Forum Index > Trip Reports > Lookout Mountain (aka Galbraith Mtn.), Bellingham area 1/16
 Reply to topic
Previous :: Next Topic
Author Message
Highwalker's Daughter
Member
Member


Joined: 12 Aug 2006
Posts: 1575 | TRs | Pics
Location: Bothell, WA
Highwalker's Daughter
Member
PostSat Jan 16, 2010 6:57 pm 
We had a little trouble finding it due to the street name change and more houses in Sudden Valley since the guidebook had been written so we had to ask a resident where to go for the final 1/2 mile of driving. Take Exit 240 from I-5 heading north and cross 99; go about 8 miles to a left on Lake Louise. Go through Gate 5 of Sudden Valley, go right on Tumbling Water Drive; left on Shelton (?) Court (no longer called Palomino); then an immediate right - looks like a driveway to a house so we missed it the first time. Drive 1/4 mile or so to the end, and you will come to a gate. Take a left on the logging road and left at the other forks until the final fork; take a right there by the Puget Power Box. We started out with some territorial views, then the sound of a creek quite a bit of the way, and peek a boo views of Lake Whatcom below us. After the Puget Power Box, you start to come out to the ridge with spectacular views over to Baker; then from the lower tower (we first went to the true summit - not much view from there; then to the lower tower which was bathed in sun, had a little bench, and magnificent views west and north. The Coast Range was crystal clear, the sound and Samish and Padden Lakes sparkled below us, and we could see the Olympics still through the cloud cover. To the south was a really dark cloud, and Baker was soon covered, but we enjoyed sun the whole day - excellent lowland hike! 11 miles and 2040 feet of gain, and we didn't see more than 4 people all day. It took us about 4 hours of hiking time.
the limited area for parking
the limited area for parking
Lake Padden in the distance
Lake Padden in the distance
more westward views
more westward views
Mt. Baker is under there!
Mt. Baker is under there!
Just as we broke out completely, Baker and the Sisters went into hiking
Just as we broke out completely, Baker and the Sisters went into hiking
Coast range was crystal clear in person - not so much in this picture - Whatcom Lake below
Coast range was crystal clear in person - not so much in this picture - Whatcom Lake below
the sound
the sound
Samish Lake, the sound, Olympics hiking in the clouds
Samish Lake, the sound, Olympics hiking in the clouds
Shona and Melissa at the tower just below the true summit.
Shona and Melissa at the tower just below the true summit.

Back to top Reply to topic Reply with quote Send private message
Hikingqueen
Member
Member


Joined: 12 Nov 2007
Posts: 2946 | TRs | Pics
Hikingqueen
Member
PostSat Jan 16, 2010 7:01 pm 
Yeah, for sunny day! up.gif

Back to top Reply to topic Reply with quote Send private message
bobbi
stillaGUAMish



Joined: 13 Jul 2006
Posts: 8012 | TRs | Pics
Location: olympics!
bobbi
stillaGUAMish
PostSat Jan 16, 2010 10:19 pm 
wave.gif i was on storm king waving at you! you should have come over this weekend. biggrin.gif dang weather forecast! after quite the rainstorm yesterday morning, the sun came out, then awoke this morning to an icy windshield and sun! great views from the summit! up.gif

bobbi ૐ "Today is your day! Your mountain is waiting. So…get on your way!" - Oh, the Places You’ll Go! By Dr. Seuss
Back to top Reply to topic Reply with quote Send private message
Highwalker's Daughter
Member
Member


Joined: 12 Aug 2006
Posts: 1575 | TRs | Pics
Location: Bothell, WA
Highwalker's Daughter
Member
PostSun Jan 17, 2010 9:24 am 
These pesky weather forecasts that have turned out to be wrong several times! I will FOR SURE be staying in Port Angeles the night of April 1 - if we have the same spring break, we could do something that Friday - has to be kind of easy as hubby is along smile.gif . We're on our way up to Neah Bay that weekend. Can't remember if you had plans then or not - getting too old to retain info dizzy.gif Mom and I will explore the Kitsap area today, but it's kind of far for you to meet us bawl.gif

Back to top Reply to topic Reply with quote Send private message
Alpendave
Member
Member


Joined: 01 Aug 2008
Posts: 863 | TRs | Pics
Alpendave
Member
PostSun Jan 17, 2010 9:41 am 
Ah...I remember living in Sudden Valley. I took a short jaunt from the parking area where you parked. Very limited indeed. I usually just walked out my front door and walked a short distance on Sudden Valley Drive and a couple small side streets to Stimpson Nature Reserve. Your photo of the parking area reminded me of how dark and damp Sudden Valley is. Looks like you had a quite a nice outing, though.

