HAPPY CAMP
Modoc County - Modoc National Forest - 41N-7E-1
All photos August 1, 2019 - Ron Kemnow
1911: A primary lookout was established at this point with Eli Dale as the first lookout man.
June 30, 1915: "If you make a trip through the western part of the forest, stop at the Happy Camp Ranger Station and take a trip to the Forest Service lookout point at the top of Happy Camp Mountain, only four miles distance on an excellent trail. More country can be seen from this point than any other in Modoc County. The lookout man on duty will be glad to point to you the various places of interest and give you directions as how to reach them." (New Era - Alturas)
October 10, 1919: "Eli Dale who has been employed as lookout on the Happy Camp Mountain Lookout for the past seven years arrived in Alturas yesterday. The only lookout patrol believed necessary on the Modoc during the remainder of the season will be performed by the aeroplane patrol. Supervisor Durbin states that in his opinion Mr. Dale is the oldest lookout man in point of service in this part of California and owing to his detailed knowledge of the country, his services as a lookout man are indispensable during fire season." (New Era - Alturas)
June 4, 1920: "Eli Dale returned Friday after having spent the winter in the Sacramento Valley. He will assume his old position as lookout for the Forestry service at the station on Happy Camp Mountain." (The Alturas New Era)
August 28, 1920: "Eli Dale - Modoc. Mr. Eli Dale is still holding down the job on the Happy Camp lookout, which is by the way the only permanently manned lookout on the Forest. Dale was first engaged as temporary laborer soon after the creation of the Forests. In 1912 when Happy Camp was selected he assumed duty as lookout. Dale made good from the first and the Modoc now challenges the world to show a better Lookout man than Eli who has never lost a day from the job. He came near being relieved for two days a couple years ago as he wished to cast a vote for a former District Ranger who was running for County Sheriff but when the time came Eli could not be induced to turn his station over to another man.
Big and healthy Dale carries his 65 odd years as though the last 25 of them were missing. Eli with his whole soul in his work is one of the outstanding figures of the Forest Service in the whole of Northern California." (California District News Letter)
May 30, 1923: "Eli Dale arrived in town from Red Bluff yesterday. He will be stationed, he informs us, on Happy Camp mountain as forest lookout." (The Alturas New Era)
October 3, 1923: "Eli Dale, forest lookout, returned to town last week, all danger of fires being past by reason of the big storm last week. He will shortly leave for the lower part of the state where he will spend the winter, we understand." (The Alturas New Era)
August 20, 1924: "Eli Dale, forest lookout at Happy camp mountain, was in town yesterday. This is the first time he has been off the station on the mountain since May 30th of this year. He is regarded as one of the best lookout men in the West, according to the Forest office." (The Alturas New Era)
October 15, 1924: "Eli Dale came in from Happy Camp last week where he has been stationed as fire lookout for the Forest Service. As the danger was past by reason of abundant rains his services were no longer required and the lookout was withdrawn." (The Alturas New Era)
October 2, 1925: "The Modoc claims the distinction of having a lookout man who has served for fourteen years on the most important lookout on the forest.
From 1912 to 1925 Eli Dale has been on duty at the Happy Camp Mountain Lookout Station, and during all of this period Eli has been strictly 'on the job' in every respect.
In addition to taking a keen interest in fire detection, and being punctual to the minute in his daily telephone reports, Eli keeps an immaculate station.
