Webb Mountain Summit
Washington Fire Lookouts
North of Hoodsport, about 12 miles is a bridge over the Hamma Hamma River. In another 2.1 miles is a left turn onto the Hamma Hamma River Road. Follow it for 2.5 miles to a right turn onto a gravel road, number 2510. This mainline gravel road needs to be followed for 5.5 miles. Many new timber sale access roads veer off it. Follow the map and you should be fine. At 5.5 is a T. Take a sharp right turn. Follow this road up the hill for 0.4 miles to a distinct Y in the road. Park here, the left road (090) to the summit quickly becomes covered in debris.
Access
Elevation: 2,773 feet
Distance: 2ish miles
Elevation Gain: 800 feet
Road Access: Gravel, mostly good
Follow the old roadbed south, then west, then north, until a sideroad branches off to the left. You should see the old gate posts once over a berm. Follow this road as it heads to the summit ridge. The road soon becomes a mess of fallen trees and growing brush. The timber above is rather open and one can easily short cut up through it. If following the road, when you hit the rim, turn right and follow the upper road to the summit.
Route
If you want some more history, visit the older lower lookout location. See this link:
Lower Lookout
Park here, the start of road 090 that quickly turns ugly
Hiking the old road...watch out for falling trees
Expensive road cut
The old gate at the turn off 090 to the summit
Summit benchmark
Old lookout outhouse (no floor - beware)
View-less summit
A good section near the summit
Location of the lookout
Photo from the geocachers website, taken before view was covered by trees
Webb Lookout in 1959
Left: hiking route up Webb Mountain with possible cut-off route shown as yellow dots
1939 Aerial showing the lower site building is now gone and the upper lookout is in place.
At one time, Webb Mountain was quite a perch, as the ridge sticks out high above Hood Canal. A signed and decent road would take visitors all the way to the summit where this nice lookout tower was placed. This unique building was built (or moved to this location) sometime around 1937or 1938. There is currently a working theory that says the lower lookout cab was moved to this upper site. Then a catwalk was added, and the entire lower area was enclosed with wood sides.
Webb was part of the Aircraft Warning Service. The final AWS document showing what to do with the AWS sites after the war says that the Webb location was winterized and no funds were used to build additional structures. This could explain when the bottom level could have been enclosed for winter habitation but this would be a bit larger “enclosure” than the normal “winterization” work done to the lookouts. Since it was enhancing the lookout, maybe the Forest Service paid for it….hence no AWS funds used. This lookout was destroyed in 1966.
On top, not much remains of it, except for the old outhouse structure, located just off the road, a short distance before reaching the summit. The top does have a survey benchmark disk stamped Webb Mtn 1955. It is set in a square concrete post at the northeast corner of the lookout area. The views are nearly gone now, and the final mile of road is becoming a ugly bushwhack. Some recommend going in spring when the Rhodys are in bloom.
Site Visit
Comparison: This ramp used to slide the cab onto the tower is much higher than the 1933 tower site. The cab is a third story height matching the summit structure.
July 1945, note how the road matches perfectly with the ramp photo. The log in the forground is probably part of the ramp.
The back of the ramp picture had this label. The original lookout has numerous historic pictures taken during construction, all saying it was built by E.C.W. Men (Emergency Conservation Work (ECW) Act). This ramp picture says it was built by Ralph McClanahan.
I looked up some history on Ralph McClanahan of Quilcene. The 1930 US Census says his occupation was a Forest Ranger, and under the industry question, he put US Tourist Department.
Webb accessibility on March 31, 1942
AWS document
Webb was a year-round station for AWS
Battery dump at the summit, found by Alan M.
Views (if that) from the summit on a good day.
Harold White on Webb Mountain
Left: Marion and Harold White on Webb Mountain
Below: AWS what to do with after the war
AWS observers Mr. and Mrs. Lloyd Wolcott
This document written July 1, 1936 (page 2) gives the opinion that the lower lookout is in a very poor place and recommends that the lookout be abandoned and reestablished further back on the same ridge.