Evergreen Mountain, crowned by a historic L-4 fire lookout built in 1935,1 rises near Sunrise Mountain in the Wild Sky Wilderness. Notably, the lookout survived a fire in 1967, inadvertently started by loggers and burned to within several hundred feet of the structure. 2 Following the decommissioning in the early 1980s, the lookout was restored by dedicated volunteers in the 1990s and placed on the National Register of Historic Places.3
See more trip photos here.
Evergreen Mountain at a Glance
Access: Evergreen Lookout Trailhead
Round Trip: 2.7 miles
Elevation Range: 4260′-5590′
Essential Gear: none
Route Info: wta.org
GPS Track: available
Dog-Friendly: no
Playlist:Beats, Dark, Melancholy
A Trip to the Historic Lookout
For years, I had avoided Evergreen Mountain, thinking it was unreachable due to road damages. With other nearby places available, it quickly became low in priority. But I curiously checked the conditions the day before and found the road open. So, after yesterday’s outing, Connor and I drove across the valley and slept by Bullbucker Creek, 2.7 miles from the trailhead. I hoped to start early and avoid traffic on the way home.
The most recent washout over Evergreen Creek was repaired in July of last year. Since then, the road has been open, barring the occasional dips and ruts in the final mile when snow-free. While reading, I saw the winter route nearly 3000 feet below the summer trail off Beckler River Road. But with a trailhead above 4200 feet, a round-trip of under three miles makes this summit a low-hanging fruit. I could only imagine its popularity during the high season.
A Cloudy Start on a Misty Trail
As forecasted, we arrived at the Evergreen Mountain Trailhead under a cloudy sky shortly before 6 AM, with one other car in the lot. The initially steep trail went for several hundred yards before the incline eased. Along the way, I noticed some blue tape placed on the vegetation, with more work planned to either remove trees or clear back some of the brush. It’s always interesting to see signs of ongoing trail maintenance.
We reached a clearing at the second switchback, but no welcoming views due to the mist. Ascending the crest, the path moved west of the crest as clouds began to shift. Surprisingly, the top of Kyes Peak and Columbia Peak appeared as the mist slowly descended. It came as a surprise since the forecast called for 70 to 80 percent cloud cover. Shortly, we greeted the owner of the other car, who managed to catch the sunrise by starting early despite the weather.
Sunshine and a Glimpse of the Lookout
The 9.6-mile drive from Jack Pass was long, so it would have been a pity to miss out on any views. As the trail hugged the west side of the crest, moving up the ridgeline, the mood shifted dramatically. A burst of sunshine pierced through the trees, flooding the forested saddle with light. Meanwhile, the ray of sunlight completely renewed my motivation to reach the lookout tower.
From the saddle, I caught my first rewarding glimpse of the summit through the trees. We only had to navigate around one downed tree; otherwise, the bone-dry trail was completely clear of debris. The weather steadily improved, which was a fantastic and delightful surprise. The final 400-foot climb in the open air greatly reminded me of traversing the green meadow below Alpine Baldy.
Incredible Views From Evergreen Mountain
The lookout restoration was evident, by the building materials neatly stacked nearby. Views of the Beckler River and Skykomish River valleys were glorious as clouds continued to shift during our long visit. We saw Columbia, Kyes, and Sloan Peaks again before the mist returned in that direction. Meanwhile, the north face of Mount Fernow, where we visited early last month, looked especially impressive from this vantage point.
The valley clouds began to dissipate right as we started our descent, unfolding the landscape below in the morning sun. Near the trailhead, we greeted two hikers and their two dogs on their way up into the beautiful weather. Connor and I made it back to the car feeling refreshed after a glorious morning, delivering far more than we expected. It was certainly one of those special low-effort trips with a huge payoff.
