Henry J. Viche Photographs, circa 1900-1990

This log structure was typical throughout the region in those days. See Hornet Lookout display at the jump base. Also, note lightning poles around lookout.

Likely Jay Point

This is a lookout form that was designed by Clyde Fickes in 1929. These were designed to be cut out in pre-fab form and bundled into mule packs to be transported to the site and constructed. Fickes bragged that they could be assembled on site by two men with only hammers, screwdrivers, and a level. He and Joe Halm built the first one on Mount Baldy out of Thompson Falls for a total cost of $400.

This was an earlier form of the lookout that Fickes designed. It was a 12x12 building with a cupola. Seems to have been built before 1925 but that may be off by one year or two. It was packed in to upper Wind Lake by mules and George Cregison packed it up to the top and assembled it. The site was blasted and flattened the year before. Graves Peak was never very successful because it was often enclosed in clouds during severe storms.

From feft: Office, Cookhouse, Bunkhouse

Likely at fire guard school

This is looking upstream. Current White Sands campground is on the point at left.

Looking downstream from barn site. Buildings left to right are Tack Shed, Fire Cache, and 'Tin Shed'. Picture taken during guard school.

Same as in number [1024:0]13, camera angle just swung to the right

Likely camp is at No-See-Um Meadows

George Decker and his brother John gave their names to the development of the Decker packsaddle. It was, however, an old design brought into the Idaho hills from Colorado by S.C. MacDaniels during the mining days. O.P. Robinette became an expert in making the tree fit the animal and finally obtained a patent. The Deckers are credited with developing the halfbreed or padded canvas cover to protect the animal from hard or sharp loads. There are still old sadlles on the Clearwater and Nez Perce bearing the initials O.P.R., being saddles built and fitted by Robinette.

George Decker and Adolph ("Dolph") Weholt

Notice the size of the balancing load on the other side.

Located on the flat just west of Lolo Hot Springs on the same side of the road

Dennis Elliott note: Background scenery doesn't seem to support Viche's original caption.

Notice "stagged" trousers on the guy on the left. Cut off so he doesn't trip over them in the woods.

This is now Highway 12.

After it was moved to its present location. Ranger Ed McKay second from left

Andrew Erickson, Baily the dog, Andy Kusnik, Roy

At guard school

Second from left (front row): Larry Sterri, Andy Kuznik front right, Baily the dog

Henry Williams ("Hienie) in cowboy hat, Homer McClain on right, Treece the mule. This rig was used to shoe mules (especially fractious ones) without having to get the shoer or animal hurt.

Old Cookhouse

Likely Flytrap or Benchmark Hill

Bill Bell and other man on donkeys. Someone got the idea that donkeys would be a good deal for packing water, etc. for the lookouts. They apparently got them for $5 or $6 aheaad by the carload, so they bought a couple of cars full and distributed them around the districts. Mud Creek got 3 of them. They mostly didn't work out well and were eventually condemned and sold.

Dean Hodges and Mr. and Mrs. Charlie Fox

Left: Ephe Oliver; right: Bob Hofland

Lolo Peak left of center

Right: Red Cooper

144 logs

Left: Bob Hofland; right: Dick Lake

Shorty Anderson

Looking east. Note the open country resulting from the 1910 burn.

From left: Cookhouse, Bunkhouse, Wannigan, and miscellaneous cabin

This was at a time when the Forest Service was contemplating using planes for fire supply because of personnel shortages during the war. Hank Viche was part of that and later became the head of aviation for Region I.

Thes are the results of a breeding program at the remount statio in Ninemile where heavy-grade brood mares were crossed with jacks, which in turn were crosses between Spanish and Mammoth breeds to produce the mules we needed for our fire strings. They produced some beautiful animals as this pair illustrates.

There was another one of these on the ridge south of Corky Lake and yet another at Flytrap. Remnants of the one above Corky Lake were still there in the mid-1990s.

Office on immediate right

Ed McKay on right

Each year, when the crew left Powell for the winter, the cat stayed behind. Each spring when they got back, he romped out to meet them, fat on mice and packrats.

This looks like one of the Erickson brothers, probably Andrew.

Likely Bert Wendover and Frank Smith. They and Fred Shott ran a line from Lolo Pass to Granite Pass and down to Powell. This could be the cabin at Hopeful Creek or Fox Creek.

Ed McKay's saddle horse standing

Looks like they're doing some repairs on the cabin.

Ed McKay second from front

This was initially called Beargrass Mountain. This tower (40') was built in 1924 by Slim Tunstill and others and initially had an open observation platform. This glass enclosed cab was added several years later. The whole thing was replaced in the 1940s.