Forest Fire Lookout Association

[Al_HikesAZ]

With the fire season looking grim this year, [-o< I started wondering about lookout towers. I found this.
http://www.firelookout.org/about.htm

For anyone interested, these folks are documenting current and former forest fire lookout tower sites. Check them out. They show 120 sites in Arizona – 72 standing active sites, 11 standing inactive sites and 37 sites no longer standing. http://www.firelookout.org/towers/az/az.htm If you know of any that they don’t have, let them know.

Does anyone know which towers Edward Abbey worked? http://cache.eb.com/eb/thumb?id=66301

[Nighthiker]

Suggest also reading, Black Sunday by Edward Abbey and Climbing the Ladder Less Traveled by Joe Bill.

[fairweather8588]

Black Sunday was a good one

[Al_HikesAZ]

I recently received this response from FFLA to my question about Edward Abbey. I knew about the Aztec lookout - that's where Abbey's Trail is <d'oh>

From: dave.lorenz [mailto:dave.lorenz@NAU.EDU]
Sent: Monday, February 27, 2006 8:46 PM
Subject: RE: Arizona Fire Lookout towers

Edward Abbey served on the North Rim Lookout on the North Kaibab NF and Aztec lookout on the Tonto NF that I know of for sure as I did interview him. I recently was advised that he was also on Atascosa lookout on the Coronado but I am not sure that is true. He may have occasionally been on Red Butte lookout on the South Kaibab NF as that is where one of his lady friends was the lookout. If you have any proof of Abbey serving on other lookouts I would like to know about them. Dave.

[RedRoxx44]

I've hiked to the lookout on Atascosa summit several times; supposedly Abbey did work there. Used to be a copy of an article or letter testifying to that fact in the cabin. Along with some watercolors someone had done. All that is gone and the cabin is "cleaned" up, so I don't know if it is true or not that he served there.
From the view I think it would be his kind of place. One of the best short hikes in this state IMO.