Lookout Kramer's description, things were fierce at Ship Mt., and he was on the verge of perishing." (Siskiyou Bulletin)
June 1915: "The telephone line connecting Ship Mountain Lookout with the outside world reached completion on June 30 at the hands of Ranger Lewis and crew. District #6 has now two well equipped lookouts with telephone connection, and no fire should escape detection at the outset. A small stretch of line at the summit is unfinished owing to lack of line wire but this will be completed before the lookout starts work." (Siskiyou Bulletin)
July 1916: "We put the Ship Mtn. telephone line in temporary repair for the season. It was surely shot-up. We were one whole day, with the help of one man, splicing wire. In places we found the ends of the wire 100 yds apart. One thing that I noticed in particular was that where the line was high in the trees the snow did not effect it -- there was no breakage. Through the heavy timber we cut about 20 trees which were across the line, and in no case was there more than one insulator pulled and no breakage." (Siskiyou Bulletin)
1922: "A standard lookout cabin was packed 26 miles into Ship Mountain and constructed, the lumber being ready-cut by ranger labor during the proceeding winter." (A History of the Siskiyou National Forest - 1939)
August 12, 1922: "Al Gastman of Big Flat has taken over the Lookout Station on Ship Mountain, in Del Norte county, while Andy Hamilton has charge of the Stephens place during Mr. Gastman's absence." (Blue Lake Advocate)
June 21, 1924: "Milton Kingsley of Big Flat will hold down the position of lookout at Ship Mountain, which has for the past two years been held by A.L. Gastman." (Blue Lake Advocate)
September 3, 1924: "The worst electrical storm in the history of northern California and parts of southern Oregon set a large number of fires in the Siskiyou and Klamath forests last night. The Siskiyou forest alone has reported forty fires as a result of the storm of Monday and Tuesday nights.
One lookout on Ship mountain in the Klamath forest, in northern California, reported that the lightning struck in 2648 places during the night in his territory. The storm moved north, striking the Siskiyou forest after midnight." (Spokane Daily Chronicle)
May 1940: "Seen area and suppression covers principally lightning country, and suggested dates based on the premise." (Plans, Guard Placement, Siskiyou National Forest)
2007: The portable lookout trailer was removed and the road to the top of the mountain was improved.
2008: A new two story lookout station was constructed.
DESIGNATION - SHIP MOUNTAIN LOOKOUT HOUSE
PID - MX1272
STATE/COUNTY- CA/DEL NORTE
COUNTRY - US
USGS QUAD - SHIP MOUNTAIN (1982)
STATION DESCRIPTION
DESCRIBED BY COAST AND GEODETIC SURVEY 1941 (JCS)
STATION IS LOCATED ON THE TOP OF THE HIGHEST PEAK OF THE FOUR
TOPS OF SHIP MOUNTAIN KNOWN AS THE FOUR BROTHERS IN THE
SISKIYOU NATIONAL FOREST, LYING ABOUT 21 MILES E OF CRESCENT
CITY AND ABOUT 12 MILES SE OF GASQUET. THIS PEAK IS NO. 3
OF THE FOUR BROTHERS OR THE SECOND PEAK FROM THE S.
THE HOUSE IS A SQUARE (12.44 FEET ON A SIDE) TWO-STORY STRUCTURE
OF WOOD, PAINTED WHITE, AND IS ON THE HIGHEST POINT OF THE
PEAK. STATION SHIP MOUNTAIN 1941 LIES 18.11 FEET S OF THE
SW CORNER OF THE HOUSE. THE ELEVATION AT THE HOUSE IS 5310
FEET. THE TOP OF THE U.S.F.S. HOUSE WAS INTERSECTED.
STATION RECOVERY (1952)
RECOVERY NOTE BY COAST AND GEODETIC SURVEY 1952 (WRH)
THE STATION IS LOCATED ABOUT 21 MILES AIRLINE EAST OF CRESENT
CITY, 12 MILES SOUTHWEST OF GASQUET, ON THE HIGHEST OR SECOND
PEAK FROM THE SOUTH OF FOUR HIGH PEAKS OF SHIP MOUNTAIN
(FOUR BROTHERS).
THE LOOKOUT HOUSE IS A STANDARD U.S. FOREST SERVICE LOOKOUT HOUSE
ABOUT 12 FEET SQUARE AND IS TWO STORIES HIGH. IT IS 25.117
FEET, 7.655 METERS NORTH OF STATION SHIP MTN. THE CENTER
OF THE HOUSE WAS INTERSECTED.
(NOTE: The current lookout house is located on Peak #4 or the southern most of the four peaks.)