This summit is a progressively more difficult climb as you ascend. The activation is challenging but rewarding. The route I took starts with an easy well trafficked trail, but the second part of the ascent has no trail and involves navigating through the Angell Basin which consists of areas of large granite boulders.
Elk Mountain is in the Olympic National Park and accessible from a well-maintained forest service road named Obstruction Point Road. The road is not open all year, so check park conditions before you go. The summit is attainable by taking the Obstruction Point Trail and then making the easy traverse up to the base of a large rock formation. A quick stairstep up the rocks brings you to the summit. Total hike from parking to summit is about 1.5 miles.
I managed to activate this peak today with three out of the four required contacts. Close but no cigar as it started getting cold, windy and rain was coming in. We had to leave when we did. Another day for the points.
I used a Yeasu FT-2D 5 watt handheld with a 42 inch foldable tape measure type of antenna. I worked 146.52 MHz FM voice. From Big Hole Peak, about 12 miles to the west, I have had 59 quality conversations with Missoula, so the reach is far at these heights in 146.52 MHz.
Take St Regis Mt. exit head North at stop sign turn left in about 3 miles turn left onto FR road 282. Stay on 282 for 20.5 miles at the top of the pass turn right onto FR road 391 in 5.5 miles you will come to the trail head 250. AWD vehicle would be able to make it. From the trail head to the Peak is about 1.5 miles, if you feel ambitious you can continue back on trail 250 to activate Eagle Peak which is in Montana. Great Views!
Road 2WD
Gps Tract in download section
Activation Date 7/19/2019
The trail to Spot Mountain is a typical multi-switchback route rising from the steep Selway River Canyon walls to long undulating ridges. These ridges were used historically by American Indians as routes to bison hunting areas in the eastern plains from the lowlands of the Salmon and Snake river drainages that supported huge runs of salmon and steelhead.
Spectacular peaks of the Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness are in view from this summit. September visits are rewarded with brilliant yellow to orange needled alpine larch, a deciduous high elevation conifer and many times snowfall.
A gentle pitch trail terminates at Savage Ridge. Of interest to hams might be the Natural Resources and Conservation Service Snotel Site near the trail head. This is snow water content and weather measuring station is complete with snow pillows and a 40-50Mhz meteor burst telemetry station/antenna.
The hike to Eagle Cliff on Stateline National Recreation Trail #738 has many scenic views along the route including alpine cirque basins and alpine lakes, Cliff and Diamond, and some small unnamed lakes. Wildlife encountered along the trail were mule deer, several dusky grouse and a family of Clark’s nutcrackers.
A steep trail climb breaks onto an open grassland with scattered Rocky Mountain subalpine fir makes this summit a great operating position. Located on the Idaho/Montana border it has panoramic views of the regrown forest after the great burn of 1910. Early season wildflowers can be abundant including glacier lilies, buttercups and western pasqueflowers.
Blackrock Peak is named for the dark gray to black lichens growing on the summit boulder field. The rock itself is mostly light tan-colored and from a distance the dark lichen patterns appear like large stationary cloud shadows draped over the summit and adjoining ridges.