Frost Peak Lookout

Drive-Up	Gone
Elevation: 5832′	CDA National Forest / IDL

History

1930 – Crows nest atop Latour Baldy 1 mile south
1934 – 30′ Pole L-4 tower

1944 – Staffed by Bill Weeks (*Kellogg Evening News)

1948 – Staffed by Mr & Mrs N.I. Perceval (*Kellogg Evening News)

1952 – Staffed by Mr & Mrs Bob Scott (*Kellogg Evening News)

1954 – Staffed by Mr & Mrs McElderly (*Kellogg Evening News)

1955 – Staffed by Mr & Mrs Thomas Burdick (*Kellogg Evening News)

1961 / 1962 – 30′ Treated timber R-6

1962 – Cupola trailed was moved to the summit and used as the lookout while the R-6 was being built

1970 – Staffed by Eldon Morrell (*Sandpoint News Bulletin)

1972 – Staffed by Mark Grorud

1975 – Staffed by Brian Shiplett

1988 – Confirmed gone

Our Notes:

There has been an ongoing tradition for decades for people to spray paint their names on the rocks surrounding the summit, which is interesting and a peek into history, but not necessarily relevant to lookouts.

We were able to find a few scraps and located what we believe are two outhouse pits, which contained some #9 wire and some cans, although no significant remnants.

Mark Grorud who staffed Frost Peak in 1972 shared some wonderful memories of his time on Frost. Here is some of what he shared with us:

“I was invited back for the second year.  This time I was assigned to Frost Peak, the “premier” lookout of the two managed by the Cataldo Fire Protective District.  Frost Peak lookout was a 40-foot wooden tower and was visible from the interstate that cut across northern Idaho, which meant I had a lot of visitors.  On Eagle Peak, I often would not see anyone else for days.  On Frost Peak, I could usually count on at least two or three drop-ins a day.

I started my second year the 1^st of June, and worked with the brush crew out of the Cataldo office.  We worked hard, but balanced that out with some long lunch breaks playing cards.  After four weeks, they moved my equipment up to Frost Peak.  This year, I actually had a “water wagon”, a tank with about 1200 gallons of water, I think.    That made life much easier.

Frost Peak was just more fun.  There were huckleberry patches nearby.  I made a little salt lick by the edge of the woods and often saw deer and elk there.  It was nice to have people drop by as well.  During my freshman year in college I started dating a young lady who has now been my wife for 52 years.  She found a job as a counselor at a Bible camp on Lake Coeur d’Alene for the summer.  So every other week or so, she and some of her counselor friends would come and visit me on Frost Peak.

It was another cold and wet summer.  Very few smoke sightings, and no major fires to deal with.  One horrible storm we had went on for hours.  I was standing on my little stool, trying to mark strikes on the alidade.  I had marked nearly 300 strikes that I should be checking on the next day.  All of a sudden, the tower was struck.  I heard it, felt it, saw it, and smelled the ozone all in the same second.  Unbelievable.  At that point, I already knew I would be checking out every ridge in sight the next day, and so I just crawled in bed for the remainder of the storm.”

Thank you SO MUCH Mark for sharing your memories with us!