Summary - At the end of a long drive along the ridge of the Toutle Mountains, a short hike brings you to the open summit with terrific views of Mount Saint Helens and Mount Adams. Bring HF gear and assume VHF contacts will be rare. ATT service is very good, as is APRS. The roads, up to the summit drive are 2WD friendly; the last bit requires high clearance and AWD or an additional quarter-mile of hiking. Combine with nearby Castle Peak and Spud Mountain for a fab day of SOTA fun.
TL;DR - 4562 lies at the end of the Toutle Mountain ridge road which begins as South Toutle Road outside of Toutle, Washington. From end to end, the ridge drive is approximately twenty-six miles. Along the way, you will pass Signal Peak, Spud Mountain and Castle Peak, all easily accessible.
From the I-5 Castle Rock exit take 504 (Spirit Lake Highway) to South Toutle to Road 4000 going east. The drive from Portland to the 4562 trailhead is roughly two point five hours and ninety-five miles. Google maps actually came up with a good route all the way to the summit road but I recommend checking the path with your favorite mapping software. Except for the last quarter mile, the gravel road is in very good shape the whole way. One caution: this area is quite popular with hunters; it pays to know when they will be active.
When you reach 46° 13.76', 122° 16.66', you will find the final summit road. Park here if you don't have a high clearance AWD vehicle or if you don't want to navigate the deeply rutted road to the final summit hike. Either way, in a quarter-mile you will find a user trail going up the ridge to the SE. Follow it up to an open meadow then turn south to reach high point. The other lower summit is worth a visit, too, for the views.
The top is open and unshaded, with sharp drops on three sides, and amazing views of MSH, Mount Adams, and Sheep Canyon. There are trees for wires and strapping masts away from the summit block. ATT service is good, as is APRS. Bring HF gear and don't count on two meters.
