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TPayne Member
Joined: 06 Dec 2006 Posts: 225 | TRs | Pics Location: Olympia |
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TPayne
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Sun Jul 11, 2010 11:47 am
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After being lazy in the AM, I decided to try an afternoon hike to High Rock Lookout. The trail is only 1.6 miles long, but gains 1400 feet. Most of the hike is in the trees and it was quite warm and muggy.
Some sources suggest FR85 to FR8440 to reach the trailhead, but one report pointed out FR84 was in much better condition. My low-clearance sedan made it just fine on 84. I did not see FR8440 marked, but by clocking the mileage, I figured it had to be the correct turn off.
There's only a few views along the trail, but the one from the top makes up for it! Wow! I arrived at the lookout around 5PM to find the place to myself. The door was unlocked, and the first thing I noticed was all the trash on the floor. Not much inside this lookout, probably because of the jerks who have no respect and leave their garbage.
I hung around the lookout for a few hours, chatting with a family who drove over from Yakima. Before I headed down, the trash was bugging me. I managed to stuff it all in a sack and carried it down.
There were quite a few people heading up for the sunset. One of them caught me by surprise, it was HikingQueen. With her was The Zachster! Fun to meet other NWHikers, couldn't chat long since the bugs were kinda bad there. Hope they had a fun and safe trip back. Can't wait to see their photos, the sunset looked amazing from my rear-view mirror driving home.
High Rock Lookout from Trailhead Mt Rainier from High Rock Lookout Mt Adams Summit of Rainier Mt Rainier from inside the lookout Side balcony of High Rock Lookout High Rock Lookout Thanks Mr. Peters! Mt Rainier from High Rock Lookout, 5685 feet High Rock Lookout, 5685 feet
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Bryan K Shameless Peakbagger
Joined: 29 Sep 2005 Posts: 5129 | TRs | Pics Location: Alaska |
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Bryan K
Shameless Peakbagger
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Sun Jul 11, 2010 12:09 pm
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Nice looking shots Tom. It's too bad about all of the trash that was left up there. Hopefully the FS can get some vilunteers up there to staff the place, that will help reduce trash/vandalism.
Glad you were aboe to get out
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blastoh Member
Joined: 13 Sep 2007 Posts: 233 | TRs | Pics Location: Somewhere under the stars |
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blastoh
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Sun Jul 11, 2010 4:20 pm
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very nice pics. Looks like you had fun. I will have to get up there this summer.
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Dean (aka CascadeHiker)
Joined: 02 Mar 2002 Posts: 1967 | TRs | Pics Location: ex Kennewick, Wa & Lehi Utah |
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Dean
(aka CascadeHiker)
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Sun Jul 11, 2010 4:45 pm
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A truly and special place to visit. Thanks for the nice pics and sharing your experience. I took the liberty to attach a link to my summitpost page for this
one. I forgot about the Memorial to Mr. Peters.
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Magellan Brutally Handsome
Joined: 26 Jul 2006 Posts: 13116 | TRs | Pics Location: Inexorable descent |
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Magellan
Brutally Handsome
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Sun Jul 11, 2010 4:48 pm
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Great place to spend an afternoon.
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the Zachster Member
Joined: 17 Jan 2007 Posts: 4776 | TRs | Pics Location: dog training |
Nice to meet you Tom! Thanks for cleaning up! That place sure could use some TLC...Janelle did some sweeping in the lookout and we found a little garbage on the trail as well. Such a beautiful place (my first time up). We left just a few minutes before the sunset since clouds were moving in and a colorful show was unlikely. It was a great evening.
"May I always be the kind of person my dog thinks I am"
"May I always be the kind of person my dog thinks I am"
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carppdiem Man of Bronze
Joined: 20 Jul 2009 Posts: 51 | TRs | Pics Location: 86th Floor |
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carppdiem
Man of Bronze
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Mon Jul 12, 2010 12:31 pm
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Well....I have a tale to tell about High Rock lookout! I went there with a group of friends in 1985 (when I was a young age of 27) because I was interested in visiting as many lookouts as possible. I had the Mountaineers paperback "Lookouts of the Cascades" that described High Rock as "abandoned" and open to the public. When we arrived I was suprised to see it fully stocked with gear. There was a radio, binoculars, firefinder, books, bedding, and even a typewriter inside (although there was nobody around actually manning the lookout). The front door was locked but I noticed that a window had been left ajar, so I slid the frame upward and stepped inside to take a look around. I read the visitor register and took some pictures, but then exited and closed the window without touching anything else. (I was the only person in our group to enter the interior). It was a foggy day with no views, so after we ate lunch we hiked back down to our cars only to find several Federal agents waiting for us.
Apparently the lookout person had been down the trail in the fog listening to us and "assumed" that we were vandalizing the place, so he called the Feds via radio. The agents interrogated us in separate cars while they sent the lookout guy back up to check the "damages". I made the mistake of admitting that I had entered the lookout through the open window, so they were ready to throw the book at me (that's what happens when you tell the truth without a lawyer present folks). The lookout guy radioed down that he couldn't find any evidence that we had ever been there (as we even carried out our own lunch garbage like good hikers).
The other friends of mine were off the hook, but I got a ticket for committing a federal offence and had to pay something like $180.00 for "telling the truth". (I told the officer to ask the lookout dude to remember to lock his stupid windows next time).
So now I hear that the lookout is mostly empty and full of garbage?
I want my $180 and my dignity back! Sheesh!
"And I know it seems easy," said Piglet to himself, "but it isn't everyone who could do it."
"And I know it seems easy," said Piglet to himself, "but it isn't everyone who could do it."
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Hikingqueen Member
Joined: 12 Nov 2007 Posts: 2946 | TRs | Pics
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Tom, Great to see you! You got some nice shots, yours are better than mine. Carpdiem, holy cow that is a story! I'm pretty sure I would have cried in that situation and got off. but maybe not.
LO is definitely not manned and needs some serious LOVE. I wanted to clean and paint and live there, or the shack below I'm not picky.
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TPayne Member
Joined: 06 Dec 2006 Posts: 225 | TRs | Pics Location: Olympia |
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TPayne
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Mon Jul 12, 2010 5:38 pm
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Thanks for posting that story carppdiem, fun read, too bad about the fine!
There was only one grocery sack full of garbage, but from this photo, the inside needs some TLC.
The "Lookouts" book by Ira Spring and Byron Fish described a guy in 1940 who traversed down the steep cliff by a huge rope to quickly fetch water! During the winter, he stored the rope in a shed nearby, I think it may still be there, but it's collapsed. When this guy went off to War, two other people were running a telephone line when one fell and died. The investigators found the coiled rope and threw it over the side...
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blastoh Member
Joined: 13 Sep 2007 Posts: 233 | TRs | Pics Location: Somewhere under the stars |
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blastoh
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Tue Jul 13, 2010 4:02 pm
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thanks for the trip report and pictures. I think I am inspired. Looks like a nice place to spend the night and shoot star trails.
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