Arlie Edward Mitchell was born on December 6, 1886, near Sandy, Oregon. Raised in the shadow of Mount Hood, he grew up with a deep connection to the mountain and the communities that surrounded it.
Elijah “Lige” Coalman may not be a household name today, but among those who know the history of Mount Hood, he stands as one of its most enduring legends.
In the 1920s, development around Mount Hood was on the rise. The construction of the Mount Hood Loop Highway opened the southern side of the mountain to auto tourism, making it possible to visit Government Camp year-round — at least in theory
In the summer of 1915, the U.S. Forest Service launched a bold experiment: a seasonal fire lookout stationed at the summit of Mount Hood. Elijah “Lige” Coalman, a seasoned mountain man and Forest Service ranger, took on the task.
At the very peak of Mount Hood once stood a fire lookout cabin — perched above the clouds and held together by grit, timber, and the legendary efforts of Elijah “Lige” Coalman. But in the summer of 1932, Summit the cat on Mount Hood became part of that story
