Hike Date: 03-16-2013
Distance (Roundtrip): 2.6 miles
Elevation Gain: 850 ft
Highest Point: 1700 ft
Heybrook Lookout Hiking Guide
Since I needed to take care of a morning errand, I was in the mood for a short and sweet hike in the afternoon. After scouting the trip reports on the Washington Trails Association (WTA) website, I decided to explore Heybrook Lookout. The trailhead and parking lot is located right along Highway 2. During this time of year, there is no snow on the road or on the trail. However, the rain clouds were out in full force. At around 1pm, it was pouring at the trailhead.
The first part of the trail follows the highway for a bit. Then, it switches back and immediately climbs. The trail is pretty muddy at this altitude as tiny streams make their way down the mountain. The tall moss-covered tree canopy offers good protection from the rain.
The trail continues to steeply head upward as it continues switching back along the side of the mountain. The trail is rugged with occasional blow downs, but well-kept. To help with the climb, stairs are laid out on the trail. Be careful, they can be quite slippery. After climbing through a couple of large boulders, the trail finally evens itself out.
The trail is fairly level the rest of the way to the tower. Along the ridge, the sound of the highway is much more faint. Not much further, there is an opening. The rain was really coming down when I finally broke out from the trees. Over to my right, a foggy view of Mount Index. Continuing up the trail, I noticed the tall wooden Heybrook Lookout tower to my left.
The tower sits on top of the ridge on a cement and gravel base. It's sturdily built and seems to be kept in great shape. After climbing seven sets of stairs, it was amazing to see the views this tower had to offer. Over to my left were views of Baring Mountain. To the right were views of the Skykomish river, rushing powerfully at this time of year. Finally, right in front of me was the massive Mount Index. Though the views were nice, it was impossible to see the summit of Mount Index due to the rain clouds. I'll have to come back here in the summer to enjoy the views at their finest.
In total, the hike took an hour. Short and sweet! Back at the parking lot, there were no cars as the rain came down even harder.
Photos
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