The winter activation is much more challenging than the summer one. In the summer, it is a drive-up until the last quarter-mile walk. In the winter the road is closed 9 miles down at 2000' elevation. So that means and 4000' climb over 8 miles up.
After a bit of a hiatus, K7IAJ and I made a quick trip up highwire this afternoon. We wanted to make a quick trip up something that would be an easy objective. We originally chose Haystack Moutanin, but access was restricted, and the permitting wasn't clear: permits were listed as unavailable on the website/sold out, and they would be sold in April.
3.5-miles, +1160 ft; From Pipestone Pass TH
This is a pleasant hike along the Continental Divide Trail that begins near the summit of Pipestone Pass (paved, and plowed). It is also a POTA “2-Fer” (Beaverhead-Deerlodge NF & CDT) if you activate within 100-feet of the CDT. It is also located on the northern edge of the historic Thompson Park area, which is a unique congressionally designated Municipal Recreation Area that includes much history related to the Milwaukee Road (Railroad).
Another no-name summit with a pretty good view. Takes a decent drive to get up there. Short hike up an old logging road. Some of the area is thick with Oregon grape and brush but there is a clearing that made set up easy. There may be other options further down the road to access too but I didn't explore.
This was an easy summit I was surprised I could get to and that it had not been done already. Some of the BLM land in this area is somwhat landlocked by private land and I was anticipating the same for this one but you could drive almost to the summit. Just before you reach the summit take the the time to go to the right to a clearing that looks over Sterling Creek area and you can see the beautiful Red Buttes. Great park like area to work from that is pretty flat with tall timber and some big logs to sit on. There is a jeep road that is not on maps that goes to the top.
Indian Post Office is an intriguing name given to a rounded high point qualifying as a SOTA summit along the Nee Me Poo, a trail of the Nez Perce and the Lewis and Clark trail. I searched the few vertical rock outcrops looking for what I thought might be pictographs or petroglyphs. I found neither. I did see a large rock cairn linked to folklore.
This summit is just off the Lolo Motorway that roughly follows along the Nee Me Poo Trail of the Nez Perce and the Lewis and Clark Trail. The Lolo Motorway, USFS #500 is a narrow mostly ridgetop road built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s. It provides access to over a dozen SOTA summits along its route that are mostly a short hike.
There are already a couple blogs for Fielder but I wanted to add a few pics. The first time I went up with quantity on my mind-at least one more summit to do for the day and did not take the time to go to the equipment area and see the spectacular view. Yes this can be a drive up summit on a good day, but be sure to take the stroll to the edge! Great view clear to California snow capped summits and of Grants Pass, Rogue River, and the Rogue River.
We had one foot of snow that prevented us from driving to the very top. Nice little hike.
de AG7GP
Hauk Butte is a 9.5-mile RT hike with ~2000 ft gain located Northeast of Dog Mountain and Augspurger Mountain north of the Columbia River. Reaching the summit is possible entirely on logging roads, which go right up to the exact SOTA summit. At the summit, you are surrounded by trees on each side of the road as the summit has not yet been logged. This came in handy when I activated during 20-30 mph winds: the trees made a good wind break.