SISKIYOU COUNTY
BLACK BUTTE
Shasta - Trinity National Forest
40N-2E-15
40N-2E-15
May 20, 1931: "This week a crew of ten men, under the foremanship of Stephen Girard, started work on the Black butte trail. This is considered by many to be the most difficult piece of trail building yet attempted in Shasta National Forest.
It is planned to erect a lookout station on top of this peak as soon as the trail is finished and material can be taken to the summit." (The Searchlight)
It is planned to erect a lookout station on top of this peak as soon as the trail is finished and material can be taken to the summit." (The Searchlight)
July 4, 1931: The trail up Black Butte is about one-half completed with work being rushed as fast as possible." (The Searchlight)
August 28, 1931: "The building of a trail up Black Butte by the forest service. As soon as the trail is in good enough shape to allow materials to be taken to the summit, a look-out tower will be erected on the peak." (The Dunsmuir News)
October 15, 1931: "The new Black Butte Lookout station on Shasta Forest is to be dedicated soon. DeWitt Nelson of the Shasta Forest will be the speaker." (Chronological History of the Klamath National Forest, Vol. IV, 1931-1940)
October 19, 1931: "The new government trail up Black Butte to the lookout station just completed at a cost of several thousand dollars, was dedicated yesterday. Black Butte, immediately north of Mt. Shasta, rises to a height of 6000 feet above sea level and 2000 feet above the floor of the valley. View may be had for many miles in all directions from its summit. It is officially known as Muir peak, having been first named in honor of John Muir, who spent so many years in that neighborhood to study natural phenomena. The name Muir is seldom heard, however." (Santa Maria Daily Times)
May 26, 1939: "Although the Forest Service lookout on Black Butte discovered a fire in Dunsmuir Thursday and was responsible for the alarm being turned in, the home of the John Conway family in south Dunsmuir was completely destroyed by the flames.
The Conway family was away from home at the time the fire broke out. The Black Butte lookout discovered the fire and telephoned Mount Shasta. The message was relayed to Dunsmuir and the fire alarm sounded at 11:55 a.m. The fire department responded promptly with the county fire truck but the blaze had gained such headway that there3 was no chance to save it when the firemen arrived. The county fire truck was used because the fire was out of the city limits and in a location where fire hydrants are not available.
Mr. Conway learned about the fire when he arrived home from Weed Thursday afternoon.
The house and out buildings are a total loss but are partially covered by insurance." (The Dunsmuir News)
January 5, 1940: "After the strong wind storms in the middle of December, Ken Fox and Bill Peterson were worried about the possibility of damage to the Black Butte lookout station. Accordingly, they both gave it careful observation (via binoculars) and agreed that one storm shutter and the storm door was missing. Forest Engineer Lee was notified and he immediately dispatched Fred Carlberg to make the necessary repairs. After a delightful (?) trip in sub-zero weather Carlberg returned to report that the only damage he could find was the loss of several layers of paint which had blown away. Incidentally, this proves that two pairs of eyes are not always better than one pair." (The Dunsmuir News)
October 22, 1943: "For several weeks Frank Jackson, Forest Service look-out on Black Butte, had planned a vacation and just what he would do when he was first released from his duties. He had spent several months at the lonely look-out post.
That day came Monday and Jackson went joyfully about cashing his pay checks and but necessary supplies.
Upon completing his shopping here he started south in his car but misfortune soon overtook him as he was crowded off the highway a few miles south of town by truck.
He suffered a broken leg in the accident and instead of a carefree vacation in spending his time in the Dunsmuir hospital." (The Dunsmuir News)
July 7, 1944: "First, we introduce Frank Jackson, lookout atop Black Butte. He is the gentleman who, after five months at this station last year, broke his leg the first day off the mountain as he was driving out of Dunsmuir on his way south, and was confined to the hospital here for three months." (The Dunsmuir News)
October 6, 1944: "Frank Jackson will soon finish his fifth month on Black Butte on constant duty as a look-out. Last year his leg was broken in a automobile accident the first day off the peak. So he wants to stay up there in safety." (The Dunsmuir News)
June 29, 1945: "The gal on Black Butte is none other than Carol Collins who comes all the way from New Jersey to get a sun-tan." (The Dunsmuir News)
November 22, 1946: "Dick Stockton had to be moved from Black Butte lookout to Mt. Bradley because the extreme cold on Black Butte froze water inside the tower while a fire was burning in the stove and ice coated the cat walks making it unsafe to walk on during the heavy wind." (Siskiyou Daily News)
January 23, 1948: "Henry Erhart and a forest service party drove to Sand Flat last Saturday and skied to the lodge. The pilfered locker was plainly marked "U. S. Government Property.'
