White Creek Lookout Site

Below is all the information to work with:

WillhiteWeb.com: Washington Fire Lookouts

1920s: camp, firefinder. Gone 1930s. Elevation 600 feet. Section 32 T34N R10E

Discover Darrington Website:

White Creek Fire Lookout was built in the 1920s and was a tent camp equipped with a fire finder located 10 miles north of Darrington upstream of White Creek which crosses SR 530 N.E. at an elevation of 600 feet. The lookout was abandoned sometime in the 1930s.

Elevation: Unknown
Location: Unknown
County: Skagit
Access: TBD

My gut tells me the Darrington website got their information from firelookout.com (aka Kresek) because upstream at 600 feet is where the icon was placed on firelookout.com. White Creek crosses SR 530 at an elevation of 400 feet not 600 feet. It is important to know the location on firelookout.com was a placeholder, there is no known verified location for this site.

So, where to look? The STR and elevation given by Kresek seems logical but there really are no good locations inside section 32. A 600 foot contour traverses the length of the mile long section including a road most of the length. The 600 contour is the transition point between valley bottom and where the mountain really starts climbing steeply. It�s always possible the lookout was just along this point overlooking a small portion of the valley, similar to the Sauk lookout tree to the south, or the Dan Creek Shelter. The higher lookouts like Jumbo, Sauk Mountain or Gold would surely cover this area, if they were in use.

So for now, I am guessing a few locations. Based on the name White Creek, I�m going to base my choices directly connected with this landmark.

Guess #1: Wall Mountain

I visited this highpoint located directly north of White Creek. This location is very logical for a low elevation lookout with better than average views. Many lookouts in the 1920�s were not in a harvested areas, the summit of Wall Mountain was a viewpoint that needed no prep work. The huge cliff to the south opened up the entire Sauk Valley. Views west, north and east were also decent. Of course, this location is not in Section 32 and is much higher than 600 feet. I was also drawn to Wall Mountain since it has 650 feet of prominence and a view.

I will wait for more information. Other spots down lower don�t look very interesting.

Looking up the Sauk River Valley toward Darrington

Looking East up the White Creek drainage and Suiattle Mountain on the right

Looking North with the Skagit River Valley going down on left and up on the right

A water source right next to the summit

Trees growing on the rocks

Sauk Mountain and Bald Mountain

Looking over the cliff at the bench below

Views from the end of the road. Went up Mount Josephine earlier this day.

Access off Highway 530

Access to the highpoint on Wall Mountain

1941 map, Section 32 does seem to have lots of State, County and Government lands.