Crystal Peak Lookout (also known as Crystal Lake LO or Crystal Point LO)

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Summit Elevation: Just below 6,595 feet
Distance: 4 miles
Elevation gain: 3,500 feet
Access: Paved
As one of the 8 lookout structures in Mount Rainier National Park, this one was built in 1934 under the same construction contract as Tolmie Peak, Mount Fremont and Gobblers Knob. These 4 structures were built by a Seattle company with hip-roofs, two-storys, 14x14 lookouts with encircling balconies with the lower room being used for storage. The others have survived but Crystal Peak is now gone, lasting until the late 60s or early 1970s. The structure was situated just below the summit on an uneven surface, nothing remains but the concrete footings. And even the footings have moved in recent years.

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Former Lookouts
Here is a trip report I made of the hike up:
crystal peak map mount rainier map
An early Mount Rainier National Park recreation map
crystal peak lookout
The lookout site below the summit
Crystal Peak Lookout
Crystal Mountain and Silver King
White River Valley
Mount Rainier eastside peaks
Upper Crystal Lake
Image by bikejr
Image by tigermn
Mount Rainier and the White River Valley
Chinook Peak
Fairly recent Forest Service map still shows the lookout
Crystal Peak Hike
From an mail sent to me in 2018: My recollection is that the 1971-1972 heavy winter snowfall so badly damaged the Crystal Peak lookout that it was torn down in about 1972 or 1973. In 1974 Jim Wintworth, of the Mount Rainier NP Road Crew, went up to the lookout site with a case of 50 sticks of dynamite. According to what I was told Jim, not wanting to bring any of it down, put 38 sicks in the foundation, and 12 sticks in the out house. The resulting blast was so loud that my 2 1/2 year old daughter, was left crying at the White River Entrance Station far below. At the time I was the Area Ranger (1974-1977). Gene Casey (USNPS 1962-1998).
crystal peak lookout site Chinook Peak Upper Crystal Lake Crystal lakes Basin Crystal Mountain footing Mount Rainier Mount Rainier Sourdough Mountains White River Valley
Threeway Peak
Crystal Lakes Basin
footing
Sourdough Mountains
Upside down footing
Concrete step or footing
phone insulator
I noticed one surviving phone insulator on the trail. It can be found on a small diameter tree next to the largest tree on the entire hike, just after crossing Crystal Creek at the 4,600 elevation level.
crystal lakes sign
Trailhead sign
Crystal Peak Lookout around 1941
Crystal Peak Lookout