Experiences With Forest Service Cabins or Lookouts?

arakboss · Jul 1, 2021

I am looking for info from those who have rented Forest Service Cabins or Lookouts. Were they clean when you arrived? Did you clean them before you checked out. What rules or instructions were given to you regarding checkout cleaning? What type of toilets did they have? Any shower options? Were you able to drive to structure or did you have to hike in?
Did you fix anything while you were staying there or do anything else to leave it better than it was?

oremike · Jul 1, 2021

I have rented cabins and lookouts before, they were swept clean but not polished. It is the woods after all. We swept them out when we left and took our trash and garbage with us. Pit toilets nearby and on the ground for fire lookouts. Bring your own food, water and toilet paper. One cabin had a propane cook stove. Generally we've been able to park with in a 100 yds or so so not really a hike but not really back up to the door either. Going up in the lookouts everything has to be carried or roped up. A lot of lookouts are maned in the fire season and that can vary year to year. Sometimes there is a small window between snow season and fire season. We didn't need to fix anything, it's primitive after all. If there is an issue with something let the forest circus know and they'll handle it. They pay people for that.

arakboss · Jul 1, 2021

oremike said:
I have rented cabins and lookouts before, they were swept clean but not polished. It is the woods after all. We swept them out when we left and took our trash and garbage with us. Pit toilets nearby and on the ground for fire lookouts. Bring your own food, water and toilet paper. One cabin had a propane cook stove. Generally we've been able to park with in a 100 yds or so so not really a hike but not really back up to the door either. Going up in the lookouts everything has to be carried or roped up. A lot of lookouts are maned in the fire season and that can vary year to year. Sometimes there is a small window between snow season and fire season. We didn't need to fix anything, it's primitive after all. If there is an issue with something let the forest circus know and they'll handle it. They pay people for that.

Any sign of rodents in the structures?

oremike · Jul 1, 2021

arakboss said:
Any sign of rodents in the structures?

No so much in the towers, but in the cabins there are critters. Best way to think about it is it's like camping in a wood tent on the ground.

arakboss · Jul 1, 2021

oremike said:
No so much in the towers, but in the cabins there are critters. Best way to think about it is it's like camping in a wood tent on the ground.

It's a neverending battle in my cabin. The mice never give up until the traps end the game for each one. Last couple of years has been too bad I am down to finding a couple each trip. The pack rats were the worst, but after taking out a few of them they seemed to have given up.

The Heretic · Jul 1, 2021

arakboss said:
It's a neverending battle in my cabin. The mice never give up until the traps end the game for each one. Last couple of years has been too bad I am down to finding a couple each trip. The pack rats were the worst, but after taking out a few of them they seemed to have given up.

Mice are a real problem where there are few predators. I have about one mouse for every 5 SF of grass around my house - I know this because I see them when I am flail mowing - big fat ones compared to the ones that get into my house - twice the size with fat rolling off them. The smaller ones come into the house to get away from the predators and cold in the winter. Now that I have the house cleaned up, I am going to get a cat and hopefully this will help - it helps the neighbors (some have dogs, most have cats and some have "barn cats".

I ordered one of these:

Which is a variation on a bucket trap that uses a dowel and PVC pipe.

There are a number of things a person can do to reduce mice problems besides having a cat or dog inside the building:

1) As much as possible, remove any food. Any food that is to be left inside, should be placed in pest resistant containers. Mice will chew thru some plastic, but the thicker the plastic, the better. Mice will also chew thru mylar, including thick mylar. DAMHIK this. Metal is best. Glass works, but is fragile. Put food up high, as high as possible, but mice can jump several feet high and can crawl up even smooth surfaces. I've seen them get up to the top shelf of a 6' tall shelving unit. If a cabin has rough walls, they can go right up them.

2) Any kind of fabric anything, they will chew up and tear apart for a nest. A mattress, a sleeping bag, clothes, blankets, rugs, drapes - anything. So those things too should be put in containers. Remove any nests you find. Reduce the number of places/etc. that a mouse can hide and/or make nests. Note that they will get into your vehicles too. Mice and rats like firewood piles because there are many places for them to hide and nest.

3) Mice can squeeze thru very small cracks and holes. If you can, eliminate those entry points - they will chew thru many things, so just foam spray insulation/etc. isn't going to work, in fact they like that stuff to make nests. Use steel wool if you can.

Finally, where there is one mouse, there are a hundred more.