Three Fingers Trip Planning
The lookout is closed for the season. Winter travelers will have trouble ascending the summit block. Access to the building may not be possible due to snow and ice. The door is never locked but may be swollen or frozen shut. It takes us hundreds of hours to plan, purchase materials, haul, and assemble. Please wait until summer to visit.
Please bring the right gear and mountaineering skills. Turn around early if conditions are sketchy. Three Fingers is a hotspot for SAR missions of eager travelers.
Road FS 41 is now open beyond at a repaired washout 5.5 miles from the Mountain Loop Hwy. This makes the round trip to Tupso Pass 25 miles. Please bring a WAG bag and pack out your human waste. WAG bags cannot be disposed of in backcountry toilets. Plan to hike out all your trash.
Remove crampons before entering. Conditions can change rapidly and anyone wishing to visit Three Fingers should travel with care and appropriate gear (shelter, extra layers, stove/fuel, traction, ice axe, communication device, etc). Keep shutters closed during inclement weather and when leaving.
This hike is very difficult and strenuous, and the last half mile of the trail requires mountain climbing equipment and expertise. You must traverse a short, steep section of the Three Fingers snow Glacier, make a rocky scramble and ascend steep ladders to the lookout on the south peak of Three Fingers. Mountain. As there is considerable exposure, those using the cabin and ladder must determine if the climb to the lookout is safe.
Meadow Mt trail is flagged from FS 41 to Meadow Mt summit. Multiple trees down on the climb up to Meadow Mt. There is a huge log that has rerouted the trail above Saddle lake. Look for a rough trail that goes straight up/down to the next switchback.
Locked shutters are damaged, please do not attempt to open them. Follow directions posted at the lookout for safe operation.
Maximum occupancy of lookout is 8, First come, first served. As shown in the picture above, space is very limited. Be prepared to camp below the lookout. You may be turned around by occupants.
Due to social media, visitation to the lookout is now extremely high, even on weekdays.
Human waste is an increasing problem at the lookout. Hiding poop and paper under rocks or snow quickly become exposed. Use the toilet at Goat Flat or pack out solid waste and toilet paper. Please do not dispose of blue bags at the Goat Flat toilet or below the lookout.
Please take everything you brought with you home. Leaving gear and food behind becomes moldy and gnawed on by the lookout's resident pack rat, Alpine Andy.
Approach road, trails, and lookout maintenance are a joint activity between The Mountaineers LOTM committee and the Friends of Three Fingers.
Report damage to lookout or missing equipment to friendsofthreefingers@gmail.com and everettlotm@gmail.com
Donate via PayPal. If you have a PayPal account, you can make a donation at friendsofthreefingers@gmail.com.
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If you are interested in a tax-deductible donation, FOTF has a relationship with the Forest Fire Lookout Association (a 501(c)3 organization) which provides this avenue. Write the check to Forest Fire Lookout Association, but note that it is intended for Friends of Three Fingers Lookout. Send it to: Forest Fire Lookout Association, 2590 W. Versailles Drive, Coeur d'Alene, ID 83815-8127.
Recent trip reports: