Jolly Mountain Lookout Traditional Geocache
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(regular)
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Jolly Mountain Lookout
A cache near the site of a former Fire Lookout at 6,443 feet.
Less than 100 years ago there were hundreds of fire lookouts dotting the countryside of Washington State. Most were placed on top of mountain peaks to take advantage of the best view in the area, like the one on Jolly Mtn. But as quickly as they came, they also disappeared. Few are left today. At Jolly Mtn you'll find a few anchors, nails and brackets of the building that used to sit here. But the view remains.
While you can park less than a mile and a half from the lookout the route doesn't head directly for the peak. The road and then the trail switchback and zigzag as they climb to the ridge and then wind around to the summit. It's closer to a 4 mile hike from the gate on the nearest road with about 1,800 feet of elevation gain.
And don't count on peace and quiet if you're on foot on a weekend. The trails in this area get plenty of use by motorcycle riders enjoying the great views from the ridges and peaks in the area. The trails, even though they have been rebuilt recently to help the wheels, are not friendly to those on foot, having loose rocks on the trail along much of the route. For those on wheels, the Jolly Mtn trail has recently been rebuilt for motorcycle use. The other trails leading this way have not been rebuilt and will be rougher for riders but smoother for hikers.
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
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