Tolmie Peak Fire Lookout

Administrative agency:  Mt Rainier NP

Staffing status:  the tower is used for emergencies as well as a cabin for wilderness rangers

Elevation:  5939ft

Structure:  1933 two story NPS cab

Access:  a 3.2 mile walks is necessary to reach the tower, the trail climbs around 1000 ft, several signs are present along the trail

Road conditions:  the road to the Monwich Lake area is rather long, it is paved for a wile, and then switches to gravel for almost 17 miles, the road is heavily wash boarded in some places

Interior:  the cab contains a propane stove, lighting, and possibly heater, two beds, a table, and shelves are also present, the bottom contains a radio repeater and batteries, tools and rescue equipment

Other structures on summit:  none, not even an outhouse, propane tanks are portable

Electrical power source:  a solar panel is mounted on a pole next to the lookout, it charges deep cycle batteries housed in the bottom of the tower, which power the radio repeater

Other:  the view of Mt Rainier is excellent, as is the view of the surrounding park, the trail winds through a nice setting, I was lucky enough to run into Roger a wilderness ranger spending one of his few nights in the tower as a backwoods cabin, the lookout does need some paint, but is otherwise in pretty good condition  

Visited:  Dominic Luebbers in August 2001