Goble Mountain is one of several two-point summits accessible from Weyerhaeuser rec permit access gate 6110. For permit information see: https://recreation.weyerhaeuser.com. You will need the “Longview – St Helens” one. For this three-summit “expedition” I drove to within a few miles of each summit, parked and mountain biked to each of the summits.
4.4 Miles, +1,233 feet, -30 feet
Winter Access Directions to TH:
From I-15 north of Helena – Exit at Lincoln Road (Exit-200) – Head West on Hwy-279 for 22.3 miles
Turn Left (west) towards Stemple Pass – drive 8.3 miles to the Pass (Pass is plowed in winter)
Park in the parking area on the left (west) side of the road at the pass.
As I mentioned in my previous report from Rattler Benchmark, my Dad and I followed that activation with a trip up to Cleman Mountain. If you are coming down Game Department Rd from Rattler, you need to drive south back towards town for a while on N Wenas Rd until you reach the entrance.
Unfortunately, the map shows many roads leading up the mountain but we were only able to find one that was passable at (46.833565, -120.711814). The signs at the gate read "Closed from Dec 9th thru May 15th."
For Thanksgiving this year, we drove to Yakima to visit with family and the day after my Dad and I drove up to Rattler Benchmark. Starting in Selah, we took N Wenas Rd turning right on Sheep Company Rd up to where it turns (46.778909, -120.563142) to become Bell Telephone Rd (going straight eventually leads you to Gracie Pt aka W7W/CW-096, see my report here). This is a goat trail with many ruts and requires steady nerves and high clearance. Fortunately, my Dad has both. This ro
Beartrap Ridge is a sparsely treed summit having spectacular views of the steep landscape into Owl Creek and the Salmon River. Adding to the view are large wildfire patterns of the mid- 2000’s and exposed geology.
A near drive-up summit in the Coast Range. From Highway 36 around Milepost 20, take BLM 17-8-31 Road, (Near 44.11999,-123.64626 and 17445 Oregon 36, Deadwood, Oregon).
Travel 4.2 miles on this Priusable gravel road and park when 0.2 miles from summit and walk up the road shown in the first photo. At the summit are remains of a fire lookout (see photos):
https://oregonlookouts.weebly.com/windy-peak.html
A near drive-up summit in the Coast Range. From Highway 36 near Milepost 18, take paved Nelson Mountain Road east. When the pavement ends just before 3 miles, turn uphill to stay on Nelson Mountain Road (my GPS called it Chickahominy). Do not go through the yellow gate - that's the 17-8-14 Road. Continue up to just past the 4 mile sign at a four way intersection turn right onto Walker Point Road.
This unnamed summit is a bald rocky grassland overlooking a large mostly roadless area (Allan Mountain 01946) and the southern end of the Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness Area. It has a very good trail, FS #178 due in part to regular trail maintenance through a huge amount of fire-killed fallen trees. The hike also travels through large southerly-aspect grassland-slopes that could be quite warm during mid-day summer months.
Saddle Mountain is near the Lost Trail Pass Ski Area. The SOTA summit access road serves the upper facilities of the ski area. A high clearance vehicle can drive to within 0.25 miles of the summit. The summit has good views. It is very open and rocky with limited space for long wire antennas.
Pansy Mountain has not been activated since the 2021 fires. I originally intended to do both Pansy Mountain and Bull of the Woods, but I did not get an early enough start for a late autumn hike. Getting there is straight forward. A high clearance vehicle is helpful for a couple of sections, but it is probably not absolutely necessary. Follow the directions from the Forest Service: