Interviewer
Kjell Petersen; Mark Hufstetler; Beth Hodder
Files
Description
Dan Snell shares growing up in Morocco in North Africa before moving to North Carolina, joining the Marines at 17. He became a lookout at Patrol Mountain, Lewis and Clark National Forest, in 1972 and was a lookout for twenty-two years. Dan describes feeling lucky and comfortable there. Dan talks about geography, wildlife, and experiencing the power of lightning strikes and storms. Dan says he later staffed Swede Mountain Lookout near Libby and how different it was from the remoteness of Patrol. He said he had one wedding and three funerals while there. Dan shares insights, discusses the importance of preserving the history of lookouts, the lessons learned from his experiences, and the unique perspective of life he gained from being a lookout. He talks of the emotional toll of witnessing tragedies such as 9/11 while being on a lookout. He also discusses the significant impact of nature on his life, emphasizing the connection he feels with the land and the personal growth that comes from spending time in nature.
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Document Type
Oral History
Original Date
5-25-2024
Time Period
Twentieth century; Twenty-first century
Geographic Coverage
Montana
Language
eng
Original Collection
Northwest Montana Lookout Association Oral History Project, OH 453, Archives & Special Collections, Maureen and Mike Mansfield Library, University of Montana
Digital Publisher
University of Montana--Missoula. Mansfield Library
Rights
Copyright to this collection is held by the interview participants and by the Northwest Montana Lookout Association. Permission of the interviewee is required for use. For further information please contact Archives and Special Collections: (406) 243-2053 / library.archives@umontana.edu
Oral History Number
OH 453-031
Media Type
Moving Image; Sound; Text
Original Format
video/mp4; application/pdf; text/plain
Digital Format
video/mp4; application/pdf; text/plain
Run Time
01:20:35 minutes
Local Filename
OH_453_031_video_use.mp4; OH_453_031_audio_use.mp3; OH_453_031_transcript.pdf; OH_453_031_video_use_captions.srt
Citation
Snell, Robert Danny, "Dan Snell Interview, May 25, 2024" (2024). Northwest Montana Lookout Association Oral History Project. 31.
https://scholarworks.umt.edu/nwmt-ffla/31