NC-130 is another of the recently added peaks during the 2023 ARM update, currently the last of the Oregon NCs. If that's a goalpost you're looking to achieve, or you're feeling particularly completionist, or you just like a good bushwhack, proceed on. Otherwise, maybe skip this one. It's on public land, and consists of a 6 mile forest road drive, combined with a 1.5 mile hike and bushwhack. This peak is easiy paired with NC-099.
- Head out Hwy 6 almost to Tillamook, turning off at Coast Range Rd, (45.49038, -123.63786). Stay to the right as you enter the gravel road. The following distances are plotted from this turnoff.
- At 1.5 miles (45.50401, -123.62892), stay to the left through the triangle
- At 3.5 miles (45.51659, -123.64334), go straight through the intersection, to the middle road that pitches slightly downward
- At 6.1 miles (45.51827, -123.66548), park at the bend where the overgrown road forks off.
The hike largely follows an overgrown forest road. There are a few impeding branches and a couple small downed trees along the road, but it's largely open and a pleasant hike, despite the feeling of impeding doom as it slowly slopes downward. At about 0.7 miles (45.51753, -123.67095), pictured below, watch for the fork to the right that looks even more overgrown. That's your path! Do not continue following the main road as it stops in a few hundred feet.
From this point on, light brambles impede the path on a regular basis, but are passable with some crouching and pushing aside with trekking poles. It's possible the overgrowth will get worse over the next couple years, but we made it with boots, poles, and long sleeves and pants. Once you've taken the fork, this section of the road is still self-evident to follow. Proceed until 1.3 miles from the parking spot (45.51381, -123.68039), where you'll see blaze marking tape to the left side of the trail (see picture below). It's not very obvious, but this is actually a good spot to climb up the slight embankment and begin bushwhacking up the hill. We found this spot only on the way down; during our activation we went farther past along the road before ascending, and circled back around to the summit from the west side, but this way is more direct and not too aggressive of a climb.
Once past the embankment and a little bit of thicket, the ground cover opens up to a moderate slope that is climbable direct or as switchbacks to reduce the grade. There are blaze tape markings all the way to the summit from some kind of prior survey activity. Hiking boots and trekking poles were nearly a must-have due to the soft forest floor.
The summit is similar to the final ascent, light ground cover of mostly sword fern, medium canopy, and no view. There are plenty of trees and a few snags to support masts; the branches are all very high and could not be used to throw a line.
A note on summit pairing and other routes: On some maps it looks like you could proceed on past the parking spot and get to NC-099 along the same road; this is not the case (unless you have a motorcycle). Instead, backtrack to the intersection at (45.51650, -123.64346) and proceed to 099 via the northern road. It is also possible to exit the NC130 parking spot location by continuing along the road northward and eventually connecting to Cedar Butte Rd and connecting to Hwy 6 at the Cedar Butte Rd Bridge.
