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BLACKTAIL MOUNTAIN LOOKOUT

Hike-InDestroyed
Elevation: 5495′Kaniksu National Forest

HISTORY

1932: 10′ pole L-4 tower

1934: Tower staffed by Ivan Painter

1936: Tower staffed by Bill Stobie

1941: Destroyed

OUR NOTES

We knew to expect to find the alidade at this site but we did NOT expect to have a greater mystery ahead of us!

The alidade stands solid and tall overlooking Upper and Lower Priest Lake. Truly an incredible view that we were just in awe of!

In the rocks around the alidade are lots of carvings – most of which can easily be discounted as having been carved in the last few years (one was even from 2024). But the ones that grabbed our attention were by IVAN PAINTER and BILL STOBIE.

We believe Ivan Painter was one of the first lookouts here at Blacktail Mountain. In 1934 he would have been 22 years old.

We found this historical photograph in the Priest Lake Historical Photograph Collection titled “Celebration at Beaver Creek Ranger Station” dated 1933 and it lists Ivan Painter as the young man in the back/far right.

Bill Stobie, however, has been harder to track down. He was obviously the lookout staffed here June 25 to Sept 1, 1936 but we have been unable to find out any more information about him. If you have any info to share about Bill PLEASE get ahold of us!!!!

We are beyond fascinated with the history of these long gone lookout locations and putting a face to the men and women that worked these locations truly gives us the most incredible insight to them and that time.

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