SHASTA COUNTY
GRIZZLY PEAK
Shasta-Trinity National Forest
July 24, 1913: "Supervisor Hammatt of the Shasta national forest, has just engaged the services of a regular pack train to place 15,000 pounds of lumber on top of three widely separated mountains in northern California. The material is for construction of three new lookout houses. one on Grizzly Peak, twenty miles from McCloud, 6,800 feet in elevation.
The main house, in each case, is to be 12 x 12, and on top of it is an eight-foot octagonal glass tower. In the towers are stationed the lookout men, with telephone, binoculars, and map all within reach, so that fires may be reported to Sisson the minute they are discovered.
Lookout men were stationed on Mt. Eddy and Grizzly peak last year, and Supervisor Hammatt reports that their services in detecting and locating forest fires increased the efficiency of the local force by 100 per cent. It is expected that these buildings will be ready for occupancy by August 1." (Siskiyou Daily News)
The main house, in each case, is to be 12 x 12, and on top of it is an eight-foot octagonal glass tower. In the towers are stationed the lookout men, with telephone, binoculars, and map all within reach, so that fires may be reported to Sisson the minute they are discovered.
Lookout men were stationed on Mt. Eddy and Grizzly peak last year, and Supervisor Hammatt reports that their services in detecting and locating forest fires increased the efficiency of the local force by 100 per cent. It is expected that these buildings will be ready for occupancy by August 1." (Siskiyou Daily News)
August 28, 1913: "W. S. Lofton, fire lookout on Grizzly peak in the Shasta forest, one day last week killed a deer less than fifty yards from his kitchen. He got up at day break to make a careful examination of the forest, and was about to leave the door of his lookout station when he heard a noise in the brush nearby. After a careful look he spotted three bucks and killed the biggest one." (Siskiyou Daily News)
August 29, 1915: "An attempt by a mountain lion to kill a deer was witnessed last night about sunset at Grizzly Lookout, about fifteen miles from McCloud by W.S. Lofton, who acts as lookout for the Forest Service at that point. Lofton was at his station at the time, and on hearing his big dog excitedly barking, stepped outside and saw the lion as it sprang upon the buck's back. As Lofton and the dog approached the scene of the encounter the lion started down the hill and made his escape without having killed his prey." (Red Bluff Daily News)
August 29, 1923: "A new lookout station is being built on Grizzly Peak in the Big Bend. Material has to be transported by pack train for fourteen miles. John Kinner is in charge of the station." (Santa Ana Register)
July 8, 1932: "A forest service crew working in Shasta national forest is now constructing a road that turns off about two miles west of Bartle and runs in a southerly direction into Stout's meadows and on toward Grizzly Peak, in northern Shasta county, where a fire lookout is posted." (The Dunsmuir News)
May 26, 1955: "Mrs. Pearl Cowan, that gal with the green hair, was flown to her lookout tower on Grizzley Peak Monday afternoon. Helicopters' Service Plane, flown by Bob Thimble of Fort Jones, made the fast trip.
(Note: Pearl's hair is naturally red -- 'tis only green when she paints lookout towers.)
Pearl, her dog and her gun, are now in that isolated spot on top of the world, watching for smokes arising in her territory, with no contact with the outside world other than by radio. Even the road is snowed in." (The Dunsmuir News)
July 31, 1958: "Lenore Broze, USFS lookout at Grizzly Peak, southeast of McCloud has had no human visitors for over 4 weeks, prior to the opening of the road to the lookout last week. Snow had blocked the road at the high altitude station prior to shovelers opening same.
Her only companions have been a brown bear and the many chipmunks. She has 'visited' with both species of animals. The bear was so tame it went to the lookout station and seemed to enjoy Lenore's talking." (The Dunsmuir News)
2012: The vandalized remains of the lookout structure were removed.