For my 2 year SOTA-versary and birthday this week I wanted to do something special,a couple days early because the wx looked perfect, I decided to try Grayback Mountain (W7O/SC-001) the HP for Josephine Co and South Coast that had never been activated. This was also my 50th First Activation.
2023 Update:
See latest update from Guy N7UN about DNR altering some roads in this area!
http://www.pnwsota.org/blog/n7un/2023-october-22/new-access-information-mt-mitchell
2021 Trip Report:
W6PZA first activated this summit in May of 2020. I read his blog post and it seemed informative on how to get to the summit. I attempted to summit using the directions from W6PZA from the East side on Forest Service Road 1270720. I attempted to find the grown over road that he used, but quickly found that it is even more grown over now. Bushwhacking is an understatement with this summit.
Baby Blue is a 2-point summit located near Sultan, WA. Other summits have taken priority the last 2 years, but this summit was a great surprise due to views at summit and along the last ~1 mile of road hike. Parking is located along Sultan Basin Road, and it was ~12 minute drive after turning from Hwy 2. To get there, I followed Google maps to 47.9222, -121.7486. A Discover Pass is required.
From Kettle Falls, WA proceed west on 395 across the lake to highway 20, then south along the west shore of Lake Roosevelt on Inchelium-Kettle Falls Rd. Proceed southwest on County Highway 412 past Lake Ellen, turn right on NF-2014 (aka Barnaby Creek Rd), then right again on Cottonwood Creek Rd (NF-110). Park at this intersection if you don't have a 4WD which adds less than a mile. If you have a 4WD, take this road to its terminus and park where the road becomes blocked by downed trees. As you hike along the road, it will eventually become Huckleberry Jeep Trail only useable by UTVs.
Summit 4044 is a peak on tribal Indian land and requires a recreational use permit to legally hike. These are available most places in the area that sell fishing and hunting licenses. The permit is good for the entire year.
Red Sleep Mountain is the highest point in the National Bison Range near Dixon, Montana. The range recently opened back up from being closed last year due to Covid. Just last week, the high loop road was opened which gives you access to the trailhead. An entrance fee of $10 needs to be purchased at the park entrance.
Sonyok Mountain is on Tribal Indian land and a use permit is needed to go there. I bought mine at the Mangy Moose in Plains but they are available in most sporting goods outlets. The summit has a working lookout but had not been opened for the season when I was there.
I started out the day with much enthusiasm. This was a yet to be activated summit which made it a tad more exciting. I knew it would be an easy trip to the top, having ridden my mountain bike to within a quarter of a mile from the summit last year. All the gear (well, almost all the gear) was packed up the night before with a total weight of about 13 pounds, including bike repair items just in case.
NOTE: This route is only available during ski operations of Mt Bachelor Resort. The Summit Chair ski lift only runs during winter and spring ski operations.
Mount Bachelor offers one of the easiest 10-pointers in Oregon, if you want it. It is possible to buy a lift ticket and take the Summit Chair ski lift nearly to the activation zone. It is only a short hike to the summit proper from the top of the lift.