Brandy Peak is a short hike on a good trail. It is accessible in any vehicle. It’s not close to a population center. You knew there was a catch. The views from the top are spectacular and 360 degrees. It might be on your shuttle route if you are running the Wild and Scenic section of the Rogue or the Illinois Rivers. Road is closed in winter.
Bear Camp Summit is a name I have given this peak which is just off of Bear Camp Road (NF-23). Bear Camp road is famous to river runners as the shuttle road when doing the Wild and Scenic section of the Rogue river. It is infamous for the Kim family tragedy. Don't attempt this activation in winter.
Cedar Springs Mountain is a peak near Grants Pass that is an easy walk from a locked gate, 1.7 miles round trip with 500 feet of elevation gain. There is communications equipment on the summit, but I suffered no RFI because of it. It has a nice operating point with lots of options for stringing antennas including large and small trees and the communications area fence posts. I found an all natural pole support. View is nice, but is blocked a bit by the trees so a bit of walking around is needed to see it all.
Poly Top Butte is a good second summit to add on a trip to China Hat W7O/CE-053. Here’s a few notes from my activation:
At less than 4 miles of good road off Highway 93, Sula Peak is a popular ‘travelers’ summit for drive-up VHF DN25/DN35 and SOTA activations. A modern US Forest lookout and a communications facility occupy the summit. Frequently there are bighorn sheep grazing in the area and especially in the spring on the highway.
Giveout Mountain's summit can be reached by car or truck on generally good logging roads. Portions of the drive up are steep and narrow; I recommend 4WD. There is recent evidence of a shooting range on the summit. During my visit several groups scouted the area and there were at least a dozen such ranges set up in the vicinity. I imagine that arriving in the late morning on a weekend day may lead to disappointment.
A 'sorta' near drive-up in the Gifford Pinchot National Forest north of Carson. You can drive within a mile of this unremarkable peak and likely have a nice quiet time playing radio.
We selected the southern route for Elk Point. This southern route allows for a double activation with Sula Peak W7M/RC-138. This mostly open-ridgeline route has good views of distant Bitterroot Mountains, Anaconda Pintler Mountains and closer views of the Sapphire Mountains
The SOTA peak database has the name of this peak incorrect as "Cardwell Hills HP", it is actually a well known peak called "McCulloch Peak" in the McDonald State Forest and all signs leading there, plus the marker on top, uses that name.
Bald hill isn’t really bald. It is a fine grassland on its south exposure, but is tree covered on the remaining west, north and east exposures. Access is available any time of year, albeit steep. It is prime winter range for 50-100 elk each year so avoiding December through February could prevent disturbing the elk.