CAMERON ON MOUNT BURKE
Willow Creek -Bow River Forest Reserve
1929: The first lookout structure erected. ("Fire lookout hikes in the Canadian Rockies" Mike Potter Published by: Luminous Compositions Ltd. 1998)
May 23, 1930: "J.A. Hutchinson, supervisor of the Bow River forest reserve, informs that his men would again commands posts located at Blue Hill, Moose Mountain, Black Rock, Junction Mountain and Cameron Lookout on Mount Burke. The latter station is at an elevation of 8,340 feet above sea level, and is the highest of the five lookouts. The remaining four are all situated at vantage points of sufficient height to ensure a thorough survey of the surrounding territory." (Calgary Herald)
September 8, 1937: "The cabin was built in 1930, when forest fire patrol by airplanes was found too expensive and Mount Burke was chosen as the site for the lookout because of its height and accessibility. The lumber was cut into 12-foot lengths at the foot of Mount Sentinel and brought up Mount Burke on pack ponies.
Guide lines running to the timber line steady the cabin and yet allow it to give some during bad windstorms. Wooden shutters protect three-feet high windows, which run the full length of the west, south and east walls.
A telephone line connects the lookout with Pekisko Cabin and all stations in the Bow River Forest Reserve.
Water, fuel for the gasoline stove, and all supplies are packed up once a week by the ranger at Pekisko Cabin, who takes his pack ponies right to the top of the mountain." (Calgary Herald)
October 28, 1937: "Last Saturday, the ranger at Pekisko Cabin made his last trip up Mount Burke for this year. The observer has not been at the lookout on the mountain for some time, but foodstuff had to be brought down before freeze-up.
The snow was. in places, two feet deep, and a crust has frozen on top, hard enough to hold a horse. The wind had whipped the snow up around the cabin, and the doorway was blocked, necessitating digging a passageway in." (Calgary Herald)
1953: The lookout was closed in favor of two lower elevation sites, Raspberry Ridge and Hailstone Butte.