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The Three Fingers Lookout |
THE LOOKOUT: When Darrington District Ranger Harold J. Engles and trail foreman Harry Bedal decided to construct a lookout in 1931, they picked a high rock spire overlooking thousands of acres of old-growth timber on the Snoqualmie National Forest to the east of Seattle, Washington. This high rock spire was the south peak of Three Fingers. All the materials for this gabled L-4 cab had to be lifted the last 1,000 feet via a windlass made from telephone wire. The top 15 ft of the summit block was blasted to make room for the fire lookout cabin. The only way to get up to the lookout was (and still is) via a series of ladders on the final exposed summit perch. The Three Fingers Lookout was staffed for only ten years and abandoned in 1943. It was restored in the 1980s, and is maintained by volunteer hikers and kept open to any hikers who can get there. It is listed on the National Historic Lookout Register. |
The Route |
TRAILHEAD: Three Fingers/Goat Flats/Saddle Lake Trail No. 641. To get to the trail, drive 17 miles up the Tupso Pass Rd. No 41, which branches left off the Mountain Loop HWY 6.5 miles east of Granite Falls (the turnoff is unmarked until a small HWY 41 sign about 100ft down the road, so make sure to pay attention!) NOTE: Goat Flats and the lookout are quite popular, especially in the fall when the route becomes more straightforward. If you want to spend a night alone in the lookout, your best bet is to go midweek. ROUND-TRIP DISTANCE: 16 miles if you are luckly enough to start at the trailhead TIME: On my summer 2008 hike to the lookout, it took us a little under 5 hours to get to the lookout. On my winter 2010 trip getting up to the lookout took about 7-8 hours at a mellow pace and a few short breaks. On both trips, the descent times were about equivalent to the ascent times. TRAILHEAD ELEVATION: 3,020 feet SUMMIT ELEVATION: 6,854 feet (used to be 6,870 ft before 15 feet were blasted in 1931 to make room for the fire lookout cabin). NOTE: Goat Flats and the lookout are quite popular, especially in the fall when the route becomes more straightforward. If you want to spend a night alone in the lookout, your best bet is to go midweek (or in the winter!). |