Hobi Peak Lookout
Washington Lookouts
Hobi Lookout was built in 1942 by the State of Washington. It was a 10 foot wooden live-in enclosed structure. It�s appears the structure was immediately used by the Aircraft Warning Service (George 8-5) with planned use for fire after. A 12x20 foot garage was added by AWS sometime in 1943. After use by the AWS, the site was retained by the State but it was unlikely used. In 1946, just 2 years later, it said in the Annual Report of the Forestry Division that "An abandoned 14 foot x14 foot lookout tower was moved from Hobi Peak near Artic to Brittain Hill on the Humptulips" I have not found any detailed maps or ground proof of where Hobi was exactly located. AWS just calls it Hobi, not Hobi Peak. Discussions by State and AWS staff were made about the lookout having bad coverage and this might explain why the lookout was moved so quickly to the Brittain site.
Elevation Guess: 530 feet
Distance from gate: 1.2 miles
Elevation Gain: 150 feet
Location: SE1/4, NE1/4, NW1/4 of Section 36, T16N, R9W
Landowner: Weyerhaeuser Permit Needed
Access:
The gate for access is located right off Highway 101. A permit is required by Weyerheauser. From the gate, it�s an easy walk or bike ride to the location given in AWS documents.
My 2019 visit and thoughts:
I visited all the bumps and protruding points in the 10 acres where the lookout was reported to have been. The SE1/4 of the NE1/4 of the NW1/4 of Section 36. Because the lookout was moved and only existed on site for 4 years, the chances of finding anything are slim. At the most likely locations, I could not find anything. There are 2 excellent landings that would have worked well depending on the targeted view. The highest point was recently pre-commercial thinned so it�s a disaster trying to see the ground or even move around.
Early AWS document describing the Hobi Lookout but giving the location of the Artic Lookout Site (which wasn't developed until 1948)
AWS list on July 1942
X marking the location of SE1/4, NE1/4, NW1/4 of Section 36, T16N, R9W
1947 after the move to Brittain location
1941 Metsker Map shows a landowner in area as F.D. Hobi. I marked HERE in a few locations I believe the site was at.
Early list of State Lookouts given to AWS to help with picking out locations. Hobi is shown at 550 feet with a 20 inch firefinder, using a Cowen Type lookout. The detailed STR is given down to the 10 acre spot.
From a list of State & Private Lookouts
March 19, 1942
In a memorandum regarding status of AWS program on March 12, 1943.
1940s with Hobi hand added
Feb. 18, 1942 discussing 5 miles of phone line needed to be built
May 23, 1944 discussing retaining the 5 miles of phone line that was built for use of a fire lookout
January 1942 list of Forest Service lookout stations to be occupied by AWS
Views just up the road from the gate, not at lookout site
NE1/4, NW1/4 of Section 36, T16N, R9W
On another list of AWS stations
AWS map showing observation stations in the area
AWS map showing stations and dates (April 18, 1942)
May 1, 1944 report of AWS stations: State of Washington existing station, reconditioned, to retain for the state of Washington, 12 x 20 garage built with AWS funds.
One of 3 possible sites in the area of Hobi Lookout