Spyglass Lookout
US 900, ID 82

Lookout Details

Registry Numbers US 900, ID 82 (view other lookouts in United States, Idaho)
Date Registered January 13, 2011
Nominated by Gary Weber
Location Coeur D'Alene National Forest
Shoshone County, Idaho
Coordinates N 47° 50.500' W 116° 11.817' (view using Google Maps)
N 47° 50' 30" W 116° 11' 49"
N 47.841667° W 116.196944°
Elevation 5,318 ft (1,621 m)
Built 1950
Administered by U.S. Forest Service
Cooperators Coeur d'Alene River Ranger District

Description

Started in 1922 with a 20' platform tower, log cabin and barn, a 50' pole tower with 7'x7' cab replaced the first tower in 1930. In 1943, a gable roof L-4 cab was moved from another site for living quarters on the ground, later remodeled for storage, and is still on the summit. The present standard 53' CT-2 treated timber tower with standard 1936-model L-4 cab, built in 1950, was last staffed in 1978. Spyglass is unique in that it still has two generations of lookout structures, the 53' tower with L-4 cab, and the L-4 ground house. At the time of the 1973 consolidation in North Idaho, Spyglass was one of two Magee Ranger District Lookouts.

Map

Change Basemap

Photos

1920

1920

1930-1950

1930-1950

Circa 1950

Circa 1950

Spyglass Lookout in 2013. Photo by Luke Channer.

Spyglass Lookout in 2013. Photo by Luke Channer.

Spyglass Lookout in 2013. Photo by Luke Channer.

Spyglass Lookout in 2013. Photo by Luke Channer.

Observer residence in 2013. Photo by Luke Channer.

Observer residence in 2013. Photo by Luke Channer.

Visit Reports

September 20, 2014: Pat Ward

Condition

Needs paint? No Response
Shutters OK? No Response
Condition of wood OK? No Response
Stairs OK? No Response
Glass intact? No Response
Good condition? No Response
Comments: I've been wanting to visit the Spyglass Lookout since my first Idaho hunting trip in 1979. After nearly 40 years of being well intentioned, I finally arranged a trip there on 9/20/2014. What I found was most disappointing. Two USFS personnel were blocking the approach road at a gate and were writing a citation for two individuals who had walked around the gate to view the lookout. They explained that their tower approach was an unauthorized trespass into a closed construction zone, and that the tower was being torn down.

Electronics and Enroachments

Are electronic sites enroaching on tower? No

Access and Signs

NHLR sign posted? No
Directions to tower signed? No

Staffing

Staffed? No

Opportunities for Volunteer Support

Volunteers staffing opportunities? No Response
Volunteer maintenance opportunities? No Response