GARFIELD COUNTY
DIAMOND PEAK
Umatilla National Forest
7N-42E-3
7N-42E-3
September 1929: "On the night of July 27, about 11 p.m., after the district ranger and Guard Colwell had settled themselves in the bunk at Clearwater ranger station for a few hours of much-needed rest for weary bones, the telephone rang loudly. Out of bed bounced Red, upsetting all the boxes in the house (these boxes are used for chairs at Clearwater). On the other end of the wire was Newby at Wenatchee. He said Diamond Peak lookout had called and stated that he had been bitten by a snake and the wound was swelling badly and he was very ill from the effects. Tried to call Diamond Peak. No answer. Supposed lookout too far gone to reach phone. Business of getting into clothing, getting first-aid packet ready, fixing up flashlights, etc. Business of phoning to get a couple of horses ready, getting road crew all out of bed. All speed records broken in race to Mt. Misery! Blake and Colwell from Clearwater and Newby from Wenatchee. We walked and rode the two old grader plugs over the awful trail to Diamond Peak. Got there at one a.m. Sunday morning. Lookout sound asleep and the picture of health. He explained that he was walking in the weeds in his oxfords and was bitten on the ankle by something. He was sure it was a snake, although he could find no snake. Our diagnosis of the case convinced us that he was bitten by a yellowjacket or some similar ferocious and terrible bee.
Well, our return trip was without incident. We lost no time in getting started, because we had gone in prepared to pack out a dead man and the more we tarried the more we were tempted to make good. Our lookout still insists that he was snake-bitten. G.C. Blake" (Six Twenty-Six)
Well, our return trip was without incident. We lost no time in getting started, because we had gone in prepared to pack out a dead man and the more we tarried the more we were tempted to make good. Our lookout still insists that he was snake-bitten. G.C. Blake" (Six Twenty-Six)
Undated: A 14 x 14 cab atop a 20-foot native round timber tower. (From a Umatilla National Forest inventory)
Removed
DESIGNATION - DIAMOND PK
PID - RZ1677
STATE/COUNTY- WA/GARFIELD
COUNTRY - US
USGS QUAD - DIAMOND PEAK (1995)
STATION DESCRIPTION
DESCRIBED BY US FOREST SERVICE 1936
THIS OCCUPIED STATION IS ON THE HIGHEST POINT OF DIAMOND PEAK,
SITUATED ABOUT 19 MILES W OF ANATONE AND 11 MILES SE OF CLEARWATER
RANGER STATION, AND 8 MILES N OF THE OREGON-WASHINGTON STATE LINE.
STATION IS MARKED BY A U.S.F.S. DISK IN BURIED BOULDER. CENTER
OF DIAMOND PEAK LOOKOUT TOWER IS SE OF STATION IN AZIMUTH
321 DEG 44 MIN.
TO REACH FROM POMEROY DRIVE S 28 MILES TO CLEARWATER RANGER
STATION, CONTINUE SE ON TROY ROAD 8 MILES TO JUNCTION OF ROADS
AT MT. MISERY. TURN W ON DIAMOND PEAK ROAD, GO 6 MILES TO END OF
CAR TRAVEL, CONTINUE ON TRAIL 0.5 MILE TO LOOKOUT TOWER.