One of the most spectacular views on Lookout Mountain!
Enjoy an unobstructed view north to Canada, Lake Whatcom, and Bellingham. Look west to Lakes Padden and Samish, the Chuckanuts, the San Juan Islands, and the Olympic Mtns. And look south to the Skagit Valley and beyond!
There are several ways to get to the cache. The shortest (and easiest approach) is by hiking up from Sudden Valley. Park at the road-side pullout at (N 48° 43.154 W 122° 21.330 ), and follow the logging/tower maintenance road up the mountain, remembering to stay left at (N 48° 42.271 W 122° 20.678), and then right at (N 48° 40.892 W 122° 20.867). Just before you reach the summit, turn left onto a tower access road (N 48° 41.260 W 122° 21.667) and follow it a short distance to the cache. The RT distance from the TH to the cache is about 12mi, with an elevation gain of 2120'. You can also park at (N 48 42.667 W 122 20.970), which will cut 2mi off of the RT distance.
Variation 1: Another way I've done this is by hiking up via Lake Samish, and then following the road over from the South Summit. While the RT distance is only about 11.5mi, you will accumulate nearly 3300' of elevation gain.
Variation 2: Thanks to a recently built trail that connects the cache site to the logging roads below, you can now traverse over from Galbraith Mtn. Park at the Upper Padden trailhead, and follow Galbraith Lane to the beginning of the Tower Rd 2000 (N 48° 42.142 W 122° 25.164). Follow Rd 2000 up the mountain, Turning right onto Rd 3000 at (N 48° 42.687 W 122° 24.599). At about (N 48° 42.444 W 122° 23.505), just below the summit, turn right again. Follow this road until it ends, staying right at (N 48° 42.463 W 122° 23.339). There, look for a trail heading off to your right. Follow it through the clearcut until it ends at another logging road. From here, stay left at (N 48° 42.490 W 122° 22.876) and (N 48° 42.147 W 122° 22.909). Next, turn right at (N 48° 42.204 W 122° 22.811), and then left at (N 48° 42.120 W 122° 22.815). Stay left at (N 48° 41.932 W 122° 22.504), then right at (N 48° 41.550 W 122° 22.365). Take the left fork at the next three junctions at (N 48° 41.485 W 122° 22.362) and (N 48° 40.812 W 122° 21.936) and (N 48° 41.116 W 122° 21.875), and take the right fork at (N 48° 41.176 W 122° 21.902). Finally, look for a trail starting at the end of the road near (N 48° 41.141 W 122° 21.854), and follow it it up through the clearcut. The cache is located just off of the trail, just before it ends. With a RT distance of just over 15mi and a elevation gain of 2700', it is the longest and most complicated of the routes. To help you with navigation, I also recommend printing off a satellite map of your route.
Variation 3: Another route can be done by approaching from Sudden Valley, and following the road up past Looking at Long Lake, to where it ends at (N 48° 42.017 W 122° 21.972). From there, bushwack .1mi over to another road at (N 48° 41.953 W 122° 22.075). Follow the road to (N 48° 41.546 W 122° 22.359), where you turn left. From there, just follow the route described in Variation 2 to the top. The RT distance is just over 12mi, and the accumulated elevation gain 2720'. A giant 12mi loop can be made by going up via this route, and descending via the main route. For more information on this route, see my Lookout Loop Series
In honor of my 100th placed cache, I am releasing my first ammo box! If you find any errors with the coordinates in the routes described, please let me know.
Happy Hunting!