Desolation Peak is in the North Cascade Mountains of Washington state, about 6.2 miles (10.0 km) south of the Canada–United States border and in the Ross Lake National Recreation Area. It was first climbed in 1926 by Lage Wernstedt, who named it for the destruction caused by a forest fire that swept the slopes bare that same year. At the summit stands a small, wooden, one room fire lookout belonging to the National Park Service. The lookout is 15 miles (24 km) from the nearest road and overlooks miles of forest and numerous other peaks.