Northwest Montana Lookout Association

07/15/2026

🌲 Powering Partnerships: McGuire Lookout Restorations! 🌲
A massive shout-out and thank you to the incredible crew who made a heavy lift look easy early last week!

Andrew Cote from the Riverstone Family Lodge and Alden Totten, along with an amazing group from the Northwest Montana Backcountry Horsemen, packed in vital supplies to the McGuire Mountain Lookout.

This is a fantastic example of what happens when independent local businesses and dedicated non-profits team up. It truly takes a village—and some serious horsepower—to keep these historic treasures preserved.

The next time you hike up to the McGuire Mountain Lookout or enjoy a stay booked through Recreation.gov, take a look around! It really makes you appreciate the immense hard work, sweat, and dedication our volunteers pour into restoring and maintaining the beautiful lookouts of Northwest Montana.

Thank you to everyone involved for keeping history alive and accessible! 🪵🐴✨

,https://nwmt-ffla.org/

07/12/2026

McGuire Mountain Lookout: Preserving history with a view! We are thrilled to share a look at the recent shutter installation on the lookout. There is a unique beauty in restoring these historic structures—breathing new life into their rugged wood and glass so they can continue to stand watch over the spectacular Northwest Montana wilderness. A massive thank you to our incredible volunteer, Barb Hvizdak, prepping for a shutter install who have the dedication, and the passion required to keep these treasures alive. The. shutter will lay on the roof and be pulled closed and secure during winter. Check out the transformation and the views from the top!
To learn more about us, check us out at https://nwmt-ffla.org

06/20/2026

Heading up to a fire lookout this weekend? 🌲 There is nothing quite like reaching the summit and seeing one of these historic towers in action!

While lookouts love visitors and sharing their passion for the mountains, it’s important to remember that these cabs are both active, critical workstations and private homes. Before you lace up your boots, check out these quick etiquette tips from the NMLA to ensure a safe, respectful, and awesome visit for both you and the lookout on duty.

06/02/2026

🚨 WE HAVE A WINNER! 🚨

We are absolutely thrilled to announce the winner of our Werner Peak Lookout stay drawing… congratulations to Eric Reatz! 🌲🎉

When we called Eric last night to share the good news, his excitement was through the roof—and he sent over this awesome photo to prove it! 👍😁 (We love that winning smile, Eric!)

A massive THANK YOU to everyone who entered and supported the Northwest Montana Lookout Association. Your contributions directly help us preserve and protect these incredible historic treasures.

Eric, have an unforgettable time up on Werner Peak! ⛰️✨

06/01/2026

🌤️ The sun might not have been shining yesterday, but the support from our community and members sure did!

The NWMTLA would like to send a massive THANK YOU to everyone who came out to support us at The Trego Pub & Eatery. We are so incredibly grateful for our amazing community.

A huge shoutout to Christina James, the owner of the Trego Pub, for her tremendous support and hospitality. And another big thank you to Deep Creek Union for providing the outstanding music that kept us all entertained! 🎶✨

We couldn't do what we do without you all. See you at the next one! 🙌

05/29/2026

ALL DAY TOMORROW! 🔥 Grab a pint, save a lookout! Join us at the Trego Pub for the NWMTLA Pints for Preservation event! $1 from EVERY pint sold goes directly to restoring historic fire lookouts. 🌲🍻 🎸 Live music by Deep Creek Union from 6-9 PM! Pack a lawn chair & let’s party for a cause! 🙌📍 Trego Pub & Eatery | All Day Saturday

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05/15/2026

Want to help protect the historic fire lookouts of Northwest Montana while enjoying a great local brew and listening to live music by Deep Creek Union? Every pint poured helps us fund critical restoration projects, maintain these iconic backcountry structures, and keep our local heritage alive.

Several of our NWMTLA board members will be there in person! Stop by our table to:
- Chat about your favorite trail memories and lookout views.
- Learn about our upcoming summer restoration projects.
- Discover how you can get involved—whether through volunteering, making a donation, or supporting our long-term endowment efforts.

Whether you're a seasoned peak-bagger, a history buff, or just love a good local pub night, we’d love to see you there. Grab your friends, family, and neighbors, and let’s raise a glass to saving our lookouts!

04/03/2026

With summer just around the corner, we've got lookouts on the mind (like always). The Flathead Beacon published a new article last week highlighting the important work of lookouts and lookout preservation. Take a moment to read the article, and you might notice a few familiar names and faces.

Mid-morning light made soft by wildfire smoke filters through the pine boughs in the Whitefish Range. Leif Haugen, Northwest Montana’s longest serving fire lookout, ventures out for drinking water ahead of the hottest part of the August day. He walks about a mile and a half down to a mossy stream ...