BUCK MOUNTAIN
Del Norte County - Siskiyou National Forest > Six Rivers National Forest
May 1940: "Excellent seen area. Lightning is apparently the only past cause of fires. On account of extensive seen area to the north it is thought that a somewhat longer season is justified than in the case of Baldy Pk and Summit Valley." (Plans, Guard Placement, Siskiyou National Forest)
Removed
DESIGNATION - BUCK
PID - MX1269
STATE/COUNTY- CA/DEL NORTE
COUNTRY - US
USGS QUAD - SHIP MOUNTAIN (1982)
STATION DESCRIPTION
DESCRIBED BY COAST AND GEODETIC SURVEY 1942 (JCS)
THE STATION IS LOCATED ON BUCK MOUNTAIN WHICH IS ABOUT 19 MILES,
AIR LINE, SE OF CRESCENT CITY AND 5 MILES S OF THE STEVEN RANCH
IN BIG FLAT. IT IS ON A PROMINENT BRUSHY MOUNTAIN ON LEMS
RIDGE AND IS 1 MILE N OF A PEAK WHICH IS CONSIDERABLY HIGHER.
THE FOREST SERVICE HAS THE BASE PIERS SET FOR A LOOKOUT TOWER
JUST NE OF THE STATION.
TO REACH THE STATION FROM CRESCENT CITY GO N AND E ON U.S.
HIGHWAY 199, FROM ITS JUNCTION WITH U.S. HIGHWAY 101, FOR
15 MILES TO A DIRT ROAD ON THE RIGHT WHICH GOES UP A STEEP
GRADE AND A SIGN ON LEFT CRESCENT CITY 16-BIG FLAT G.S. 26.
TURN RIGHT ONTO THE DIRT ROAD AND FOLLOW THE MAIN-TRAVELED
ROAD, KEEPING ALL LEFT FORKS, FOR 11.5 MILES TO THE CAMP 6
LOOKOUT ROAD TO THE LEFT. CONTINUE SE 1.1 MILES TO FORKS.
TAKE THE RIGHT FORK AND GO S 1.4 MILES TO STATION GORDON ON
THE RIGHT. CONTINUE 0.9 MILE TO FORK. TAKE THE LEFT FORK
AND CONTINUE SOUTHERLY 0.5 MILE. TAKE THE LEFT FORK AND GO
1.9 MILES TO FORKS. TAKE THE RIGHT FORK DOWNGRADE 7.7
MILES TO BIG FLAT G.S. ON THE RIGHT.
FOLLOW THE MAIN ROAD TO THE LEFT AROUND THE BASE OF THE HILLS
S AND E AND GO 0.5 MILE TO FORKS. TAKE THE LEFT FORK AND GO
1.0 MILE TO FORKS. TAKE THE RIGHT FORK AND GO 0.6 MILE TO
THE STEVEN RANCH. HORSES ARE GENERALLY AVAILABLE HERE AND
CAN BE ARRANGED FOR IN ADVANCE BY TELEPHONE THROUGH MR.
QUACHENBUSH (RANGER) AT GASQUET RANGER STATION. FROM THE RANCH GO
BACK DOWN THE ROAD FOR 3/4 MILE TO A POLE GATE ON THE LEFT
AND SIGN LEMS RIDGE TRAIL. PASS THROUGH THE GATE AND FOLLOW
A TRAIL ABOUT 1/4 MILE TO A BARN. PASS TO THE LEFT OF THE
BARN AND FOLLOW A DIM TRAIL INTO THE VALLEY. THIS TRAIL
BECOMES MORE DISTINCT AS IT APPROACHES THE SMITH RIVER.
FORD THE RIVER AND FOLLOW THE MAIN TRAIL UP THROUGH THE
TIMBER. AT THIS POINT THE TRAIL HAS BEEN REBUILT.
FOLLOW THE NEW TRAIL ABOUT 1 MILE TO A POINT WHERE THE OLD
TRAIL GOES UP THE TOP OF A SHARP RIDGE AND THE NEW TRAIL
PASSES ALONG THE W SIDE OF THE TOP ABOUT 1/2 MILE AND THEN
ENDS. FOLLOW THE OLD TRAIL ALONG THE TOP OF THE RIDGE FOR
ABOUT 5 MILES TO THE TOP OF BUCK MOUNTAIN AND THE
STATION NEAR THE LOOKOUT SITE. A 4 HOUR HORSE PACK FROM
THE STEVEN RANCH.
STATION RECOVERY (1966)
RECOVERY NOTE BY COAST AND GEODETIC SURVEY 1966 (EHS)
THE STATION MARK, AZIMUTH MARK, AND REFERENCE MARKS 1 AND 2
WERE RECOVERED IN GOOD CONDITION AND THE 1942 DESCRIPTION
S ADEQUATE WITH THE FOLLOWING ADDITIONS--
THE STATION MARK IS 44 FEET EAST OF THE CENTERLINE OF A GRADED
ROAD AND 43 FEET WEST OF THE WEST ONE OF FOUR CONCRETE BASES
SET FOR A LOOKOUT TOWER.
TO REACH THE STATION FROM THE INTERSECTION OF U.S. HIGHWAYS
101 AND 199 ABOUT 4 MILES NORTHEAST OF CRESCENT CITY GO EAST
ON U.S. HIGHWAY 199 FOR 7.2 MILES TO A SIDE ROAD ON THE RIGHT
AT A SIGN BIG FLAT RD. TURN RIGHT, CROSS OVER A BRIDGE, AND
GO SOUTHEAST ON A GRAVELED ROAD 13.7 MILES TO A FORK. TAKE
THE RIGHT FORK AS PER SIGN BOUNDARY RD AND GO SOUTHEAST ON
A GRAVELED ROAD 6.4 MILES TO THE CREST OF A RIDGE AND A SIDE
ROAD ON THE LEFT. TURN SHARP LEFT AND GO NORTH ON A GRADED
ROAD 0.55 MILE TO AN OUTCROPPING OF ROCK AND THE AZIMUTH MARK
ON THE LEFT. CONTINUE NORTH 0.45 MILE TO THE HIGHEST POINT
AND THE STATION.