Good Parking At Trailhead

UPDATE: last trip I walked the bermed  road. A bit longer but much easier and safer. Tracks on sotamap.

Blue Nose is a US Forest Service Lookout built in 1934.  The structure still exists. From the summit are good views of the steep slopes of the Salmon River Canyon and high summits of the Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness. The final access road is a bit

This is a burned-over flat-summit on the Idaho/Montana Border.  Access is via an obscure 4x4 road that takes off to the north from FS#038.  Along this road after several hundred feet is a flatten area used as a dispersed campsite most commonly in hunting season.  Beyond this area the road becomes an ATV track weaving through a sn

This un-named summit on the Idaho/Montana Border has similar views as Skookum Butte Lookout to the east 1.5 miles.  The route also has good views looking down on Granite Lake.  Distance views are peaks in the Selway Bitterroot Wilderness.  It combines a vehicle drive, mountain bike road, a hiking trail and off-trail hike.

This Idaho/Montana border summit is an easy ‘walk-up’ from US Forest Service Road #044.  The summit is on the Idaho/Montana border.  From the summit are good views of the steep slopes of the Salmon River Canyon and high summits in the Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness. 

Elk Mountain is a short scramble off a good US Forest Service road.  The scramble is mostly on a ridge through an old clearcut that has in places heavy ceanothus brush.  Wood ticks can be abundant in the spring. 

Miller Peak is a large commercial communications site.  Given that, the road accessible to the public is narrow, brushy and with few places to pass on coming vehicles.  The road can become a bit crowded in later summer if a huckleberry crop along the road entices pickers. 

This is an urban park activation about thirty minutes from downtown Portland. No GPS device needed as Google maps provides good driving directions. Though you can pull off a 2M sidelwalk activation near the summit (which is on private property), a more pleasant place to operate from is Skyline Ridge Park (45.3905, -122.6634), about a half mile south. RF noise levels are high, so while a nice spot for an activation, don't expect big things on the HF bands.

TL;DR - Peak 3534 is a twenty to thirty minute drive from South Saddle Mountain (W7O/NC-002) over logging roads. You pass South Saddle to get to 3534 so a two summit, four point day is easy. 4WD, good directions, and GPS are really handy. Once you park, the short hike up is steep but no worries, there's a longer, gentler path, too. The summit has no views, a small open space, trees, good APRS signals, and is RF quiet. Not a summit for hanging out nor the best place for HF antennas but easy to activate with 2M FM.

TL; DR - There are at least six Saddle Mountains in W7O and W7W, this is the one close to peak 3534. The drive to the parking area is easily done in a 4WD vehicle but is a bit confusing, so have a good map and GPS. From the parking lot to the summit, the walk is easy. I had no RFI issues, good two-way APRS, and a comfortable spot (in the sun) to sit. Below the commercial communications site, you will find trees for wires and a broad view to the east.