October 11, 2010
Eddy Mountain Lookout
This lookout sits at the very top of Eddy Mountain in the Coeur d’Alene Mountains and overlooks the Clark Fork Valley on one side and the Cherry Peak roadless area on the other. The present lookout tower was built in 1982 and is still being manned in the summer. There is a road to it, but it is gated off so the last 3/4 mile is foot travel for visitors. The first lookout cabin was built there in 1931.
There is a trail that extends from the road southeast along the ridge toward Cherry Peak in the Cherry Peak roadless area. The last two photos were taken from a couple of miles down that trail.
(The lookout is near the right side of the photo)
(Telephoto)
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Montana Outdoors 
How rugged! And those rocks do look sharp in the jaggedness. That lookout tower appears to be leaning back some. My what a view, and I really like the last photo.
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Comment by Anna — October 12, 2010 @ 7:56 am
The sharp, rocky peak was just the right place for a lookout. I wish I could have seen the first one! Yes, I corrected the third photo: it was a bit off.
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Comment by montucky — October 12, 2010 @ 7:29 pm
Great shots of that Terry – love the last one especially!
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Comment by Stacey Dawn — October 12, 2010 @ 8:40 am
Yes, the last one gives a good perspective on the lookout and peak.
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Comment by montucky — October 12, 2010 @ 7:32 pm
Photo #4: Love those above the clouds shots. š
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Comment by Robin — October 12, 2010 @ 8:50 am
I will post more photos above the clouds on that trip and a couple from a more recent trip that also started that way.
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Comment by montucky — October 12, 2010 @ 7:34 pm
Hi Montucky, Those old fire tower look-outs were built for the outstanding views. Glad you were able to also enjoy the magnificent vistas. Have an excellent Tuesday!
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Comment by wildlifewatcher — October 12, 2010 @ 9:00 am
I have been taking the old pack trails to the peaks that have had lookouts on them. You are right, they were built for the views and even though nearly all of the old lookout cabins are gone now, most of the views are still the same.
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Comment by montucky — October 12, 2010 @ 7:35 pm
My my, how lucky you are to be able to experience all that grandeur in person! Breathtaking scenery!
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Comment by Tricia — October 12, 2010 @ 10:40 am
Yes, very lucky! This particular location is surrounded with opportunities like that and I love to be there!
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Comment by montucky — October 12, 2010 @ 7:37 pm
Oh my God, it is right up in the clouds! It looks like the top of Mt. Washington, over in NH. That rocky trail looks a little scary, though.
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Comment by sandy — October 12, 2010 @ 2:37 pm
It is in the clouds quite often. The peak is at 6,957 feet and the river at the base of the mountain is at 2,400 feet. On many days, the clouds just barely clear the peak.
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Comment by montucky — October 12, 2010 @ 7:40 pm
how interesting. this is to “lookout” for forest fires?
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Comment by silken — October 12, 2010 @ 5:40 pm
Yes. After the huge fire in 1910 that consumed about three million acres in Washington, Idaho and Montana, the Forest Service built hundreds of towers to try to catch the fires as soon as they ignited. With CCC labor available around 1930, over six hundred were built in Montana alone. I have now visited fifteen of the old sites.
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Comment by montucky — October 12, 2010 @ 7:45 pm
That would be so fun to stay there a couple nights. I think I might have mentioned this a long time ago on one of your posts but I have a friend who stayed in a lookout for several nights as part of a vacation many years ago. I think it was in Oregon. She loved it. I guess some of them are rented out that way now. I’ll have to have her refresh my memory of it.
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Comment by Candace — October 12, 2010 @ 10:00 pm
There are still a few rentals around, but many have been discontinued. Most of the ones that remain are ones that have roads to them.
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Comment by montucky — October 13, 2010 @ 9:56 am
That’s a pretty steep hike! I agree that would be an amazing place to stay for a few nights.
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Comment by kateri — October 13, 2010 @ 5:27 am
It would be! This one is manned during the season. I think I visited not long after it was closed for the winter. The people who do that just love it and repeat year after year.
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Comment by montucky — October 13, 2010 @ 9:58 am
How nice photos. Yes, although those rocks are so sharp looking. Here we do not have this kind of rocks. To me they look very special.
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Comment by sartenada — October 14, 2010 @ 11:14 pm
The rocks on these mountains are very sharp. Sometimes the trails cross large rock slides, and I find a very rugged pair of boots are very nice to have! In the timeframe of our planet’s geology, these are very new rocks.
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Comment by montucky — October 15, 2010 @ 10:40 pm
What a look out. I love the variations!
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Comment by Bo Mackison — October 15, 2010 @ 2:35 pm
I do too, Bo. The variations can be endless. Next summer I think I may spend several days on one of those peaks and take photos under many different light conditions, especially if I can manage to make the visit when a weather front is moving through.
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Comment by montucky — October 15, 2010 @ 10:42 pm
Wow! Another blog with great photos!
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Comment by Roberta Gould — October 26, 2010 @ 6:27 pm
Thanks Roberta, and thanks for the visit!
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Comment by montucky — October 26, 2010 @ 6:44 pm
Love that last shot…lookout in the clouds.
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Comment by Radd Icenoggle — October 28, 2010 @ 11:29 am
That’s quite a place for a lookout isn’t it! I imagine it is in the clouds quite a bit during spring and fall.
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Comment by montucky — October 28, 2010 @ 9:53 pm