I Bushwhacked to Abandoned Fire Tower Lookout Sites

High above the deep valleys of Siouxon Creek, the summits of Siouxon Peak and Huffman Peak once formed part of a vital early-20th-century network of fire lookouts built after the Great Fire of 1910—the devastating blaze that transformed American wildfire policy and gave birth to the Forest Service’s watchtower era.

In this cinematic journey, I retrace the footsteps of the old watchmen—first climbing Siouxon Peak, where I spend the night on the summit to relive what the fire lookouts once experienced: isolation, vigilance, and the quiet pulse of the wilderness. At dawn, I set off toward Huffman Peak, leaving the comfort of the trail and bushwhacking through steep terrain to find what remains of its long-forgotten fire lookout site.

What begins as a manageable climb through low-angled forest soon steepens into rugged slopes and short scrambles leading to the summit ridgeline. At the top, only a weathered concrete platform remains—an echo of the tower that once stood guard over the valleys of Mount St. Helens and Mount Rainier.


🎥 Filmed in 4K | Cinematic Hiking Documentary
🏕️ Theme: Abandoned fire lookout history | Great Fire of 1910 legacy | Summit camping experience
📍 Location: Siouxon Peak & Huffman Peak, Gifford Pinchot National Forest, Washington