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MADERA COUNTY
SHUTEYE PEAK
Sierra National Forest
September 24, 1909: "A lookout station has been established on Shuteye Peak in the high Sierras for the purpose of watching for any fires which might occur in the mountains. This peak has an elevation of 8,858 and the observer commands a view of a large portion of Tuolumne, Madera and Fresno Counties.
A cabin constructed at the top of the mountain and a telephone line installed, connects with the forest supervisor's office in the valley and the various ranger stations on the Sierra forest. The observer is equipped with powerful field glasses and when a fire is discovered news is instantly telephoned to the nearest ranger.
During the short time the station has been maintained its usefulness has twice been demonstrated by the discovery of fires in remote localities. These were readily extinguished before they could gain dangerous headway, thus saving valuable timber and forage which might otherwise have been devastated had not the fires been discovered in their incipiency.
The forest service is planning to establish several other similar stations in the Sierras which will virtually command the entire range of mountains and in this manner remove the necessity for constant patrol on the part of the rangers scattered throughout the hills. Much of the rangers' time can now be devoted to trail and other improvement work without interfering with their availability for fighting fires, and the nervous strain under which many of the men labored when constantly patrolling has been materially reduced." (Amador Ledger)
September 7, 1913: "A description of the lookout station on top of Mount Shuteye might be of interest as this is typical of the other stations on the range. Incidentally the Shuteye station is the highest one on the range, measuring 8,350 feet above sea level.
The station itself is located on the topmost point of the mountain. The foundation rests on rock and the supports are cables that lead from the house to other rocks nearby. These cables are installed because there is no other way of bracing the structure against the wind and other elements and preventing it from rolling down the side of the mountain.
The building is eight feet in height and on all sides are windows, about three feet in height, through which the lookout gazes. The windows can be moved back and forth so that the lookout can sweep the range unimpeded by any glass or may look through the glass if elements will not permit opening.
In the center of the building is a big table upon which rest the map and rule that are used in locating the fire. On the wall is a telephone encased in a special covering as a protection against electrical storms. A pair of field glasses and a chair make up the balance of the equipment of the station.
Below the station a little distance is a cabin where the lookout and his family reside and off to one side, is another little building in which is a tank containing water that will be used while the lookout and his family are on the mountain. This water is taken from a snow bank. The nearest spring is about a mile away, down the mountain." (The Fresno Morning Republican)
August 11, 1922: "Some Fire Detection - One day last week a tent house at Auberry caught fire and a small crew of men were busily engaged in extinguishing it when Supervisor Benedict came driving along on his way to Big Creek. One of the men looked up in surprise and said: 'How the dickens did you know about this fire?' Without batting an eye, Benedict replied: "Why, Shuteye Lookout picked it up and notified me.' The fellow scratched his head in a puzzled sort of way. 'But it's only been burning about 5 minutes.' 'I know it. replies Benedict. 'How far is it to Northfork?' asks the firefighter. '13 miles,' is the prompt reply. 'Well, how did you get here,' he asks, looking around. 'In this machine,' says Benedict, and then the guy tumbles to the joke." (California District News Letter)
September, 1922: "The old Shuteye Lookout on the Sierra, established in 1908, is to have a new tower. This is the oldest lookout on the Sierra and perhaps in the District." (The California Ranger)
May 31, 1928: "A careless cigaret smoker is blamed for a fire which destroyed 200 acres of grass in the Boss ranch, seven miles east of here yesterday afternoon. The blaze was sighted from the Shuteye lookout station, Fire Warden Jim Boutwell being notified. Recruiting 16 men Boutwell brought the flames under control late yesterday afternoon." (Madera Tribune)
May 28, 1934: "Ten-year-old Richard McPherson was found dead today, two days and three nights after he became lost with two others on a fishing trip into the wild Sierra Rock Creek country.
His body was only lightly covered against the rain, sleet and snow which have alternately swept the Shuteye Peak region during the time he was missing. His overalls had been removed, presumably because they had become wet in the stream Friday night.
Richard was the son of Ranger Chester W. McPherson, lookout at the Shuteye Peak station of the forest service." (Fresno Bee)
October 21, 1953: "A 47 year old Fowler man and a woman, missing since Sunday in the Sierra north of here, were found alive today in the wreckage of a light plane.
The sheriff's office said Ben Baxter, an automobile dealer, and Mrs. Edith Meade, 42, also of Fowler, were in 'amazingly good condition' despite their ordeal.
Baxter had a broken leg and the woman also was believed suffering from a leg fracture. They suffered from four nights' exposure to near freezing temperatures.
The couple were carried to safety at the Shuteye Fire Lookout Station, where they were transferred to an ambulance. Deputies said they were to be placed in a helicopter at Central Camp about seven miles south of Shuteye and flown to Fresno." (The Modesto Bee)
November 21, 1955: "After spending a summer at the lookout on Shuteye mountain. Mrs. Jess Pimental has returned to her home near North Fork. All lookout stations have been closed for the season, and the mountains are now white and glistening from the recent snows." (Madera Tribune)
