Diamond Gap Lookout Site

Maps and documents show the spelling as Diamond while local news articles and all the locals use the spelling Dymond. The Dymond Family lived nearby so that is the local spelling. This lookout was also called Laurel, after a small nearby community. In 1937, the State division of Forestry built a 100 foot treated timber tower with 8x8 foot cab and accompanying house. Panorama photos taken on July 16, 1941. The lookout was removed in 1978.

1946 and 1947 USGS survey parties described the lookout at the end of the road at the benchmark stations. From the main road, the lookout road had a directional sign that said Laurel Lookout. They describe a lookout bunk house living quarters, a wooden tower at 103 feet from the ground to the floor of the small building on top of the tower. The building was said to be about 12 feet square and 10 feet high. The tower was anchored by cables running from each corner to dead heads located about 75 feet from the base of the tower. The station disks are stamped with the spelling Diamond Gap 1946.

Below are numerous articles found by Ron Kemnow:

May 30, 1940: "A new sign for the Dymond Gap Fire Lookout station was installed this week at the forks of the Laurel-Glenwood road. Lloyd Caryl of Trout Lake is to be stationed there as lookout this year. Robert Pearson, who formerly occupied that position will be stationed at the Fire Hall in Glenwood as assistant to Marvin Jemtegaard, who is fire warden for this section. The sign for Dymond Gap was made at the Rainier CCC camp and gives the elevation of the 100 foot tower as 3020 feet. Recordings for the past week on their hygrothermograph registered 86 degrees as the highest temperature and 28 degrees Saturday night as the lowest. Patrol duty and repairing of telephone lines have occupied the state crew this week. Three lines to Trout Lake, Liberty Bond and to the lookout on Dymond Butte, all have to be kept in condition." (Goldendale Sentinel)

October 10, 1940: "The fire season practically ended October 1 with the lay off of Llyod Caryl, Trout Lake fire warden, stationed as lookout on Dymond Butte, south of Laurel, and the closure of the 100 foot lookout tower." (Goldendale Sentinel)

October 24, 1940: "Twelve miles of state owned telephone line from the fire hall here to the lookout tower on Dymond Butte has been rebuilt when new poles were installed and wires restrung by Marvin Jemptegaard, state forest employee." (Goldendale Sentinel)

May 26, 1955: "Donna Kuhnhausen is on the lookout at Dymond Gap. She will be there for a week then Mary Gribner will go there and Donna to Gray Back Lookout." (Mt. Adams Sun)

May 24, 1956: "Miss Camille Jaquith left Sunday evening for Diamond Gap lookout station. She will stay three days till school is out, then Judy Perry will take over and Miss Jaquith will go to Gray Back lookout." (Mt. Adams Sun)

September 6, 1956: "Jackie Ford is going on the Lookout at Dymond Gap Sept. 4 as the girl now there will go to school." (Mt. Adams Sun)

June 26, 1958: "All trees marked with yellow paint (to be cut to provide unobstructed view from Diamond Gap fire lookout station), comprising approximately 63,000 bd. feet of Douglas fir and 2,000 bd. feet of white fir. 10 acres more or less." (Mt. Adams Sun)

June 6, 1963: "Miss Julie Thomas left last week to spend the summer at a lookout tower at Laurel." (Mt. Adams Sun)

July 6, 1967: "Newlyweds Jacqueline and Michael Templeton, after the reception the young couple traveled to the Oregon Coast. They are now at home on the Dymond Gap Lookout in Glenwood. They will return to Pullman in the fall where the groom will be a senior at Washington State University." (Mt. Adams Sun)

The first half mile crosses private land. There are signs on both sides of the road saying no trespassing but I believe that is if you get off the roadway. All the land beyond this first part is definitely owned by the Department of Natural Resources. Based on no gate, I would guess the DNR has a recreation easement to access the State Land, but I am not certain.

The groud living quarters survives. A local landowner in the Glenwood Valley has it. In 2021, he was making preperations to move it to his sons property, also in the valley. There are pictures below.

Dymond Gap Lookout Site