Can any other lookout in the Service match this all around record? - L.A.B." (California District News Letter)
November 5, 1926: "Eli Dale, lookout man on the Happy Camp fire lookout, Modoc National Forest, has a record of 15 years of continuous service on one lookout, which we believe is unequalled in Service history. Eli was born in Missouri way back in 1852 and came to California in 1872, and settled in Modoc County just in time to get in on the Modoc Indian Wars of '72 and '73. After that date he went into the stock business and in 1912 received his appointment as fire lookout. Eli is hale, hearty and 74 years young, and when it comes to running the fire end of the Modoc, he is the 'big stick' of the Forest. Happy Camp Lookout is no longer a peak isolated from the world since there is now a road within 100 feet of the observatory. This has resulted in the number of visitors to the peak increasing from 22 in 1925 to over 100 in 1926 with the season still going." (California District News Letter)
September 5, 1930: "Lookoutman Charles E. Berg of the Happy Camp Lookout, Modoc National Forest, was taking his 'daily constitutional' down the trail from his lookout recently, accompanied by his pet fox terrier. The little dog issued a challenge to a wildcat perched in a tree alongside the trail. The big cat promptly accepted it. The dog put up a brave fight but was no match for its much heavier opponent and Berg had to take a hand.
Driving off the wildcat, he started to return to his lookout, when a young porcupine waddled into view. The dog, nettled at his defeat by the lynx, promptly attacked the porcupine, with the usual result. Berg, hurrying on up the trail for a pair of pliers to remove the porcupine quills from his pets mouth, almost stepped on a big rattlesnake close to the doorsill.
Recounting his troubles the next morning over the telephone to a neighboring lookoutman, he found the latter had spent the whole night holding his breath because a civet cat had invaded his sleeping quarters, and seemed disposed to share his bedroom. --Sacramento Bee." (California District News Letter)
September 27, 1934: "Recovering in Modoc General hospital from a severely wrenched leg is Charles E. Berg, lookout for the forest service. The tendon was broken at the knee and Mr. Berg had a difficult time to drag himself to a telephone. It was only 50 yards but it required one and one-fourth hours for him to make it." (Modoc County Times)
October 20, 1938: "Charley Auble who has been at the Happy Camp Lookout this summer was brought to the home of his daughter, Mrs. D.J. Leventon a few days ago on account of sickness." (Weekly Adin Argus)
October 12, 1939: "C.D. Auble who had just returned from the Happy Camp Lookout Station and was at the home of his daughter Mrs. D.J. Leventon at Lookout, suffered a stroke of paralysis Monday night. His right arm and foot was affected. He is improving and can open and close his hand." (Weekly Adin Argus)
November 3, 1944: "O-Plans-Master-Project Work Budget) Attached find building needs and classification as to permanence for 27 stations on the Modoc National Forest, based on the detection study and fire replanning study of 1940.
Name of Station - Happy Camp Primary Lookout.
Type of Building - Lookout observation unit with living quarters beneath,
Other buildings and utilities - 1. One car garage, fuel storage.
2. Windcharger.
3. Water storage.
4. Latrine.
Remarks - Present building inadequate (built 1915). (From Acting Forest Supervisor, Modoc to Regional Forester)
August 18, 1945: "Valuable timberland in the Happy Camp lookout area south of Klamath Falls burned 800 acres of valuable timber. About 500 men were on the Klamath fires, including marines from the marine barracks, soldiers from Medford and paratroopers from Chico, Cal. These were aided by forest service fighters and by Long Bell logging company crews." (The Sunday Oregonian)
1946: During the period of 1942 through 1946 this lookout made 67 first discoveries.
June 18, 1952: "Evelyn Hicks is manning Happy Camp lookout for tenth season as a Modoc lookout." (Herald and News)
June 23, 1955: "Should be 2" of litter under fuel moisture sticks; practically none now." (Report - Weather Bureau Inspection)
May 9, 1956: "Happy Camp L.O. will be dropped as a fire danger rating station since it is too high above the surrounding country to give representative readings. This station will be continued as a Weather Bureau station." (Memo to District Rangers from Forest Supervisor)
July 22, 1957: "Everything OK here except the fuel moisture bed which is being gradually brought up to standard by Mr. Stevens. The next step contemplated is the replacement of the aluminum frame with a standard wood frame." (Report -Weather Bureau Inspection)
2000: The lookout was destroyed by a fire caused by an electrical problem while the lookout was away for the night
2001: A new lookout structure was built as a handicap accessible station, complete with an extra wide catwalk and a power chairlift from ground level to the catwalk level.