This was short but very hard. Straight up off trail. Maybe there is an easier way but I doubt it. I started on the 1046B trail on the west side but it ends only about 500ft in so I just started climbing straight up. Soft, steep, forest duff that was hard to stay upright in and the I reached a outcropping of shale and boulder to carefully climb the final 150' before the AZ. Shaded. It is about 700' gain in .5 miles.No cell at all. I did decend through an open meadow which felt much safer, however, the plants started getting taller and taller and I got covered in burrs.
Forested Summit
Strawberry Mountain, WA July 2023
Getting there: from highway 12 , when you get to the town of Randle, turn South on state route 131. After about a half mile, there is a fork in the road. Stay to the right on highway 131. Do not take the left fork to Cispus road. After another half mile route 131 turns into Forest Service road 25. Drive about 10 miles down the 25 road until you get to the 2516, where you'll take a right. Here are coordinates for the turn: 46.34766, -121.97049.
Pig Iron Mountain | July 2023
Pig Iron Mountain is a drive up good gravel forest road plus a half mile light-to-moderate bushwhack through rhododenrons. As such it's reasonably easy enough to reach, though no view at the top to particularly recommend it compared to other local peaks.
We found no pigs, iron or pig iron. Totally misleading peak name. There was just a bunch of bushes. Maybe they are pretty assuming they flower in the spring time. Dunno. YMMV.
Trap Mt, OR | July 2023
During the 2023 W7O SOTA Campout, we had the opportunity to activate Trap Mt.
This is an easy drive, though there are spots where the manzanita closes in on the roadway. Your vehicle's paint may not like it much. Otherwise, it has good gravel all the way to the trailhead. Take a left from Hwy 138 West onto NF-900, then a right onto Big Camas Rd (NF-3701). Take another left onto NF-3704 and follow that around and turn left on NF-230 and yet another left onto NF-250 and a final left on to NF-290. Google Maps was right this time!
W7O/NC-127 Summit 620 July 23
This nice 1-pointer summit is in 'The Knoll' greenspace with several miles of trails leading to 'God's Thumb' on the bluff overlooking the beach. Park at the end of Northeast Devil's Lake Blvd in Lincoln City, 45.01082, -123.99773. Procced toward the summit of Trail 'T1' until you cross a small creek crossing 45.01966, -123.99568. From there find the game trail up the hill toward the summit. CAUTION: Long pants recommended from this point on. Plan on some bushwhack hiking to an occluded summit. Forrested summit has ample shade and tall trees from a throw line for EFHW, etc.
Frog Lake Buttes, OR | July 2023
Frog Lake Buttes is a popular SOTA destination that was moved slightly from its old high point in March of 2023. The old summit plays host to a cell tower and is accessible via both road and trail.
Trout Creek Butte, OR - June 2023
June 24th, 2023. Trout Creek Butte (TCB) is the site of a now defunct fire tower 7 straight line miles to Sisters, OR and 21 or so to Bend, offering great views to the south of the Three Sisters and Black and Millican Craters to the west.
Stanley Peak, OR | June 2023
Stanley Peak is a 1 pointer inland from Tillamook, Oregon. The access route weaves across Tillamook State Forest and BLM land, but the peak itself actually sits on the BLM section. It's a lot of work for one point but includes a little point that pops above the trees, giving a lovely view of the bay and ocean.
Echo Mountain, OR | June 2023
I followed the advice of Peakbagger and used a collection of their suggestions, to end up doing a decent job following this at-times hard-to-follow route. This mountain is a beautiful place to see a diversity of plants, and the trail itself is a substantial challenge to follow compared to other hikes, but it is clearly a well-loved summit by locals, despite the plants trying to take the trail back.
zigzag mountain or (southern access) | june 2023
Summary - There are two routes up from Zigzag Mountain Road (Road 27 from HWY 26). The longer route follows the West Zigzag and Zigzag Mountain trail and ends in a bushwhack up the northwest ridge of Zigzag Mountain (about 5.5mi OW). The shorter route follows Burnt Lake trail to Devils Tie to Zigzag Mountain trail and ends in a bushwhack up the north side of the summit. (about 3.5mi OW). I recommend the longer route, which meanders along the mountain ridge, and is less used. ATT digital service was spotty, APRS was full strength, 2M contacts aren't difficult.