Route
Here is a link to the route we (KC7JNU, KK7DAK, KK7IUD) followed to and from the peak as well as additional data; there is a screenshot below of the same route. As can be seen, we started and ended our route to the north of the peak.
Here is a link to the route we (KC7JNU, KK7DAK, KK7IUD) followed to and from the peak as well as additional data; there is a screenshot below of the same route. As can be seen, we started and ended our route to the north of the peak.
Captain Grey Mountain is a road walk of a few miles gravel through a mix of forest and clear cuts.
Summary - A drive up on the west end of the Toutle range.
Just east of Mount Rainier National Park and north of Highway 12 is this bushwack activation.
2023 update: You can access North Green Mountain if you purchase a Weyerhaeuser permit https://recreation.weyerhaeuser.com. You will need the “Longview – St Helens” one.
New (and Improved!) Lake Butte 6260 W7O/NE-264
There are three options for getting to this peak.
Priusable road: Hike 4.2 miles RT with 900 ft elevation gain.
High clearance 4x4: Hike from a hunting camp 2.75 miles and 700 ft elevation gain.
High clearance 4x4 and willing copilot: Hike 1.75 miles and 500 ft of gain
Bald Hill (W7W/SN-183) is at the high point found at the south end of Lord Hill in Snohomish County. Most of Lord Hill is a Snohomish County park. However, the actual summit is just south of the park on a private residential property.
NC-078 is in the middle of the Tillamook State Forest, far enough away from Portland to be a hassle, but close enough to the city of Tillamook that it's a pretty easy activate if you are already out on the coast. It's in the same neighborhood of the Kilchis River as NC-103 or Stanley Peak.
Drive on hwy from Portland: approx 50 miles, 1 hour
Drive on forest roads: 8 miles
Hike: 1/2 mile, 250 ft gain
It had been 4 years since I went down to do Ball Mt and I'm not sure why I don't get down here more. Ball is a great <2mi RT hike on a gated lookout road. I love the lookout on Ball. There are great views with ample space and choice of location in the AZ, exposed around LO or go down into the trees a little. Each time I have gone I have also done Willow Creek Mt and this trip added Eagle Rock also. All can be done in a day if you plan accordingly.
In the past (and for a prior writeup), this summit was off-limits as part of a leased club parcel. Maybe Weyerhaueser couldn't find any clubs to lease it, or just changed their mind about how they wanted to manage the land, but it has ceased as a lease and become open to public access. It's a bit of a drive for one point, but a unique nonetheless.