Blogs

• Two options for bushwhacking: north or south. Both options are serviced by well-maintained FS roads. The south side is a bit shorter, with 100 feet less of elevation gain, and satellite imagery shows significantly thinner vegetation.

• FS 2154-236 will get you 0.25 miles from the main north ridgeline that leads to the summit. Parking is available on the corner of the road. Nearby is an austere helipad, which should be avoided.
• An easy short bushwhack along the north ridge leads to an old trail to the summit, with 262 feet of elevation gain.
• Summit consists of a narrow rocky spine with steep dropoffs on two sides.
  

• Timpanogas road will get you 1.6 miles from the main east rideline that leads to the summit.

• FS 2154 offers good parking 0.36 miles east of the summit (spur 175 is closed). The roads from the north, off FS 21, were generally well-maintained with many options for rerouting. A two-wheel drive vehicle would likely have no issue in dry conditions.
• Moderate bushwhack to summit along the east ridge with 462 ft of elevation gain.
• Mosquitos are intense—head net strongly advised. 
• Summit consists of a rocky spine with one tree for shade.
  

• FS roads may get you within 0.16 miles of summit, but could be blocked by down trees. The roads from the north, off FS 21, were generally well-maintained with many options for rerouting.

WV-117 is a long walk along a mostly exposed route to a completely exposed summit.  In fact, it was a very sunny and very warm hike that was much longer than expected.  I estimated based on what I could see with my eyes from the Santiam Canyon (and what I could see in satellite imagery) that there'd be no shade, and possibly no trees either.  I guessed about a 3/4 of a mile shorter than reality.   But I was mostly right - there was only one treed spot along the 4.5 mile route up that offered any relief from the sun, and there were none for either shade or suitable a

June 24th, 2023. Trout Creek Butte (TCB) is the site of a now defunct fire tower 7 straight line miles to Sisters, OR and 21 or so to Bend, offering great views to the south of the Three Sisters and Black and Millican Craters to the west.

Stanley Peak is a 1 pointer inland from Tillamook, Oregon. The access route weaves across Tillamook State Forest and BLM land, but the peak itself actually sits on the BLM section. It's a lot of work for one point but includes a little point that pops above the trees, giving a lovely view of the bay and ocean.

NC-069 is one of the handful of 2 pointers in the Oregon NC region, located in the Tillamook State Forest. It's fairly remote, past Cedar Butte or Triangulation depending on the route you choose to take, but it can be paired with either one in a day. It requires a short but strenuous climb with bushwhacking, and rewards you with a nice open summit area with good views of the surrounding peaks and valleys.

W7O/CE-300, aka 4420, is located in the Crooked River National Grassland just north of Smith Rock State Park. It is a moderate hike but due to the difficult access, I would qualify this as a intermediate SOTA. It could be approached via foot, off-road vehicle/motorcycle, 4x4 horse or bicycle. The hike up once off trail is off-camber but is very navigable. I would suggest trekking poles for help with footing. Once on the summit ridge, its an easy hike to the top. I rode my mountain bike and it took me about an hour and fifteen minutes to get to the top from the Skull Hollow trail head.