I did not know that I could have blizzard conditions in July.
I did not know that the fire lookout would be locked and that I in a desperate condition would “break in”
and feel tremendous guilt about doing it and spend a day with the meager tools in the lookout repairing the door. It appeared to have been done numerous times.
Much of my time at the lookout was spent reading the “log”, much like a ship’s log and also reading the old magazines and pamphlets in the lookout.
Unless the person was with the Forest or Park Service, the log entries started with, “Sorry I had to break in, I will do my best to repair the door.”
The wind blew hard up there and the blizzard was noisy. I spent a lot of time gathering and cutting wood and melting snow for water. I was accompanied by spruce grouse and mountain goats.
Here is an entry in the log which I read: July 5, 1976 “I arrived at the lookout at about 5:30 PM. I am tired but the grade was nice. Thank you to Pete Hamill for telling me of this gorgeous spot and giving me the the keys to the lookout. I have two days off and will spend them here. ” Myra Citrin, U.S. Park Service Intern.
I know Myra Citrin, we lived in Schenectady, N.Y. We hiked together in the Adirondack Mountains.
The chances that we both would go to Dodger Point in the interior of the Olympic Mountains in Washington State are ridiculous. I am here in July of 1977.