Sundance Mountain Lookout

High roads to mountaintops are always exciting. Sundance Mountain offers one of the best views over Priest Lake and the south Selkirk Mountains. Much of the road is groomed in winter for snow machines so skiing or snowshoeing up might be possible

In 1928, there was a camp with an alidade and telephone on the summit.

In 1935, a 20-foot pole tower with L-4 cab was built.

In 1967, the Sundance Mountain lookout tower was next to the site where the huge Sundance forest fire started. Afterward, the tower was ringed by scorched earth and charred trees. One official of the Priest Lake Timber Protective Association, which owned the tower, said the fact it did not burn was a miracle. It was in front of this tower, on the upper side of the fire, that the station lookout and an association crew built a fire line in an effort to save the tower. When the wind-whipped fire became too hot the men removed valuable equipment from the tower and it was evacuated. Retardant was dropped later near the tower.

In 1981, a 20-foot timber tower with 12x12 live-in cab was built and available for emergencies.

Find your way onto Lost Creek Road off the East Side Road. Pass the entrance to the Sundance Mountain Lodge. Use map provided. The road is fairly good but the last few miles are very steep. 4 wheel-drive is best and some high clearance for rocks and waterbars.