Packing In Building Materials

by Gene Westberg

A couple years back good SFJ friend Gene Westberg sent a bunch of photos and information. Those two envelopes slipped down behind a box and were just recently discovered. I wanted to share these pictures specific to Gene’s time, many years ago, packing into the Oregon Cascades for the Forest Service. We’re counting on Gene forgiving us for our mixup, otherwise we’re in a world of hurt because he’s sent us so much important stuff in the past. And we don’t want to lose his friendship and participation. LRM

Dear Lynn,

Forty-four years ago I was employed as a mule packer for the US Forest Service. At this time the Forest Service maintained pack mules for packing supplies and food to fire lookout towers, trail maintenance crews, bridge and trail construction and packing supplies for fire fighting crews.

I was stationed at the Fish Lake Remount Station at Fish Lake. Fish Lake is on the Clear Lake cutoff road of the Santiam Highway west of Sisters, Oregon.

Fish Lake is on the old Santiam Wagon Road that passed through the Cascade Mountains from Sisters, Oregon to Sweet Home, Oregon. Fish Lake was a stop over on the old route. Here the wagon freighters and travelers would lay over, rest stock and reshoe animals.

Enclosed is a picture or two of packing out of Fish Lake.

Here’s wishing you, your family and the staff at SFJ a very happy day.

Respectfully, an old time friend,
Gene Westberg