Flattop Mountain Lookouts

Flattop Mountain, near Trout Lake, Washington, is unique in that at one-time it had two active lookout towers on opposite ends of its summit (neither remain today).  However, to my family there is a deeper connection than just simply two long forgotten (and destroyed) fire towers.  No, it is much more than that.  These towers have embedded in their history a story that includes my grandparents, who manned the West Tower in the the early 1930's, and their son (my father) who manned the East Tower twenty years later.  Today we return to pay tribute and reunite both of my parents on top of this special mountain.

Only .3 of a mile separated these lookouts from each other . . .
Today, East Flattop is a hub for communication towers and the road to West Flattop is no longer maintained

West Flattop Lookout was built in 1921 on the east side but was moved to the west side in 1930

My grandfather, Darrel Couch, circa early 1930's
(Born: February 11th, 1893 in Cicero, Indiana . . . his wife Zoa Castleman was born May 7th, 1899 in Indiana)

My grandparents were married in Hood River, Oregon on June 1st, 1931 . . .
They would spend their honeymoon and that summer on West Flattop Mountain . . .
My father, Forrest, would be born March 26th the next year in Hood River . . . hmmm!
(He would be their only child)

My grandfather washing my father's diapers on a washboard at West Flattop Lookout in 1932
(I've always liked this picture because it reminds me of the happy, jovial and kind man that he was)

My grandfather, in his Forest Service uniform, with my father in December 1933

My grandfather, picking huckleberries, with my father in the summer of 1932 . . .
Although it appears that my grandad is wearing a beanie, he is actually wearing his ranger hat . . .
The angle of the picture shows the brim of his hat below the black stripe!

My parents and grandparents circa 1956
(Darrel Isaac Couch, Arelene Lorraine Tincknell, Forrest Lee Couch, Zoa Allyn Castleman)

West Flattop Lookout in 1950 with Mt. St. Helen's about 30 miles off to the west . . .
In 1934, two screened porches and an observation cupola were added to the cabin . . .
My dad said that his father would climb up the cupola to get azimuth readings for fire ID's . . .
My grandfather was last here on May 18th, 1980 and saw Mt. St. Helen's erupt!

East Flattop Lookout was built in 1946 . . .
This photo is from 1949 . . . Mt. Adam's is approximately 15 miles away

This picture, and the one above, were "borrowed" from Eric Willhite's website . . .
He has hiked to all 93 known lookouts, still standing, and maintains a webpage on each lookout . . . 
He's trying to keep the history of each tower "alive" with information that people have sent to him . . .
Feel free to contact him if you want to share information . . . willhiteweb@yahoo.com

The last time my father visited East Flattop Lookout was in 2005 . . . As you can see it was in rough shape . . .
The East tower was abandoned in 1960 and the West tower was destroyed that same year . . .
Notice how the trees have grown . . . no views remain of either Mt. St. Helen's or Mt. Adams

My father standing in the cab of the lookout he worked in 1952 . . .
Such a shame for a tower that was once featured in a 1946 National Geographic Article!

The same year my dad last visited the East Tower (2005), the cab was dismantled and relocated to
the Columbia Breaks Fire Interpretive Center in Entiat, Washington where it was refurbished

My dad, granddad and me . . . circa 1987/88
(Darrel passed away June 11th, 1989; Zoa passed away February 21st, 1980)
(Forrest passed away April 9th, 2018; Arelene passed away January 13th, 2026)

This is the only view you will have if you make the trek up Flattop Mountain today . . .
This is looking southeast towards Trout Lake . . . 
The last time we were here was in 2018 to spread my father's ashes . . . today we return with my mother's

Heading down, what remains of the road, towards where West Flattop tower once stood

The road quickly deteriorates and is quietly being retaken over by the forest
It gets such little visitation that the deadfall hasn't been cleared in many, many years

After a short distance of "log hopping" we arrived at this small opening in the forest . . .
To our surprise this meadow was surrounded by ripe huckleberries!
That's our son Andrew and his daughter, Emma, picking the delicious purple berry

Our one and only grandchild showing us some of the berries she picked

That's me and my sister Kris' daughter, Niki, in the middle of a huckleberry patch

We continued on down the road another 100 yards to the small clearing that once housed West Flattop Lookout

This is all that remains of West Flattop Lookout . . .
It's hard to believe the trees have grown back so thickly that no views, in any direction, are possible . . .
It is here we spread my father's ashes and will now mingle my mother's with his

Wouldn't you know it . . . we were able to locate West Flattop Benchmark (1956)
I wonder if my grandfather would smile, knowing that his grandson finds such enjoyment in searching for azimuths as he once did in reporting them from his cupola atop his cabin

The ten family members who made the trip to rejoin Forrest and Arelene . . .

FYI:  My sister Kris has twin daughters, Dani & Niki
(From left to right:  Johan who is Dani's husband . . . Dani couldn't make the trip as she is expecting any day . . . Kris stayed to help her and care for Dani & Niki's daughters; Andrew, Emma and Taytem; Sam & Niki; Allison; my brother Ryan, me, and Ryan's wife Carla)

One of my favorite pictures of my parents . . . The way I like to remember them!
(Surprisingly, I'm about the same age today as my dad was when this picture was taken in Sept. 2001)

I miss you Mom & Dad . . .
I'm so thankful for your Christian faith and upbringing and I rest assured that you made it home safe and sound!

 

Some Additional Information:

Johan made a short video that recaps our day atop Flattop Mountain.  If you have Facebook and would like to view his video, you can click here to find it. (Make sure to unmute the volume)  You may be wondering what's with the Coke.  Coke happened to be mom's favorite drink and she would religiously have a 10 oz can every day.  So, Ryan decided that we needed to offer her a final toast!

Also, I wanted to attach some links from Eric Willhite's website that contain information and pictures of the other lookouts that my dad manned, for several summers, while he was in college.  If you're interested in knowing more about these lookouts, click on the links below:

1951 - Little Huckleberry Lookout - Manned alone

1952 - Flattop East Lookout - Manned alone

1954 - Summit Prairie Lookout - Manned with Phil Lee

1955 - Summit Prairie Lookout - Manned with George Peterson

1956 - Summit Prairie Lookout - Manned with George Peterson