Togo Mountain Fire Lookout Site

In 1933, a 60 foot pole tower with 7x7 foot cab was built with an accompanying ground cabin living quarters. Tux Salisbury with twelve men of the Midget Creek Emergency Conservation Camp, F-6, built the tower and cabin. A newspaper report in 1933 said that “this lookout tower is a decided asset to the Colville Forest because of the fact that from it a considerable amount of country can be observed along the north side of Togo, Independent and Owl mountains, between Danville and Laurier, that cannot be seen by any other lookout on this side of the line. This lookout will be of considerable value to the Canadian forest service, as well as the Colville forest.”

The paper continued “the lookout tower has been completed and for a camp site and scenic interest, it cannot be paralleled. The tower, about 70 feet high with an observatory 7 x 7 feet, stands on a peak at an altitude of 6,200 feet. From this peak one can see Grand Forks, both forks of the Kettle River, the upper part of the Columbia river, Smelter lake to the Northwest, the Queen's highway just over the line as it runs over the summit to Nelson, B.C., Midnight mountain, Copper Butte, the smelter, the farming country, a good many more villages, and the Doukhabor settlement.” (Republic News-Miner)

In 1934, on September 24, panoramic images were taken at 70 feet plus 5 feet.

In 1935, Lester J. McPherson in Six Tweinty-Six said the following, “Togo Lookout claims some kind of a record for number of accurate shots. The shots not being at fires but at wild denizens of the forest. To date he has two coyotes and one Canadian lynx to his credit. To make this record more impressive these animals were shot from a 70 foot tower with a 22 caliber rifle, and one of the coyotes was three hundred yards away -- so what chance has a fire when a slinking coyote cannot get by without being seen. Our record to date shows that all fires have been discovered and put out while small, but we all have our fingers crossed.”

In 1952, the tower was removed or destroyed.

From Republic intersection with 20 and 21, go north for 27.5 miles to the signed Lone Ranch Creek Road. Turn right and cross the Kettle River. In just under a mile, turn right at a fork, then a left at another fork in a half mile. In 2.8 miles is another fork. Left is FR 668, right is FR6120. Go left onto 668, which becomes FR9576. Confused? Print the map and follow it. There are more intersections higher up. Once on the high ridge, there are great views. Park once you think your car can’t go further. If you have a good vehicle, you can drive to the gate just below the top. If the gate is open, it is a 4WD/high clearance road to the top, or a half mile hike. Back at the gate, there is a road that heads south that (if cleared of fallen trees) will take you to the Marble Mountain area.

Togo Mountain Lookout Site