Just an update: the road to the trailhead has been re-gravelled since we activated in 2023. Discovery Pass still required.
And it is possible to get closer to the summit by parking next to the electrical tower at (45.658181, -122.183540).
Bring a climbing helmet for this summit! Even under the trees, you're in the kill zone for falling rocks!
Summary - Bird Mountain, in the Indian Heaven Wilderness, combines good trails and a steep bushwhack (not for beginners). While makes for a longish day, link it with Lemei Rock for a two summit, twelve point outing. The trip from Portland to the Cultus Creek Campground (day fee or pass required) is about two hours on mosly paved roads. ATT digital service is good, as is APRS.
Summary - Lemi Rock, in the Indian Heaven Wilderness, combines good trails, a steep bushwhack (not for beginners), and some optional ridge scrambling. While makes for a longish day, link it with Bird Mountain for a two summit, twelve point outing. The trip from Portland to the Cultus Creek Campground (day fee or pass required) is about two hours on mosly paved roads. ATT digital service is good, as is APRS.
Overview:
Ascent:
Our adventure began at 8 a.m. from the Hannegan Trailhead. The trail offered a mostly shaded ascent to Boundary Camp, which was a welcome relief in the early hours. However, it's worth noting that this section is south-facing and can become quite hot by midday. The initial elevation gain was relatively gradual, with about 500 feet per mile over the first four miles.
Heading into the 2024 W7O Campout weekend, I was 36 points shy of Mountain Goat. K6ARK and I hit some strategic drive ups on the way down for 10 points, and then knocked out 24 points on the Siskiyou Crest. That left me at 998 points going into Saturday. I didn't want to activate just any summit for my MG, I wanted something that called back to the mountaineering I was doing when I first got licensed and learned of SOTA.
A Weyerhaeuser "Longview St Helens" motorized permit is required for this route: Take I5 to Exit 32; head East on Kalama River Road to very end. That is gate 6000 unlock gate and pass through. Take Road 6000 all the way to the end where you run into a gate is for non-motorized access.