ORLEANS MOUNTAIN
Siskiyou County - Klamath National Forest
September 11, 1913: "The telephone line being constructed by the forest service from Forks of Salmon to Orleans Bar has been completed to a point three miles below Somes Bar. A spur line has also been built to the Orleans lookout." (Siskiyou Daily News)
July 23, 1914: "The District Forester has approved the following improvements on the Klamath Forest: Lookout house on Orleans Mountain." (Chronological History of the Klamath National Forest, Vol. II, 1911-1920 compiled by R. Bower, USFS Ret. (The lookout was completed.)
June 7, 1919: "At Orleans and vicinity Forest Ranger F.W. Harley of the Klamath National Forest reserve, has appointed his fire guards for the summer campaign against fires. Wesley Hotelling for lookout on Orleans Mountain to take station at once." (Blue Lake Advocate)
August 21, 1919: "F. W. Hafley, expert electrician of the forest service, who has been overhauling the telephones in the vicinity of Sawyers Bar, during the past week wired the lookout station on Orleans mountain to protect it from the severe electrical storms which frequently sweep the mountain top." (Siskiyou Daily News)
June 16, 1921: "F. W. Harley went to Orleans Peak, where he will act as 'lookout." (Siskiyou Daily News)
September 24, 1921: "Just at the close of the season two big forest fires were reported, one on Blue Creek, at least 40 miles away over very indirect trails; the other at Packwan Creek. All the men and horses were sent, even the lookout from the Orleans station coming down. Mrs. Hickey, the Ranger's wife, went up on the peak, staying with the Lookout's wife. The heavy rains of the past few days put out the fires, and the atmosphere is clear again." (Blue Lake Advocate)
June 15, 1922: "Eddie Knudson was taken to Orleans lookout on June 1 and found 20 feet of snow on the summit. It was solid enough for the pack mules to walk on the crust." (Siskiyou Daily News)
May 24, 1924: "Jacob Leschinsky, who was stationed at the Packers Peak lookout the last two seasons, has been assigned to the Orleans lookout this year." (Blue Lake Advocate)
July 29, 1925: "Orleans Lookout was found to be in neat and orderly condition with Lookout Ed Knudsen and his wife to be recommended for this. The trail from Orleans to Orleans Lookout is in bad shape and should be improved next spring." (Chronological History of the Klamath National Forest, Vol. III, 1921-1930)
August 1, 1928: "Orleans Mt. Lookout. Eddie Knudsen has this station in excellent condition. Considerable material is stored at Orleans for repairing the building and should be packed up soon." (Chronological History of the Klamath National Forest, Vol. III, 1921-1930)
June 9, 1930: "(Fred Wilder Diary) Arrived at the Lookout with Walt Gillis and Ed Knudsen. Lookout badly littered by mice. Cat caught nine the first night.
June 10 - Up early and started repairing telephone line to Butler Creek with Knudsen.
June 11 - Amputated cats tail in door. Finished maintaining telephone line. Looked for small tree to cut for flagpole.
June 12 - Knudsen leaves for Orleans. Spent day setting up weather instruments. Started planting small garden." (Chronological History of the Klamath National Forest, Vol. III, 1921-1930)
July 31, 1931: "(Fred Wilder Diary) Large rattlesnake crawls up to steps of Lookout. I miss him throwing rocks but blast him to pieces with rifle." (Chronological History of the Klamath National Forest, Vol. IV, 1931-1940)
October 31, 1933: "New Lookout house completed on Orleans Mountain." (Chronological History of the Klamath National Forest, Vol. IV, 1931-1940)
November 4, 1933: A new lookout house on Orleans Mountain in the Orleans District has been completed using Civilian Conservation Corps labor. (Blue Lake Advocate)
June 22, 1936: "(Wilder Diary) Slim Bigelow and I arrived at the Lookout with pack load of supplies. Everything the way I left it last fall except for some porcupine damage to the steps. We repair the phone line and Slim leaves for the river. (Chronological History of the Klamath National Forest, Vol. IV, 1931-1940)
June 23, 1936: Slim Bigelow, Ed Knudsen, Jim Peters and Windy Miller arrive with pack mules loaded with radios and materials to put up antennas. Also lots of grub. (Chronological History of the Klamath National Forest, Vol. IV, 1931-1940)
July 23, 1938: "The home of Claude Lewin was burned to the ground, a total loss, recently while Mr. Lewin was away from home.
The fire was observed by the Orleans Mountain Forest Lookout and a detail of CCC fire fighters were rushed to the scene of the blaze, four miles up Camp Creek from Orleans in time to save the outbuildings and prevent the blaze from spreading to the nearby forest." (Blue Lake Advocate)
September 2, 1954: "Stokes Prigmore came in Wednesday afternoon from the Orleans mountain lookout after a heavy snow storm there. The elevation at the lookout is 6,184 feet." (Blue Lake Advocate)
October 31, 1958: "Scollay C. Parker, Orleans district ranger, Six Rivers National Forest, has announced closing of the Orleans Mountain Lookout on Saturday, October 18.
Located on the boundary between the Six Rivers and the Klamath National Forests, elevation 6,184 feet, Orleans Mountain looks out over a large area. From there Mt. Shasta can be seen to the east and the ocean to the west. Because of its wide range of visibility it is a key lookout in the fire detection system.
Elvin S. Prigmore, who manned the station this season, has had many years with the Forest Service as a fire lookout. He is a native of Orleans and his knowledge of the region and his long experience makes his service valuable to the fire control activity." (Eureka Humboldt Standard)
June 11, 1959: "Elvin S. Prigmore, Orleans Mountain Lookout, was temporarily stationed at Shelton Butte Lookout. He is a veteran lookout, having served sixteen seasons with the Six Rivers Forest in the Orleans District. His position on Orleans Mountain is a big one, providing communication and fire detection for both the Six Rivers and Klamath National Forests." (Blue Lake Advocate)
June 25, 1964: "Stokes Prigmore went on Orleans Mountain Wednesday to man the lookout for the fire season." (Blue Lake Advocate)
June 3, 1965: "Stossel Prigmore went on the Orleans Mountain Lookout Wednesday, May 26th, for the fire season. He has served at this same lookout (situated at 6,000 foot elevation in Six Rivers National Forest) since 1951. He was moved to the lookout by Val Andermatt, fire control officer, who reported two foot of snow covered the ground in spots there." (Blue Lake Advocate)
August (7?), 2013: The lookout was wrapped in fire retardant foil as a precaution against the nearby Orleans Complex of fires