Speaking to the Future:
Billy Gean"Bill" Ellis
Billy G. Ellis relates his work experience of eighteen seasons for the United States Forest Service as a seasonal fire lookout at the Devils Head Fire Lookout Tower, South Platte River District, Pike National Forest. Serving as an alternate fire lookout, in 1965, one day a week, he was introduced to the life of the lookout tower on Devils Head Mountain. In 1984 he was appointed the full-season fire lookout, Memorial Day to October, a position he held until 1999. Mr. Ellis returned for the 2002 season. His family joined him at the mountain top cabin for each of the seasons beginning in 1965, by packing in all necessities for back-country living. Training included safety for the many lightening strikes that hit the high granite out-crop and lookout tower. Fox, bobcat, bighorn sheep, bear and mountain lion visited the meadow where the cabin sits amidst the forest.
