• Fire Lookout Guide
    • Standing Fire Lookouts of Washington
    • Former Lookout Sites of Washington
    • Visiting all of Washington’s Historic Lookouts
    • Staffed Fire Lookouts of Washington State
    • Washington Lookouts Open for Overnight Stays
    • Lookout Maps
  • Fire Lookout Journal
    Fire Lookout Journal

    Stories and reflections from trip reports, work parties, and more from visits to Washington State’s last standing historical fire lookouts and lookout sites.

    Cooper Mountain Lookout Site

    2018: The Year of BIG Adventures

    Repainting Lookout Mountain

    • Fire Lookout Trip Reports
    • Former Fire Lookout Sites
    • Fire Lookout Restoration
    • Fire Lookout Staffing
  • Staffing Goat Peak
    • 2023 Fire Season
    • 2022 Fire Season
    • 2021 Fire Season
  • Blog
    Blog

    Random thoughts, mostly about the outdoors, conservation, and adventure.

    Returning to Goldmyer

    The 2012 Ragnar and Ironheart Racing

    Musings of a Serial Soloist

    • Peakbagging
    • Backpacking
    • Bicycling
    • Historical Sites
    • Essays
    • Nature and Wildlife
    • Travel
  • The Off-Grid Life
    The Off-Grid Life

    Stories about building an off-grid homestead in North Central Washington’s beautiful Methow Valley.

    An Off-Grid Airstream Winter

    Investing in Energy Independence

    Off-Grid Lessons: When Winter Says “Nope!”

  • About
BackpackingFire Lookout Journal

Fastpacking Miners Ridge Fire Lookout

An incredible 30+ mile ultralight overnight to Miner's Ridge Lookout, deep in the Glacier Peak Wilderness. This was lookout #46 for me and I enjoyed not only surprising solitude, but one of the most fantastic mountain sunrises I've ever seen!
Read More
Fire Lookout Journal

Tamales and Fire Lookouts: Lookout Point, Quartz Mountain, Wellpinit, and Ray Kresek’s Fire Museum

It's a pretty great thing when you can spend a few days celebrating your dad's 70th birthday with tamales, apple pie, and fire lookout adventures!
Read More
Travel

Exploring Eastern Washington Coulee Country

With its plentiful blue skies, sunshine, and warm temps, Eastern Washington's Coulee Country offers a fantastic spring reprieve from Western Washington's drizzle as well as some of the state's most amazing geological wonders! The earth's once largest waterfall? A soapy lake similar in alkalinity to the Jupiter moons? Consider a weekend road trip to soak up the sun and explore these incredible attractions!
Read More
Essays

My dad, my outdoor hero!

Who inspires you to get out and explore? My outdoor hero is my amazing 70-year old dad who is living proof that staying fit and having an intrepid spirit keeps you eternally youthful.
Read More
Fire Lookout Journal

Lookout Point: A Hearse and a Shovel

It's not every day a visit to a fire lookout could be considered subject matter for a horror movie, but thanks to an abandoned hearse at the summit, Lookout Point earned a spot on my top 20 fire lookout adventures simply because it was so weird and creepy!
Read More
Fire Lookout Journal

Larches and Lookouts: Funk, Bonaparte, Steliko and More

Okanogan County in Washington State has incredible history and the highest concentration of remaining Washington State Lookouts, which makes it a spectacular destination for geeks like me! Here's a trip report from a recent October larches and lookouts road trip.
Read More
Fire Lookout Journal

Larches and Lookouts

A trip report from a few days of fall fire lookout bagging in the beautiful Okanogan County, including a visit to one of my favorite Washington State fire lookouts.
Read More
Essays

Conquering Fear: Sea Kayaking the San Juans

All of us have fears, yet living in fear keeps us from truly living. Since my childhood I've been terrified of the water and it's taken me over 30 years to finally defeat it. Recently I was able to fulfill a dream to sea kayak to the beautiful San Juan Islands, which is proof that all of us can conquer our fears!!
Read More
Fire Lookout Journal

Kayak Camping Ross Lake in a Smokepocalypse

Sometimes the most memorable adventures are the biggest disasters, aren't they? The story of kayak camping in a Mad Max-like apocalypse of wildfire smoke...
Read More
Essays

When Your Best Adventure Buddy Grows Old

11 years ago I walked into an animal shelter and came home with Crazy Jake dog. In the years since he's become my peakbagging partner, camping companion, and road trip co-pilot. I can't think of a single memory without him! Here's the story of Jake dog and how to cope when your best adventure buddy grows old.
Read More
Travel

Trail Running Sedona

Need a sunny vacation, especially in the midst of a PNW winter? Pack your sunscreen and running shoes and book a flight to sunny Sedona, Arizona! A long weekend amongst its magical red rocks will leave you rebalanced, recharged, and reenergized.
Read More
Essays

What I Learned From a Weekend of Silence

Last summer I did something completely crazy: I spent 3 days at a silent yoga/meditation retreat. What I thought would be my worst idea ever actually became my best. I learned a lot about myself, rebooted my brain, sharpened my senses, and experienced first-hand how powerful the mind can really be.
Read More
Load More

Hi, I’m Chris, aka TrailChick

Photographer, storyteller, and seasonal fire lookout. Living life off-grid in the beautiful Methow Valley of North Central Washington with two horses and a cattle dog. 🌻☀️

Find Me Online

Goat Peak 2025 Calendar

Goat Peak Fire Lookout - 2025 Calendar
Goat Peak Fire Lookout - 2025 Calendar
by WildChris

Trending Posts

Travel

Washington State Hot Springs

Travel

Hiking the Grand Canyon’s Rim to River and Back in a Day

BackpackingFire Lookout Journal

Backpacking to Heaven on the Devils Dome Loop

Peakbagging

Completing Southern California’s 3 Peak Challenge

Historical Sites

Ghost Tales and History at Cape Disappointment

Fire Lookout Journal

Visiting the Yakama Reservation Fire Lookouts

Browse Tags

Airstream Life Alpine Lakes Wilderness Arizona Australia Bali Blue Mountains California Campervan'ing Central Cascades Challenges Columbia Plateau Conservation Favorite Fire Lookout Restoration Fire Lookout Staffing Fire Lookout Trip Reports Former Fire Lookout Sites Glacier Peak Wilderness Hok Skiing Indonesia International Loops Methow Mountains Mexico Montana Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest National Parks North Cascades Northern Lights Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest Okanogan Highlands Okanogan Range Pasayten Wilderness Point to Point Road Trips Safety Sierra Nevada Tasmania Teanaway Trail Running Umatilla National Forest Washington Water Sports Wenatchee Mountains Wildlife

Where in the Wild is Chris

  • Privacy Policy & Terms
  • About
  • Fire Lookout Guide
    • Standing Fire Lookouts of Washington
    • Former Lookout Sites of Washington
    • Visiting all of Washington’s Historic Lookouts
    • Staffed Fire Lookouts of Washington State
    • Washington Lookouts Open for Overnight Stays
    • Lookout Maps
  • Fire Lookout Journal
    • Fire Lookout Trip Reports
    • Former Fire Lookout Sites
    • Fire Lookout Restoration
    • Fire Lookout Staffing
  • Staffing Goat Peak
    • 2023 Fire Season
    • 2022 Fire Season
    • 2021 Fire Season
  • Blog
    • Peakbagging
    • Backpacking
    • Bicycling
    • Historical Sites
    • Essays
    • Nature and Wildlife
    • Travel
  • The Off-Grid Life
  • About
Start typing to see results or hit ESC to close
Washington Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest Fire Lookout Trip Reports International Favorite
See all results