PASSPORT IN TIME LOOKOUT PROJECTS

Ute Tower Restoration
Ashley NF, Utah, August 4-8

Ute Fire Tower is the only remaining fire lookout in Utah with aboveground living quarters. Soaring over 30 feet above the forest, the tower provides a commanding view of the Uinta Mountains, Sheep Creek Canyon, and southwestern Wyoming. Since it was refurbished in the late 1980s, the tower has functioned primarily as an interpretive site. This year's project will stabilize portions of the tower and paint easily accessible locations.

15 openings, must not be afraid of heights, minimum age 18. Primitive campsite at the lookout, FS will provide potable water.

Applications due: June 15

Rehabin' the Cabin II
Boundary Butte Lookout Cabin Repair
Winema NF, Oregon, August 6-8, 11-13 (2 sessions)

Boundary Butte was an active lookout from the late 1920s to the 1970s. The lookout tower was removed in the 1970s, but the cabin is still standing. In 2001, PIT volunteers began the restoration of the cabin, painting the exterior and interior, and replacing the wall covering. Since the windows and door were missing from the site, plywood was placed over the window cavities and an historic door of the same style and size was found and installed.

This year we will restore the porch covering and set it once again over the door. We will also deal with some rodent damage caused recently and attempt to seal the entire cabin. Part of the roof will be reshingled. In the future, the cabin will be placed on the rental program.

6 openings per session, construction skills helpful but not required, minimum age 12, under 18 with a responsible adult. Free camping near project at Scott Creek CG.

Applications due: June 15


McCart Lookout Restoration II
Bitterroot NF, Montana, August 18-22

Located at an elevation of 7,080 feet on the edge of the Anaconda-Pintler Wilderness, this classic L-4 tower saw active service for 45 years. In 1995, McCart was restored for rental use and was listed on the NRHP and the NHLR.

Although the lookout has been well cared for by the renting public, it is now in need of some general sprucing up. Volunteers will perform a variety of basic preservation tasks, including oiling logs, painting, window repair, interior detailing, floor and deck repair, stair reconstruction, and sign construction. It is a moderate mile-and-a-half hike from a nearby FS road to reach McCart Lookout.

8 openings, basic carpentry and painting skills required, minimum age 18. Project camp at McCart Lookout, FS will provide a cook and meals.

Applications due: June 15

Monument Peak Historic Lookout
Restoring "A Room with a View"
Lewis and Clark NF, Montana, June 23-27

Monument Peak Fire Lookout sits atop the Little Belt Mountains in north-central Montana. The original L-4 lookout was constructed by the CCC in 1936 and was perched on a 50-foot tower. During autumn of 1999, the cab was removed and temporarily set on the ground for restoration work. Restoration plans took a hiatus for the fire season of 2000, then work began in earnest in 2001, when PIT volunteers replaced the roof, removed windows, stabilized the main structure, and did general building cleanup. In 2002, volunteers focused on restoring the windows, removing the floor in preparation for restoration, and conducting a thorough materials inventory. The March 2003 PIT project finished the windows and conducted research into the history of the site.

The June 2003 project will mark the fourth in a multiphase effort to restore the lookout. Volunteers and FS personnel will replace and refinish the floor, rebuild the shutters, and install the restored windows. The group will work from a field camp near the lookout in the Little Belt Mountains. The FS hopes to have the structure back in service as a fire lookout and in the rental program soon.

5 openings, basic carpentry skills and an interest in historic buildings helpful but not required, minimum age 18. Remote camp, FS will provide meals, tools, and daily transportation between the camp and the work site.

Applications due: April 15

Green Mountain Lookout Restoration IV
Mt. Baker NF, Washington, August 18-22, 25-29

This will be the fourth season of restoration work on Green Mountain Lookout. The restoration of the 1933 lookout, perched at the 6,500-foot level in the Glacier Peak Wilderness, received funding from the White House Millennium Council's "Save America's Treasures" program, from Snohomish County, and from the Washington Trust for Historic Preservation. Snowload compromised the substructure of the lookout last winter, so to avoid additional damage, the FS dismantled the lookout and flew it off the mountain for further restoration. The work this season will be done in Darrington and will consist of reglazing windows, restoring original siding, ceiling, and flooring and constructing replacement walls, floor, and ceiling framing.

5 openings per session, basic carpentry skills helpful but not required, minimum age 15, under 18 with a responsible adult. A furnished FS house is available on the Darrington Compound within walking distance to the project site, RV hookups may be available in Darrington.

Applications due: June 15


To apply for projects, contact:

Passport in Time Clearinghouse
1-800-281-9176
http://www.passportintime.com

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