White Cap Mountain Lookout

In 1906, a 12-foot wooden log crib tower was erected on Whitecap Mountain, overlooking 300,000 acres on the Kennebec and Penobscot watersheds.

In 1910, during the early part of the season they had to repair the telephone line from Roach River to the top of White Cap Mountain.

In 1914, a 20-foot log tower was erected on White Cap Mountain along with a portable house.

In 1917, J.L. Chapman, Milo, Chief Warden for the district said that the tower house was partly carried away by the high winds the prior season. This required the repairing of the tower house early this season.

In 1920, a 24-foot steel tower was started.

In 1921, the steel tower was completed on White Cap Mountain.

In 1941, the Coast and Geodetic Survey stopped by and mentioned the lookout tower on the most easterly bare point of the mountain, a steel tower with a glass enclosed lookout approximately 20 feet above ground level, painted white.

In 1955, the survey party returned and described the lookout as a Maine Forest Service tower with an 8 foot square white painted cabin about 8 feet in height and a pointed roof, standing on a steel quadripod 18 feet in height.

In 1968, the tower was deactivated.

In 1978, a National Geodetic Survey team said the tower was leaning.

In 1993, the tower was removed.

Today remnants like wooden planks, broken glass, and large rusted bolts can be seen in the trees and scree field.

White Cap is the tallest peak in the 100 Mile Wilderness, so the views are quite expansive of the region. It is also the last major mountain before Katahdin. There is 68 miles of generally easy terrain from the summit of White Cap to the base of Katahdin layed out before you in view