TEHAMA COUNTY
DIGGER BUTTE
Lassen National Forest / California Department of Forestry
30N-2E-29
30N-2E-29
November 20, 1936: "The Digger Butte Lookout Station on the Lassen National Forest was completed by the Digger Butte CCC camp last Spring, but its completion cost the lives of 112 rattlesnakes. This Butte has long been the winter habitat of hundreds of rattlesnakes. The snakes from the surrounding country congregate on the Peak and den up during the winter. In the spring they again move out, and it was during this migration that the CCC boys took a heavy toll on the rattlers.
Mr. O.E. Kirkpatrick and his wife have occupied the station during the fire season from June 1 to November 1. They have little fear of the snakes reaching their quarters which are on a thirty foot steel tower. A flagstone walk was built from the road to the tower and a sign at the road greets all visitors. "Rattlesnakes, watch your step." Despite the rattlesnakes, 217 people registered at the station, however a good many visitors remained in their cars and failed to register.
Kirkpatrick has a small bore shotgun always in readiness and during the period September 18 to October 11, killed from the tower 85 rattlesnakes. The largest of these was four feet long and the largest number of rattles 14.
Several offers have been made to the lookout man for the snakes, for the purpose of food and medicine, his best offer being $1.50 a snake, alive or freshly killed, but he feels that watching for fires, and the time spent shooting snakes keeps him pretty well occupied. 288 smokes have been reported from this station, the fires being on both State and National Forest lands.
A kit for treating rattlesnake bite is kept handy at the station, but so far there has been no occasion to use it. During June, July and August, no snakes are to be found, but early spring and fall Kirkpatrick says, "It's a rattling good lookout. - Brokenshire - Lassen -" (California Ranger)
Mr. O.E. Kirkpatrick and his wife have occupied the station during the fire season from June 1 to November 1. They have little fear of the snakes reaching their quarters which are on a thirty foot steel tower. A flagstone walk was built from the road to the tower and a sign at the road greets all visitors. "Rattlesnakes, watch your step." Despite the rattlesnakes, 217 people registered at the station, however a good many visitors remained in their cars and failed to register.
Kirkpatrick has a small bore shotgun always in readiness and during the period September 18 to October 11, killed from the tower 85 rattlesnakes. The largest of these was four feet long and the largest number of rattles 14.
Several offers have been made to the lookout man for the snakes, for the purpose of food and medicine, his best offer being $1.50 a snake, alive or freshly killed, but he feels that watching for fires, and the time spent shooting snakes keeps him pretty well occupied. 288 smokes have been reported from this station, the fires being on both State and National Forest lands.
A kit for treating rattlesnake bite is kept handy at the station, but so far there has been no occasion to use it. During June, July and August, no snakes are to be found, but early spring and fall Kirkpatrick says, "It's a rattling good lookout. - Brokenshire - Lassen -" (California Ranger)
August 3, 1937: "As one approaches the lookout station on Digger Butte, the presence of rattlesnakes is brought to his attention by a sign, "Rattlesnakes--Watch Your Step." Since the sign was set up, there could be other "pets" and animals listed, states Ranger Brokenshire of the Mineral district." (Lassen Advocate - Susanville)
July 21, 1944: "Weather reports from Digger butte lookout were held up temporarily when workers couldn't find the fuel moisture stick, used to judge the amount of moisture in the ground cover. Badly gnawed, the stick was found after an all-day hunt. It had been carried off by a bold porcupine." (The Greeley Daily Tribune - Colorado)
April 25, 2014: The lookout site and forty acres of timber land were list on the California Department of General Service's list of excess properties under review for state use, possibly for sale. (from the mentioned publication)
