Winchester Mountain Lookout facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Winchester Mountain Lookout
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Winchester Lookout (from the southwest)
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 Location in Washington (state)
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| Location | Mt Baker Ranger District, Whatcom County, Washington |
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| Built | 1935 |
| MPS | USDA Forest Service Fire Lookouts on Mt. Baker--Snoqualmie National Forest TR |
| NRHP reference No. | 87001188 |
| Added to NRHP | July 14, 1987 |
| Top - 0-9 A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z |
The Winchester Lookout is a historic building high up in the North Cascades mountains in Washington State. From here, you can see amazing views of other mountains like Mount Baker and Mount Shuksan, plus peaks in Canada!
Even in July, you might find steep snowfields, so sometimes you need special gear like an ice-axe to hike safely. The road to the hiking trail can sometimes be closed, which means your hike will be about 2 miles longer. Volunteers from the Mount Baker Club help take care of the lookout twice a year.
The lookout is open for anyone to visit during the day or even stay overnight. It's first-come, first-served. Remember, you are not allowed to start fires there.
History of Winchester Lookout
Winchester Mountain got its name in the early 1900s from a prospector named Jack Post. He named it after the rifle he was carrying! The Winchester Lookout was built in 1935. It was used by fire lookouts to spot forest fires until 1966.
The lookout was almost torn down. But in 1982, the Mount Baker Club, led by Gary Haufle, made a deal with the Forest Service. The Forest Service gave them the building materials, and the club volunteers did all the work to fix it up.
A Historic Place
Because of its history, the lookout was added to the National Register of Historic Places on July 14, 1987. It is also listed on the National Historic Lookout Register. This means it's recognized as an important historical building.
The Winchester Mountain Lookout is located in the Mount Baker Wilderness Area. It sits high up at 6,521 feet (1,988 meters) above sea level.
Visiting the Lookout
The lookout is usually covered in snow from early October until mid-summer. This means it's hard to reach during those months. If you plan to stay overnight, remember that someone else might already be there.
There are spots outside the lookout where you can set up a tent. You can also sleep under the stars! Inside the lookout, there are two bunks for people staying overnight. Sometimes, the club provides propane, but you should always bring your own important supplies. A snowfield behind the lookout melts into a water source, but you must boil all water before drinking it.
Hiking the Trail
The trail to Winchester Mountain is called trail #685. It starts between the two Twin Lakes. This trail is steep, climbing about 1,300 feet (396 meters) in elevation.
You'll walk through beautiful tall forests with clearings full of wildflowers. Then, you'll climb higher into a windy, rugged mountain area. There are two very narrow parts of the trail with long drops, so you need to be careful where you step. This part is not for people who are afraid of heights! The trail is 2.1 miles (3.4 kilometers) long, one-way. The U.S. Forest Service calls it "more difficult."
The lookout is inside the Mount Baker Wilderness area. In wilderness areas, groups can't have more than 12 people.
Driving to the Trailhead
You reach the trailhead by driving on Twin Lakes Road (Forest Service #3065). This road is off the Mt Baker Highway. The first 4.5 miles (7.2 kilometers) to the Tomyhoi Lake/Yellow Aster Butte trailhead are well-maintained.
The last 2 miles (3.2 kilometers) of the road are not maintained. You can only drive this part very slowly, about 5 to 15 miles per hour (8 to 24 km/h). You will need a 4x4 vehicle with high clearance. This unmaintained part of the road is often washed out by water early in the season. It only gets fixed if miners at the Lone Jack Mine decide to operate the mine that year, depending on the price of gold.
Moonshot, Lookout, and Shuksan at dusk
