Pt 5635 (W7O/CE-276) is in the Ochoco NF approximately 1.5 miles east of Ochoco Divide Campground on Hwy 26. The summit’s proximity to the highway offers a nice SOTA option when traveling through the area with FS campground accommodations nearby. Another summit, Ochoco Mountains HP (W7O/CE-080), is also just a short drive from the campground.
This area has been affected by recent fires, yet there are good sections of live trees along the hike and on the summit that offer shade. The campground was saved and is in good condition.
Once on the summit the AZ is large and has plenty of trees (alive and burnt) for wire antennas, etc. I was able to self spot with my cell, Verizon. Surprised, but no APRS coverage. Band conditions were lousy the day I went, but as typical in this CE region had very low noise.
Getting there - Note that while many existing maps show a forest road system leading to the summit, the area is now designated as non-access for motorized vehicles. There are a few different ways of hiking the summit following old roads, but I went with a shorter cross country route as shown on the map below. I parked along the highway just outside the campground and basically hiked up the ridges and followed some short sections of roads. The hike this way is approximately 1.6 miles with a vertical gain of roughly 900 feet. There are a few steep sections and you’ll need to dodge some downed trees, but fairly accessible this way.