This is the second instance of vandalism discovered recently by the forest service. A short time ago the look-out on Black Butte was broken into. A glass door was smashed and an empty whiskey bottle left on the table inside but no property was stolen." (The Dunsmuir News)
June 11, 1948: "The storm was an exciting adventure to at least one person, however, La Verne Richardson, 20, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. V. L. Richardson or Mott, reported it was a trilling sight from her perch on top of Black Butte. She is working this summer for the forest service as a lookout. During part of the storm she reported the fog was so thick it was impossible to see and her little lookout station was completely blanketed. At the height of the storm, the stove pipe in the building was either blown down or struck by lightning, but there was no damage.
La Verne will return to the University of California this fall for her sophomore year. She plans to major in optometry." (The Dunsmuir News)
June 25, 1961: "Atop Black Butte, a huge cinder cone just six air miles from the summit of Mt. Shasta, is Cecelia Thompson of Dunsmuir, new to her job this year. She is perched in a glass enclosed 'home' about 15 feet square at an elevation of 6,325 feet. Supplies reach her bi-weekly by pack horse over a 2.5 mile trail. Cecelia will spend the summer on duty 13 hours a day, seven days a week until autumn rains indicate the forests are no longer fire threatened." (Herald and News)
August 9, 1962: "Black Butte's Cecelia Thompson is putting in her second season as a look-out; she has lived most of her life in the area. Black Butte is considered a rugged look-out in that all supplies must be packed in by horses. There is no road." (The Dunsmuir News)
October 18, 1962: "Nearly all the lookout stations suffered damage but some of it was only minor. The one on Black Butte is considered after inspection on Monday by a team of forest service personnel, Ranger Bob Gray, Don Butler and Richard Maloney to be almost a total loss.
Gray stated that the roof was gone on the Black Butte building, all the shutters, part of the cat walk and railings, and about 20 windows. The window frames are still in place with some of them unbroken, the floor remains intact but sagging.
They were unable to find any of the remains of the portions of the building blown off, however Gray humorously added, they found a bed sheet a considerable distance down the mountain beside the train, stiff and frozen.
The gas stove was still in place as were a couple short wave radios which were on the floor. He told of how ironic it was to be able to brew a pot of coffee on the stove amid all the havoc and debris.
Gray continued that they stored all the heavy pieces of equipment in the basement of the lookout but has to carry in packs on their backs a 90 ib. trunk and personal belongings of the lookout Mrs. Cecelia Thompson plus the radios. They were unable to take their pack mules very near the top of the mountain due to washouts on the trail.
It will probably be more expensive to try to salvage and of the lookout building than it will be to completely rebuild it, especially after the coming winter snows and storms, he said. He speculated that they would have to pack in all the materials or fly them in by helicopter. Gray explained there is a heliport on top of Black Butte but due to adverse winds they had thus far never been able to make a landing there. However he said that they had received reports that helicopters had landed there during favorable wind conditions and they had said it was a very good port. The Black Butte Lookout was constructed in 1925 under the direction of Arthur Orcutt." (The Dunsmuir News)
November 12, 1962: "The tornado-like winds of mid-October demolished Black Butte lookout north of Mt. Shasta; some of the public works funds will be used to prepare for reconstruction of this station." (Eureka Humboldt Standard)
December 23, 1962: "Contractors submitting bids on the Black Butte lookout in the Shasta Trinity National Forest on Dec. 20 have more than a routine job to figure.
Black Butte, a geological misnomer, is a cone of volcanic rock about four air miles north of the city of Mount Shasta. Its summit is accessible only by a 2 1/2 mile trail which rises 2,000 feet above the corral at the end of the dirt road.
Bid invitations sent out Nov. 26 from the San Francisco headquarters of the National Forest Service specify a steel and glass structure built on a concrete block base to replace the lookout built in 1931. This original building blew away during the Columbus Day storm in October.
