CHIEF MOUNTAIN
Waterton Lakes National Park
March 11, 1958: "Planned for early spring construction is a new 40-foot fire tower to control the main fire hazard area, the main highway system of Waterton Lakes National Park.
The fire tower, to be located on the range that runs east from the summit on Chief Mountain Highway, will look into the Belly River valley, across the badlands up Pass Creek valley, and up the Akamina Highway leading to Cameron Lake.
The access road leading to the fire tower site, about one half mile from the highway, has been cleared and construction will start in the spring." (The Lethbridge Herald)
The fire tower, to be located on the range that runs east from the summit on Chief Mountain Highway, will look into the Belly River valley, across the badlands up Pass Creek valley, and up the Akamina Highway leading to Cameron Lake.
The access road leading to the fire tower site, about one half mile from the highway, has been cleared and construction will start in the spring." (The Lethbridge Herald)
September 30, 1958: "Construction of a new fire tower in Waterton Lakes National Park has started. Park work crews last week started pouring the foundations for the fire observation tower on a hilltop north of Chief Mountain highway at Mile Four. Road building crews have worked most of the season building the access road to the fire tower site.
The new fire tower will serve as added protection for dense forests in the Belly River valley as well as for a large area along the north eastern boundary of the park and the Waterton Lakes valley.
Park officials hope to have the fire tower completed before the end of the year as funds for the tower construction are included in this year's budget. Further construction is being held up at present because the necessary shipments of steel have not come through on schedule. As soon as the shipments arrive, however, the work will be pressed forward in order to meet the year-end deadline." (The Lethbridge Herald)
January 17, 1959: "A 40-foot forest fire detection tower was constructed one-half mile north of Chief Mountain Highway near the summit." (Lethbridge Herald)
1973: The lookout was taken out of service ("Fire lookout hikes in the Canadian Rockies" Mike Potter Published by: Luminous Compositions Ltd. 1998)
1980's: The tower was removed in the mid-1980's. ("Fire lookout hikes in the Canadian Rockies" Mike Potter Published by: Luminous Compositions Ltd. 1998)