A Tribute to Solitude, Resilience, and the Legacy of Fire Watchers

Created by Tori Karpenko

The Lookout Project was born out of a period of personal crisis in 2014. Seeking solace in the solitude of the mountains, artist Tori Karpenko found inspiration in the book Poets on the Peaks, which chronicles the creative and spiritual journeys of poets Gary Snyder, Jack Kerouac, and Philip Whalen during their time as fire lookouts in the North Cascades during the 1950s. Over time, Karpenko’s studio practice and the iconic mountaintop lookout cabin merged as parallel vessels for processing grief and healing—ultimately leading to the decision to build a replica lookout cabin.

Originally envisioned as a mobile gallery space for paintings, the project began without a predetermined installation site. However, while serving as project manager for the renovation of the Bernard Hosey Founders Building—a historic structure that once functioned as a U.S. Forest Service Fire Management Warehouse—Karpenko discovered a key element for historical accuracy. The building contained 25 original single-pane divided-lite windows, characteristic of 1930s fire lookout cabins. As the renovation progressed, Karpenko worked on the lookout replica in tandem, just 50 feet away from the warehouse.

What began as a deeply personal endeavor took on new significance following the Carlton Complex Fire, the largest wildfire in Washington state history. In the aftermath, the Methow Valley community sought a space for reflection and healing. The unfinished lookout cabin made its debut as a ‘sharing room’ at the Phoenix Festival on the TwispWorks campus in September 2014, offering those affected by the fire an opportunity to share remnants, photographs, artwork, and poetry in a collective expression of grief and gratitude for the firefighters who risked their lives to protect the valley.

Upon completion, the project gained wider recognition. Sarah Traver, director of Traver Gallery in Seattle, featured the lookout in an exhibition alongside 14 paintings exploring the theme of finding solace through immersion in the wilderness. The installation then caught the attention of Isabelle Heyward, an exhibition developer for the Burke Museum at the University of Washington. As a result, the lookout became the centerpiece of The North Cascades: Finding Beauty and Renewal in the Wild Nearby—a collaborative exhibit between the Mountaineers, North Cascades National Park, the Upper Skagit Tribe, and the Burke Museum.

Following the lookout’s return to the Methow Valley—transported over four trips with a 30-foot U-Haul—a buyer emerged. After discussions regarding placement, they generously donated the structure to TwispWorks, where it now serves as a permanent tribute to the U.S. Forest Service’s legacy and the vital role of fire watchers in the region.