Wickersham AWS Site & Fire Lookout
The Wickersham AWS site was activated on September 2, 1942. They constructed a 14 x 32 foot cabin. Upon deactivation the site was retained by the State of Washington for use as a fire detection station. I believe this fire use after the war put Wickersham Lookout in the forest service records of fire lookouts. It is unclear if and for how long the cabin was used for fire but Weyerhaeuser maps did show the cabin and labeled it a fire lookout. I would guess the trees quickly overtook the view.
Lookout Elevation: 2,400ish feet
Hiking Distance: 4.7 miles
Elevation Gain: 2,100 feet
Access: Any vehicle
Wickersham Lookout On Anderson Mountain
According to the Kresek Lookout Inventory, built in 1941, an 83-foot tall lookout called Wickersham was located on Anderson Mountain in section 2, the summit area of Anderson. The tower was said to have a 7 by 7 foot cab on top with a cabin down below for sleeping. No elevation or precise location is given. For now, I am thinking the information given to Kresek was in error. I personally have not found any written evidence of a lookout on Anderson Mountain, nor has any evidence been found on the ground. The AWS would not likely have first called their site Wickersham L.O., then just Wickersham if the same name was being used by an established fire lookout just 3 air miles to the West. In fact, the AWS would have probably just used the site on Anderson Mountain if it existed.
2023 Update
A map has been found by the new landowners confirming the existance of a fire lookout at this location. Unfortunately, it is the area that was recently pre-commercial thinned and trees are covering around 90 percent of the forest floor. I did my best searching the area in 2019 but it was difficult.
WillhiteWeb.com
Access
From the small town of Wickersham, follow Wickersham Road to a large bend where it turns left becoming Innis Creek Road. Instead, turn right onto a dirt road and follow to a gate. There is parking near the gate. This road is part of the Pacific Northwest Trail although I have been informed by hikers that signs do claim you need a permit to access.
The STR would have been taken from a 1940 map, though the 1940 USGS maps did not have the road systems here. This map from 1951 has the road. I am highlighting Section 5 with a rough marking of the NE quarter of the SE quarter of Section 5 where the location was said to be. This map shows the area around an intersection in play while current USGS maps puts that intersection in the SE quarter quarter.
Older USGS shows the area south of the yellow box as still being inside the NE quarter of the SE quarter of Section 5. I searched there because it seems the most likely spot.
Area of Wickersham from top of the quarry knob
AWS map showing Wickersham down low near the town site
AWS documents were originally calling Wickersham as Wickersham Lookout, but a document of locaton name changes came out and they wanted the site to be called just Wickersham, not Wickersham Lookout.
On the list of AWS stations, Wickersham is shown in the NE quarter of the SE quarter of Section 5
Located on private land, a newly constructed structure with AWS funds, to be retained by the State of Washington. 14x32 foot cabin built with AWS funds.
Current USGS puts the intersection just south of the NE of the SE. (Dempsey Hill also shown on this map).
Views from the rock outcropping
Looking SW from the road intersection
Views West from the rock outcropping
A second confirmation to the AWS documents. This Weyerhaeuser company map shows a lookout building in the NE quarter of the SE quarter of Section 5
Note that the drawing is what looks like a 14x32 foot AWS cabin instead of the typical lookout.
LIDAR of the key intersection