Aldrich Fire Lookout

 

Administrative agency:  staffed by Prineville BLM, although LO is on the Malheur NF

Staffing status:  contract

Elevation:  6988 ft

Structure:  1960 three story tower

Access:  the LO is accessible via a rather long 15 mile drive from the pavement, a gate is present a hundred yards from the tower, a parking area is present at this point, the last part of the road is so bad, that visitors need to walk up the last part

Road conditions:  the majority of the road is in good condition, watch for cows

Interior:  the LO has a stove, lights, heater, refrigerator, freezer, and hot water heater powered by propane, the three story design gives Sam plenty of space, although he has to share some of it with radio repeaters

Other structures on summit:  a large radio tower or two are present, a repeater building, a generator building, as well as a good amount of propane tanks are also present

Electric power source:  solar as well as a small generator for the lookout, a large generator, as well as large solar array for the repeaters, a couple repeaters are housed in the LO, these have their own solar as well

Other:  Sam has been a lookout for 18 years, and has no plans of quitting any time soon, Aldrich is one of about 10 lookouts I have been to that has a shower, also a few old phone insulators are still visible from the road  

Visited:  Dominic Luebbers in July 2001