TRINITY COUNTY
IRONSIDE MOUNTAIN
Shasta-Trinity National Forest
5N-6E-1
5N-6E-1
September 16, 1911: "Today fire guard Haas of Burnt Ranch returned here from his stay up at the Ironsides Lookout Station. Yesterday Julius Brannan returned from his home at Big Bar to resume duty at the Ironsides lookout." (Blue Lake Advocate)
July 17, 1915: "Robert Dahlstrom went up to Iron Sides lookout Yesterday to deliver main and supplies to Wm. Yates, who has charge of the station. Mr. Yates raised the flag yesterday at the lookout point, which can be seen very plainly from here." (Blue Lake Advocate)
July 19, 1919: "On June 29, Oscar Hayward of Burnt Ranch, California, assisted by several neighbors, cut and smudged a bee tree in the vicinity of Burnt Ranch. They left the smudge, un-extinguished, and the fire spread over an acre of government and private land. The fire was discovered and reported by F.B. Hoffman, Ironsides lookout, to Ranger Brannan. J.D.McDonald and E.N. Leach succeeded in putting the fire out, completely, after five hours work. On July 11, Special Investigator Leventon appeared on the scene, and with the assistance of Ranger Brannan, secured the evidence which led to the arrest and conviction of Oscar Hayward. As the instigator of the smudging episode. Hayward agreed to go to Weaverville, plead guilty and pay the fine. This he did on July 14, and it is to be hoped that his accomplices will be good sports and help bear the burden of the $50 fine which was imposed. Pretty expensive honey!" (Red Bluff Daily News)
July 16, 1921: "Mike Hailstone packed the supplies for the Forest Lookout on Iron Mountain, where Frank Hoffman is stationed. Mr. Hoffman has been on the above Lookout for several summers past and this year the new Ranger for our district, Frank Graham, selected the gentleman again." (Blue Lake Advocate)
September 8, 1921: "According to correspondence in this office, Lookout Frank B. Hoffman, of Ironsides, has made quite a hit in some San Francisco schools -- notably, Hawthorne and Bryant schools - by sending them properly labeled specimens of various trees for observation and study. Judging from the letters he has received, some of these had never been seen by children and a great deal of interest seems to have been manifested. This is surprising, as one would naturally suppose that San Francisco children would have access to Golden Gate Park and would be familiar with most ordinary trees. The interest shown makes me wonder whether this lack of knowledge is common in other schools, and whether it might be worth while to route a series of collections to the various schools in that city." (California District News Letter)
June 2, 1923: "Situated at the junction of New river with the Trinity, Iron Sides lookout is plainly visible for several miles along the Trinity river highway. Seven miles of good trail connect it with the Hoffman ranch near the Don Juan bridge." (Stockton Daily Evening Record)
August 21, 1926: "Last week Willie Gray carried supplies up to Jas. E. Olsen on the Ironside Lookout station. Gray is an old hand at that sort of thing as he used to carry the mail to Hoopa years ago." (Blue Lake Advocate)
May 16, 1931: "Arthur Pike and Geo. Gurley, residents of the Burnt Ranch section recently completed the telephone line to Ironsides Lookout. The line formerly went up Don Juan creek and ridge. This year it was changed to go from Bemay Zieglar's on the New River side." (Blue Lake Advocate)
June 9, 1934: "William Haile and District Ranger Cyrrell traveled to Ironsides lookout last Sunday to relocate the lookout to be stationed there. They returned Tuesday evening feeling that Ironsides is a nice place, but hope that the only contract they will have in the future with it is from a distance." (Record Searchlight)
July 17, 1937: "Packers taking three mules loaded with food supplies and three sheets of glass, 30 x 45 inches to Ironsides lookout station recently failed to arrive there in very good shape. The mule carrying the glass slipping over a bluff and rolling 125 feet down to a creek bed, and the other two mules took 'French' leave when they encountered a bear along the trail." (Blue Lake Advocate)
June 28, 1956: "Forest Service lookout has now been posted on Ironside Mountain announced Myron Nelson ranger for the Big Bar district. Mrs. Gertrude Church of Southern California is the lookout.
Nelson reported that a jeep road is now open to the Ironside lookout. A 'helioport' or landing area for helicopters has been built at the lookout site." (Blue Lake Advocate)
July 21, 2008: The lookout was evacuated and wrapped due to the threat of wildfire.
August 9, 2015: The lookout was wrapped in fire resistant material to protect the structure from the threat of the advancing flames of the River Complex. (inciweb.gov)
DESIGNATION - IRONSIDE MTN LOOKOUT HOUSE
PID - LU2160
STATE/COUNTY- CA/TRINITY
COUNTRY - US
USGS QUAD - IRONSIDE MTN (1982)
STATION DESCRIPTION
DESCRIBED BY COAST AND GEODETIC SURVEY 1961 (JCC)
THE STATION IS ABOUT 7 MILES NORTHWEST OF DEL LOMA, 12-1/2
MILES NORTHWEST OF BIG BAR RANGER STATION, 1-1/2 MILES EAST
AND 1-1/2 MILES NORTH OF BURNT RANCH, 1/2 MILE WEST OF ZEIGLER
SPRING AND ON THE SUMMIT OF IRONSIDE MOUNTAIN.
IT IS A 14 BY 14 FOOT BUILDING 20 FEET HIGH AND PAINTED GRAY.
A TRAVERSE CONNECTION WAS MADE TO TRIANGULATION STATION IRONSIDE
AND THE DISTANCE WAS 51.13 FEET OR 15.585 METERS WEST-NORTWEST.