Good Views From Summit

I just noticed I never did summaries for some of my first summits especially if they had a previous review so with the 2022 campout coming soon I am trying to catch up on some. Mt Ashland is an easy, popular summit. Outstanding 360 view of NCA to CLNP rim to Josephine Co. Cool boulder stacks too. You can drive to the dome on the summit if you wish. Just go a little ways past the Mt Ashland campground and you will see the road on the right with a not so visible sign (it is on a tall post since it is used during deep snow).

Pretty easy summit, but you have to bushwack. Full Report here

As we were driving through Winnemucca, NV on the way back from AZ, I seized the opportunity to activate W7N/HU-089, which is a paved, slightly potholed drive-up summit.

There are a lot of electrical wires going ever which way around the summit so I picked a somewhat open area towards the south side of the activation zone and tied my fiberglass mast to the fence surrounding the communcations towers.

I was able to quickly raise 11 QSOs on 20m and then switched to 40m for another 8 including a S2S with N6AN.

2m was pretty much dead with only 1 QSO to my dear XYL.

5.4 miles; + 2,077 feet; -608 feet; From the Petty Creek TH along Ford Creek

From the intersection of Hwy 287 and Main Street in Augusta, travel southwest on Main Street, turn right in 0.3 miles and follow the signs towards Benchmark.  The trailhead is at the USFS Double Falls campground 19.3 miles from Augusta.

On a recent trip back from Arizona, we stopped overnight in Battle Mountain, NV.  A 10pt summit (W7N/EL-017) was a mere 50 mins away so I made time to head up there.  Previous reports indicated that it was an easy, if somewhat long, drive up to the summit and I found that the dirt road was still in excellent shape, though there are several tight switchbacks to be nagivated.

I've done Chase a few times as it is basically a drive up summit with other easy summits like Hamaker nearby to do the same day if desired. Already enough info on here to find your way up, self explanatory. I just wanted to add that the rf can be very bad on Chase. It seems like each time I go it is getting worse. You can still get your contacts but be prepared for a bit of noise!

de AG7GP

On a recent trip over to eastern Oregon, I had the opportunity to stop in Madras and a nearby summit Round Butte (W7O/CN-074) beckoned.  The directions from Google Maps led me up the approach from the north which turns onto a dirt road.  It is drivable in good, dry conditions but if you are at all worried there is another approach by continuing on west and around which finally climbs from the south.  That road is paved all the way to the top.  The paving is crumbling in places but still drivable.

NC-080 is one of the peaks in the Tillamook State Forest surrounding the Trask River valley, along the eastern edge. As such, the most straightforward approach is via Trask River Rd past the Trask River Park Campground.

This is another fun summit.  Trailhead is at Kelly Park on highway 34 Soda Springs Idaho. Park across from the baseball fields and head south east on the Cross Country Ski trail. You can see the summit's towers East of Soda Springs throughout hike.  You will head for a tan municipal water tank. When you reach the water tank you can either bushwhack to the double track that goes straight up or go about 200 yards north of the water tank and head east at a cutoff then head towards the summit. The access to the summit is partly owned by the city of Soda Springs and BLM land.

Summary - With a three mile, three thousand foot climb, open views of the gorge, and lots of wildflowers, Dog Mountain is a worthy SOTA summit. The first two-thirds of the climb is in the trees, the rest on the windy, exposed mountain crown. The summit itself is thick with brush, so the best operating positions are found on its edge.  A Northwest Discover Pass is required for parking, as is a hiking permit during the wildflower season.