Tumalo Mountain, OR

Taylor and I returned to Tumalo Mountain this weekend to score a rare 6 pointer in winter, with a justified bonus. Tumalo Mountain is a strenuous, yet technically easy ascent. The trail up to the summit leaves from the Dutchman Flats Sno-Park, just north of the entrance to the Mt Bachelor ski area on Cascade Lakes Highway. Because this is a popular winter recreation area, the parking area is packed with people looking to snow-machine, ski, and snowshoe to the top. Luckily, the close side of the mountain is reserved for pedestrian traffic, which means no dodging gas-powered craft on the way up.

Due to the popularity of the area, this would-be-backcountry summit is actually quite well-traveled and packed with people, making it a good one for anyone seeking a first-time snow trip. The summit area is large, with plenty of room for the skiiers preparing to make their descent, without crowding SOTA operators looking for their nine points. The wind can get pretty severe at the top due to the exposure, but the trees that are entombed in snow provide some opportunity for shelter.

We set up with our monopod mast, two arms, and 7-section whip, guyed to stakes we buried and packed in the snow. Conditions on 20 meters were great, with good signal reports all around. Taylor worked a bunch of contacts before handing the mic over to me to clean up the rest. We were tickled to find John N7AAM waiting for us on 14.3425 MHz when we powered up.

Unlike the last time we were up here, the sky was clear and the views were fantastic. Mt Bachelor dominates the foreground, except when two people stand right in front of it trying to get an unattended shot of themselves:

This is what it's supposed to look like:

I have yet to visit this one in the summer, but I'm sure it's a good hike with excellent views. However, it's just too easy to get the three-point bonus, so I may never find out!