What do you know about the old Angleworm, Norway or Sioux River Fire Tower Lookouts?

I am preparing an article for "Lookout Network",
the quarterly publication of the Forest Fire Lookout Association

You can read the draft article here Three Wilderness Towers

I would appreciate comments, correction, any information you might have or suggestions for further sources of information. My deadline is January 10, 2011.

I previously published an article on the Kelso Mountain Lookout.

Thanks Ken

Sorry I can't add any information, but I thought the article was very interesting. Thanks

great work Ken.sorry i have nothing to add,i did try once to find the tower site at the Cascade but i guess i did not go into the woods far enough.also i followed the links to the Outing Magazine--good articles there!!!..

Thanks for the info Ken, I went to the Kelso Lookout Tower three years ago. I had some trouble when we got to the pond. We lost the trail and had to cross the beaver dam to pick up the trail again. We then figured that the trail was before the dam. Overall the trail was still good to follow. Up on top we found the outhouse and the lean-to shed, footings of the tower, old cast iron stove, and some junk in the woods. Never saw the tower parts, but did not look too far into the woods. We did have very good trail directions off the internet, even down to the ribbon on the clump of birch tree. It was a fun day the the woods for my brothers and I.

My brother and I plan to hike the Kek Trail this spring which will get me to the Kekekabic Tower site.
I recently discovered a site called Mulberg (as spelled on map) near Malberg Lake on the Kawishiwi east of Alice Lake. Topographic maps show a hill with an elevation of about 1670 ft.(N47.93913° W091.12218°) Good excuse for a summer canoe trip.

Thanks for the articles. I have visited the Angleworm tower site and found the remnants as well as the Geological survey marker. It was a nice view of the lake as well as quite the heart pumping climb. I enjoyed my time at the site thinking of what once was.

I have been to the Sioux River tower site and have hiked the old 'Guards' trail in from the Echo trail(48* 8' 20" N 92* 13' 52" W). It is still easily traced to Elm Portage, but actually turns to cross Jeanette Creek just before that. It then goes about a half mile before crossing LIS at the narrow spot at 48* 10' 25" N 92* 13' 47" W. It took me a while, but I found a crib of the old foot bridge(?) there, in the river, and when I backtracked into the woods, I found the sure fire workings of the CCC workers in the hill side.
At the west end of the Echo Trail, there is the Sportsmans Last Chance Bar (I think that's what it's called) and just west of the bar, on the same property, is a very old log cabin and log garage. I was told that this was the ranger cabin that was located at the trail head to the Sioux tower. It is easy to see from hwy 23 (Crane Lake Rd).

While on past portage clearing trips, I have found spools of the old #9 wire deep in the woods. It looked as though they spooled it up and decided it was just too heavy to carry out.

Wow. The Topographic map shows a bridge where you indicated. I have hiked to Devil's Cascade twice: once to visit the tower, once to hike the Sioux Hustler trail. Both time I spent time looking for any indication of the old bridge. It outfoxed me. I figured the river had long swept any evidence away. Other info suggested to me it was located further SE nearer the rapids. I retrieved a couple of pictures of the old bridge. Read this document.

I believe that was called the Cold Springs Ranger Cabin. If you have not yet discovered this site (BWCA.com) had a wonderful presentation
of a 1920 map of the Superior National Forest The 1920 SNF map.

So is the Old Guard Trail from the Cold Spring Ranger Station to Elm Portage best hiked in the spring before the trees green up?

PortageKeeper. Sorry misread the Highway 23 portion of your message. I wonder if what you spoke of has some connection to the Ranger Station build in about 1910 on the Echo River (whence the Echo Trail got its name)? Also in that general vicinity some logging railroads penetrated east. or if its further south along hwy 23 it might be old trail into the FS boathouse on Loon Lake. (Sorry, I don't know my bars on the Crane Lake Road so well ;>).

Wow! I never thought I'd see a picture of that bridge! I really doubted that one was still in existence. The rocks on shore look the same, and I know that is the spot that I checked out. I'd looked many times while paddling through there, and the light was probably just right that day. What I'd seen under water would have been a crib for the base of the two center posts in the pic.
I believe that the cabin WAS the Cold Springs Ranger Station cabin. It was moved to the location on hwy 23.
What is now called Cold Springs Camp is, I believe, just west of where the cabin actually was. The FS still uses Cold Springs Camp as a staging area and storage for camp site supplies.
Spring or fall would be the best time to hike to the Elm Portage/Jeanette Creek crossing area, though just recently the FS had the county dig up the entrances to a number of old trails like that including the old Lac La Croix trail, probably to keep people on the marked trails and keep them from getting lost. Getting parked off road may be an issue. If you ever want to hike it, or paddle in, I'd be interested in going along. I'm not much more than an hour away.
Also, I'm sure that the bar owner wouldn't mind you taking a few pic's of the cabin, if you ask.
I have connections with the LLC District Station in Cook if you need, though you've likely communicated with them already.
I know of the old Loon Lake Trail that you speak of. After logging, it was used to get some supplies to the rail portage at 56 Rapids. If you ever go there, there is a lean to behind the portage operators cabin. In it, there is (or was) an old horse drawn dray that is in very good condition. My dad remembered when they used horses to bring stuff in there.
Thanks for the pic's.

I found a reference to the Old Guard trail and Elm Portage.in Hiking Minnesota: pg 96 Pukite, John, Hiking Minnesota originally published 1964, re-published 1998
'After a little more than 2 miles you come to the Elm Portage which bypasses some rapids and a small waterfall. This is the spot for the hiker's river crossing. The portage runs parallel to the river's west side, while the hiking path continues on the stream's east side heading downstream. A good place to cross is downstream of the waterfall, which leaps off its rocky ledge's lip to offer just a taste of what the cascade has to offer downstream. In the fall I was able to cross over without filling up my boots by jumping from rock to rock. When the water is a little higher, you might want to take along a cheap pair of sneakers for the crossing ..... ' I wonder if the hike was 'field tested' when reissued in 1998

quote PortageKeeper: "I have been to the Sioux River tower site and have hiked the old 'Guards' trail in from the Echo trail(48* 8' 20" N 92* 13' 52" W). It is still easily traced to Elm Portage, but actually turns to cross Jeanette Creek just before that. It then goes about a half mile before crossing LIS at the narrow spot at 48* 10' 25" N 92* 13' 47" W. It took me a while, but I found a crib of the old foot bridge(?) there, in the river, and when I backtracked into the woods, I found the sure fire workings of the CCC workers in the hill side.
At the west end of the Echo Trail, there is the Sportsmans Last Chance Bar (I think that's what it's called) and just west of the bar, on the same property, is a very old log cabin and log garage. I was told that this was the ranger cabin that was located at the trail head to the Sioux tower. It is easy to see from hwy 23 (Crane Lake Rd).

While on past portage clearing trips, I have found spools of the old #9 wire deep in the woods. It looked as though they spooled it up and decided it was just too heavy to carry out. "

Portage Keeper, I'm thinking of trying to find this tower when I'm in there this October. The "pinch" in he river where you saw the old footbridge footings, is that this spot? Just north of the elm portage?

Thanks for any input. I think it'd be cool to see some remnants like this.