Some of the materials from the wind-destroyed lookout have been salvaged from the base of a cliff 100 feet below, but the roof of the building is still not located even though air reconnaissance was used following the storm.
While the trail is traversible only by foot, pack horse, or mule, the bid specifications call attention to the possible use of helicopter. It states, 'Helispot is located 140 feet north of the building site and is 25 feet lower in elevation. The helispot is suitable for all types of helicopters, but larger units are more desirable since the elevation is 6344 feet.'
The helispot had to be built below the summit since the vary top provides space only for the 13 x 13 foot lookout foundation.
Work on the new building is scheduled to begin as soon as weather conditions permit in the spring. Normally forest service personnel try to open the trail in late May or early June. It usually takes a five man crew several days to clear rock slides caused by winter weather." (Herald and News)
May 30, 1963: "Construction of the Black Butte Lookout will be started Monday according to Ranger John Harker.
Workers and material are expected to be flown by Etna Helicopters, to the site on 8,000-foot Black Butte just south of Mt. Shasta.
The Lookout was destroyed by the storm of October 12 last year and is being rebuilt from the ground up.
The contract is with Osborn Construction Company of Redding and the price is $21,500, mainly in transportation, due to there being no road up the sleep volcanic peak. All supplies for the lookout are taken up on horseback. The modern building will be galvanized metal of similar style to the old one." (The Dunsmuir News)
July 30, 1963: "The Black Butte Lookout Station, which was destroyed by the Columbus Day storm last October, is now back in service. It was rebuilt with the aid of a helicopter to carry men and supplies to the mountain-top. The lookout, Mrs. Mildred Weston, reports that much of the storm damage to the forests is still visible." (Herald and News)
July 31, 1963: "Tony, the packhorse. a venerable veteran of the U.S. Forest Service, died of old age last week.
Tony was over 27 years old, but because he was gentle, dependable, and reasonably good health and spirits, he continued to perform his duties until his death at the Black Butte corral on Friday.
He had taken his last trip the day before over the rugged trail to the newly completed lookout building atop Black Butte. With the same surefooted ease that had made him a favorite of Sacramento district personnel in the Shasta Trinity National Forest, he transported Mildred Weston of Corning to her lookout assignment over two and a half miles of steep, rocky trail." (Herald and News)
August 1, 1963: "Black butte, cinder cone lookout peak, has a new tenant, Mrs. Mildred Weston was put into the newly built lookout Wednesday.
The old wooden building was destroyed by the Columbus Day storm, and was rebuilt of entire metal construction. All material was lifted in by helicopter June 13.
All new equipment was installed for comfortable living. The only access is by trail on foot or horseback. A few hardy souls have made it to the lookout by trail bike.
Water and food supplies are taken up by the forest service on pack horses. Mrs. Weston will be important to the fire season, as Black Butte is in a strategic location for the surrounding area, with views of the north slopes of Mt. Shasta and the two valleys on each side of the butte." (The Dunsmuir News)
Moved to the lookout site on Hogback Mountain.
DESIGNATION - BLACK BUTTE LOOKOUT HOUSE
PID - MX1038
STATE/COUNTY- CA/SISKIYOU
COUNTRY - US
USGS QUAD - CITY OF MOUNT SHASTA (1986)
STATION DESCRIPTION
DESCRIBED BY COAST AND GEODETIC SURVEY 1952 (WRH)
THE STATION IS LOCATED ABOUT 4 MILES AIRLINE SOUTH SOUTHEAST
OF WEED, 4 MILES AIRLINE NORTH NORTHWEST OF THE TOWN OF MOUNT
SHASTA, AND 1/2 MILE EAST OF U.S. HIGHWAY 99, ON THE HIGHEST
POINT OF BLACK BUTTE.
THE LOOKOUT HOUSE IS A STANDARD U.S. FOREST SERVICE LOOKOUT
HOUSE THAT IS ABOUT 12 FEET SQUARE AND ABOUT 15 FEET HIGH. IT IS
75.1 FEET, 22.9 METERS NORTHWEST OF STATION BLACK BUTTE. THE
CENTER OF THE ROOF WAS INTERSECTED.