Spades Mountain Lookout

Drive-Up	Destroyed
Elevation: 5038′	Coeur d’Alene National Forest

History

1923 – Camp established
1926 – 50′ pole with 7×7 cab added
1928 – Log cabin added for living quarters
1941 – 54′ steel tower erected
1963 – Steel tower moved to Long Mountain Lookout
1963 – 67′ wooden tower with R-6 cab installed
2015 – Torn down

Known Staff

1932

Mr. Mick Clumper (Former Forest Fire Lookout Registry) — Closed Bumblebee, Moved to Spades Mtn
1942

Ms. Mabel Rose

Ms. Marjorie Olson — Only 19 years old
1948

Mr. Dean Gilbert (Kellogg Evening News)
1955

Mr. William Smith (Honolulu Star Advisor)

Mrs. Laetitia Smith (Honolulu Star Advisor)
1960s

Mr. & Mrs. Eileen McCourt
1964

Mr. & Mrs. Cecil Hanson (USFS Photo Collection)
1970s

Mr. & Mrs. Eileen McCourt
Early 70's

Terry Meresman

Know more about who staffed this tower, or when? Let us know.

Due to the easy access to the tower and proximity to Coeur d’Alene, this tower was a popular hangout spot and was frequently vandalized. Multiple efforts attempted to save the tower, but the USFS decided it was too large a liability and tore it down in 2015.

Local photographer and adventurer, Chris Celentano of CDC Photography helped lead the charge to both save the tower and potentially rebuild a new tower in its place to be put on the rental program. Spokane area tv stations covered the initial push for this, but soon community excitement died down, and no additional progress has been made on this project.

Chris was nice enough to allow us to use some of his photos from Spades before it was torn down.