Back to top Reply to topic Reply with quote Send private message
Snowdog
Member
Member


Joined: 21 Jul 2006
Posts: 1027 | TRs | Pics
Location: on (& off) the beaten path
Snowdog
Member
PostMon Jan 18, 2010 10:41 am 
Looks like you guys had a great outing (once locating TH-wink.gif sorry to have missed it- I love looking down on Lakes Whatcom & Samish.

'we don't have time for a shortcut'
Back to top Reply to topic Reply with quote Send private message
aywolfpac
Member
Member


Joined: 27 Jan 2008
Posts: 1286 | TRs | Pics
Location: Burlington, WA
aywolfpac
Member
PostMon Jan 18, 2010 11:57 am 
Nice report. I've hiked up that road a couple of times to a waterfall that's about a mile up the road. It would be on the first creek that you cross but it's down below the road and very tough to get a good view of:
Trataka Falls
Trataka Falls
You can actually see a small upper tier of the falls from the road. I've never walked the rest of the way up the road. Looks like a nice little walk.

Back to top Reply to topic Reply with quote Send private message
yew
non-technical



Joined: 12 Dec 2005
Posts: 1173 | TRs | Pics
Location: Bellingham
yew
non-technical
PostMon Jan 18, 2010 7:50 pm 
Hmmm, I don't know of accessing Lookout from this area (?). I just parked on Lake Louise Road across from a red gate. Ken Wilcox's "Hiking Whatcom County" has directions to park on Lake Louise Road (I think). They blew the weather forecast all weekend. Saturday was really nice.

"I aint jokin woman, I got to ramble...We gonna go walkin through the park every day." - Led Zeppelin
Back to top Reply to topic Reply with quote Send private message
Highwalker's Daughter
Member
Member


Joined: 12 Aug 2006
Posts: 1575 | TRs | Pics
Location: Bothell, WA
Highwalker's Daughter
Member
PostTue Jan 19, 2010 9:40 am 
My Winter Hikes book (don't have it with me as I'm at work so don't recall the author) says to park at the actual trailhead, but there isn't much parking. We saw people coming up from wherever the road actually ends, but that was north of the Lake Louise Rd. so not sure where it started. We hooked onto it by parking where we did. None of them were doing more than short walks as we didn't see anyone past the first 1/2 mile. Yeah, had I known there'd be good weather, I'd have done some different planning for the weekend!

Back to top Reply to topic Reply with quote Send private message
Eric
Peak Geek



Joined: 21 Oct 2002
Posts: 2062 | TRs | Pics
Location: In Travel Status
Eric
Peak Geek
PostTue Jan 19, 2010 3:54 pm 
Right, the standard parking for Lookout is at 462' on Lake Louise Road at a gate that has a sign about Bellingham or Whatcom County Public Works or some such thing. 48.71936 -122.35536 The info in the Ken Wilcox book is somewhat outdated and that area is now private property. It's probably fine to still park there for now but in the longer term that access will eventually disappear.

Back to top Reply to topic Reply with quote Send private message
Highwalker's Daughter
Member
Member


Joined: 12 Aug 2006
Posts: 1575 | TRs | Pics
Location: Bothell, WA
Highwalker's Daughter
Member
PostTue Jan 19, 2010 6:50 pm 
Good to know as this is one I'd enjoy doing again. I found that a couple of the hikes in his book are rather outdated, but mostly it's been good info. Thanks for posting the GPS coordinates.

Back to top Reply to topic Reply with quote Send private message
Eric
Peak Geek



Joined: 21 Oct 2002
Posts: 2062 | TRs | Pics
Location: In Travel Status
Eric
Peak Geek
PostTue Jan 19, 2010 7:22 pm 
Yeah outdated is probably a bit harsh. He wrote the book and there has been a lot of development in that area and that sort of stuff can change. As long as you can park where you did, I think you should continue to do that. For now. The roadside parking at the gate is probably a bit more exposed and so perhaps vulnerable to vandalism or break-ins.

Back to top Reply to topic Reply with quote Send private message
   All times are GMT - 8 Hours
 Reply to topic
Forum Index > Trip Reports > Lookout Mountain (aka Galbraith Mtn.), Bellingham area 1/16
  Happy Birthday speyguy, Bandanabraids!
Jump to:   
Search this topic:

You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum