Projects piling up for fans of lookouts

Members and friends of the Northwest Montana Firefighters Lookout Association headed for a popular watering hole last winter to raise a pint while raising money for the nonprofit.

Several new members joined at the Kalispell Brewing Company’s brews benefit where Kalispell Brewing donated a dollar to the local chapter for every beer sold. That money plus T-shirt sales helped start a nice nest egg for the chapter’s upcoming summer projects.

In late July and early August volunteers will spend eight to 10 days at Mud Lake Lookout developing a water source, removing staples and repairing and painting shutters.

Another confirmed project for the nonprofit in August is an eight- to 10-day commitment at the Jumbo Lookout building a new outhouse, paint, caulking, glazing and gathering firewood.

Both of these lookouts are in the Bob Marshall Wilderness Complex and will utilize pack support.

According to the chapter’s website, a cooperative agreement has also been forged with Glacier National Park to assist the park with the maintenance of its nine fire lookouts.

These structures are particularly subject to environmental stress due to harsh weather and attempted grizzly break-ins.

Maintenance work is scheduled in July on Huckleberry Lookout, with condition assessments planned for both Apgar and Mount Brown lookouts in the park.

The Northwest Montana Chapter of the Forest Fire Lookout Association got its start three years ago when fire managers of the Hungry-Horse Glacier View Ranger District in the Flathead National Forest began restoring a couple of lookouts.

They decided to staff them with volunteers who also did restoration and preservation work. The small group of enthusiasts then formed the regional chapter.

Additional pending drive-in projects include four days replacing the stairs on the Little Napa Lookout in the Swan Valley and, in the Kootenai National Forest, five days replacing two walls of Sex Peak Lookout (the peak rumored to have been named after the topic of conversation between two early foresters) as well as an on-site restoration analysis of Meadow Peak Lookout.

Volunteers are needed to help maintain and preserve these historic fire lookouts. All skill levels are needed and volunteers will be accepted on a first-come, first serve basis. To sign up, visit the website at www.nwmt-ffla.org or contact Chuck Manning at 406-253-8661 or nwmtc.ffla@gmail.com.

Community editor Carol Marino may be reached at 758-4440 or by email at community@dailyinterlake.com.