Lookout Mountain rises above Lookout Lake
The view from the summit of Lookout Mountain is awe-inspiring, and it is easy to see why the Forest Service designated this peak a fire observation point in 1921. From this perch, the entire length of Priest Lake and Upper Priest Lake are visible below, The Lions Head rises regally to the east, and the craggy Selkirk Crest stretches out to both the north and south.
Fitting given the mountain's name, not one but two lookouts stand on the summit. The first is an historical lookout erected in 1929 by the Forest Service, while the second is a new tower built by the Idaho Department of Lands in 1977. The old tower is currently in the process of being restored, an effort that could place it on the National Register of Historic Places.
The starting point for the hike up to the summit is located at N 48° 47.040, W 116° 47.151'. The road up to the trailhead is in good shape, but a high-clearance 4x4 vehicle is recommended. The start of the 2-1/2 mile trail is not easy to spot (see uploaded photo), but you know that you are at the right location when you reach the gated end of the road. Look for blazon tape in the trees at the top of a loose sandy bank on the eastern side of the road just a short distance before the gate. A small round orange metallic disk emblazoned with a hiker symbol is visible about 10 feet to the left of the start of the trail.
From the trailhead (elevation roughly 5200 feet), the trail climbs for about 3/4 of a mile to little Lookout Lake. From this point you can look up to the summit and get a peek at both the old and new lookout towers. There are also campsites available here for those who wish to overnight.
Once past the lake, the trail follows a level and even descending track, then turns steeply toward the 6727-foot summit for the last half-mile. The final quarter-mile of that climb is along a steep, loose, rocky road.
The cache is hidden just a couple hundred feet down the mountain from the new lookout tower, in a rock field just off the trail. The container is a .50-caliber drab olive ammo can with "Geocache" stenciled in yellow on multiple sides. An "Official Geocache" sticker is affixed. GPS reception is excellent at the spot, so the coordinates above should get you to the hiding spot with little trouble. However, you may want to have copies of the spoiler pictures on hand just in case you have trouble pinpointing the specific cache location in the rocks. The ammo box is concealed under and behind a handful of flat granite rocks. After retrieving the container, please be sure to replace these rocks to protect the cache against accidental discovery.
I hope that you enjoy your journey to this beautiful spot!