Volunteers work on Deadline Ridge Lookout
by Pinedale Online!
August 29, 2023
Volunteers went up to Deadline Lookout in the Wyoming Range on Sunday, August 27, 2023 to do some repair work. The lookout is remotely located about 26 miles west of Big Piney and sits at about 10,000 feet elevation. It has a beautiful view of the Wyoming Range and Snyder Basin area. Recent work included touch-up painting on the roof and sides, replacing roof shingles, and some cleanup. Helping on Sunday were Bob Beiermann, Clint Gilchrist, Carmel and Richard Kail, Calvin Thompson, Terry Bartman, and Norris & Rosalie Tratnik from South Lincoln County Historical Society.
The lookout is on the Bridger-Teton National Forest. Built in 1941 by the Civilian Conservation Corps, this fire lookout was used and staffed into the late 1950s. The number "8" was painted on the roof as an identifier for this lookout for airplanes flying overhead. All the lookouts on the Forest were later decommissioned once better communication technology allowed for faster ways to detect and report wildfires and fire spotting was done using airplanes.
Seven of the original fire lookouts remain on the Bridger-Teton National Forest: three in the Greys River District, three in the Big Piney Ranger District, and one in Blackrock
Ranger District. Over time, this lookout, and most of the others, have fallen into disrepair. Others have completely collapsed due to neglect and have been lost or have been torn down.
Members of the Sublette County Historic Preservation Board took on the project of bringing the Deadline Ridge lookout and its important history back to life. Board members conducted a "Clean It, Fix It, Paint It" project in 2015 in cooperation with the Bridger-Teton National Forest. Additional repair and maintenance work has continued over subsequent years with the help of additional volunteers who have also adopted the lookout project. Restoration work has included repairing and replacing windows and shutters, shingles, painting, cleaning, and repairing the door. The lookout is accessible to the public and has a guest book and interpretive signs inside. A companion interpretive display is at the Green River Valley Museum in Big Piney.
The Sublette County Historic Preservation Board – Certified Local Government, is a county-appointed board that meets monthly for the purpose of providing historical expertise to the Sublette County Commissioners regarding historic preservation and nominations within the county to the National Register of Historic Places. Current board members are Clint Gilchrist, Dave Vlcek, Carmel Kail, Bob Beiermann, Andrea Lewis, Don Schooley, and Dawn Ballou. The public is welcome to attend board meetings. See the links below for more information.
Related Links:
Deadline Ridge Lookout - Clean It, Fix It, Paint It January 2015
Deadline Ridge Fire Lookout restoration project Pinedale Online!, August 2015
Work continues on Deadline Ridge Fire Lookout restoration project September 2016
Deadline Ridge Fire Lookout restoration celebration Pinedale Online, August, 2019
Deadline Ridge Fire Lookout Restoration Project Sublette.com
Sublette County Historic Preservation Board – Certified Local Government (CLG)
BTNF-CCC Fire Lookouts map (14MB PDF)
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