1.3 mi, +513 feet
This is a super pleasant hike on nice trails. It would also be a great winter activation with skis or snowshoes. There is a very nice enclosed warming hut near the top (within the activation zone) with a wood stove and a picnic table.
The Spence Mountain Trail climbs about 1800 ft in 7 miles. Its not ever terribly steep but climbs steadily without much relief. There are plenty of gorgeous views to the South and West.
Starting from State Highway 231 northbound towards Chewalah and turn right on Hafer Rd. The turn left on Cottonwood Creek Rd and then right on Horseshoe Lake Rd. Finally, there is a left turn on Mud Lake Rd. This is somewhat rough and I would not do it after a heavy rain. Alternatively, follow 231 into town and turn right on Flowery Trail Rd to the other end of Mud Lake Rd. In any case, you can park at the Quartzite Mt Trailhead. There are several spots available up and down the road.
The weather this week was looking like it would be good, so I wanted to get in my March summit. I wanted to make it a challenge of some sort, so I decided to go for my first first activation. The Olympic Peninsula has a fair number of unactivated hills still, and a lot of them are on USFS land. I started exploring and found Peak 1620.
Due to the recent relocation of Frog Lake Buttes from one butte to the other earlier this year, I was anxious to do another double activation on New Year's Eve. See my previous report for details on the route. The only difference is you must continue on from the radio towers down to the saddle and on up the other butte. Still very worth it for 14 pts.
Nineteen Mountain is one of several two-point summits accessible from Weyerhaeuser rec permit access gate 6110. For permit information see: https://recreation.weyerhaeuser.com.
A near drive-up summit in the Coast Range. From Highway 36 around Milepost 20, take BLM 17-8-31 Road, (Near 44.11999,-123.64626 and 17445 Oregon 36, Deadwood, Oregon).
Travel 4.2 miles on this Priusable gravel road and park when 0.2 miles from summit and walk up the road shown in the first photo. At the summit are remains of a fire lookout (see photos):
https://oregonlookouts.weebly.com/windy-peak.html
There are several trip reports available for Rock Peak, WA. I used: https://www.summitpost.org/rock-peak/709367 which had correct directions. It is also accurate about the hike up being a short, steep, slippery ascent with medium density forest floor brush. Peakbagger has several other reports (https://www.peakbagger.com/peak.aspx?pid=16430)
I recently had the occasion to spend some time in Northern Idaho and while there I activated this summit.
The road up to the summit starts from Hwy 95, heading East on Hwy 54 and North on N Perimeter and East again on Bayview Rd to N Cherokee Rd and north following that up. N Cherokee Rd is also shown as FS 297 on Google Maps. The road condition is not great with many ruts down the middle. I had to straddle the ruts in many cases. A high-clearance vehicle is probably required.
This is a quite decent set of forest roads up to a peak that'll require just a little bushwhacking.