4.8 mi, +1,870 feet, -600 feet
This is a nice hike on a good trail with great views – particularly of the Red Mountain & Caribou Mountain regions of the Scapegoat Wilderness. This hike is close enough to the Scapegoat Wilderness that it is prudent to be Bear-Aware.
Bald Mountain has been a great activation in the past for me. Still is just is a little more difficult. The way before is not accessable now due to Hancock who owns most the area keeps there gates closed and only allows non-motorized access. Easist way to aproach now is via Falls City on Valsetz Road. follow Valsetz Mainline for roughly 7.5 miles. Remember this area is closed during fire season. After roughly 7.5 miles you will find 1500 road on the left at 44°49'21.73"N 123°32'2.15"W (44.822703° -123.533931°). Follow this road for about 3 miles and will come down a steep hill.
This was my first summit, and I want to thank pnwSOTA.org for the recommendation for it as a first summit. It was a blast!
I reached 18 stations, including the famous WG0AT in Colorado and OK2PDT in the Czech Republic -- all with a SOTABeams linked dipole on a fiberglass mast with 5 watts out from my KX3! Amazing what CW can do.
I sat on a wet tree limb, fumbled with a pad to log QSOs while swatting away mosquitoes but it was perhaps the most fun I've had in ham radio. I recommend it highly to anyone who hasn't tried it.
I tried to access this summit from the Molalla River. There are three roads leading up towards it after crossing the North Fork of the Molalla on Dickey Priarie Road. All three were blocked by Weyerhauser pay to play gates.
An easy road walk of a half-mile will take you to this summit. Of course, the road to get to the road walk is only suitable for vehicles with above average clearance.
This is a bushwack - not too long - but through a cluttered forest floor with lots of vines, branches and logs to trip you up - so that you might wish it were shorter. Out of the way on the South Coast near Port Orford, it will not likely see much traffic as the relatively close by Humbug Mountain W7O/SC-192 features a nice trail all the way to the top. The forest road to Father Mountain will probably accommodate a thoughtfully-driven passenger car, but I wouldn't say it was Priusable.
Should you want to do this peak, here us the short version. Note that the long version is a cautionary tale.
Get yourself to Henry Hagg lake. Proceed around the lake until you find Scoggins Valley Road. Turn west here and proceed up the road. Note that you bear left almost immediately to stay on Scoggins Valley Road. After about two miles you will come to a gate. There is parking within sight of the gate.
This was literally my first activation. I've been thinking about SOTA on and off for 7+ years now. Ray & Max posted a trip that they took to this same summit maybe 6 years ago, but I took a different route. Looking at the maps, and reading the rules, the route they took is along the OHV roads which are closed to vehicle traffic. The entirety of Horse Ridge is closed to motorized vehicle travel. Instead, I parked along the south edge of the Horse Ridge area along Ford road, along a spot where I could easily pull off and not be in the road itself.
3620 is a fairly easy summit to reach and activate when visiting the Camp Sherman-Upper Metolius River Area. Access involves a half-mile hike up from Forest Route 1270 with about 300ft elevation gain. The downside to this summit is the area was burned badly from past wildfires and the hike requires a bushwhack up an abandoned fire road.
The summit is somewhat flat with a wide activation zone, but very brushy. There are some live trees to hang a wire, but a support mast is recommended. I had good Verizon service and was able to self spot.