Activation Reports

Summit 3334 will likely be named ”Hornet Hill” due to the local road names going up. But don't let the name stop you! It is a nice knoll with a partial view. Grassy area with oak and tall pine, and plenty of wildflowers, and some interesting lighning damage on some timber. Plenty of area to set up.

 Take Sardine Cr Rd until it forks, take the Right Fork, there is a BLM sign for Sardine Cr soon after the turn. Take a right on BLM 35-3-28.2-Hornet Hill Ridge Rd. The last .3 miles is a jeep road to the left. Drivable with the right rig but a nice walk.

4.3 mi, +2,100 feet

This is a good earlier season hike that offers spectacular views and some isolation after leaving the main Sun River Trail.

I believe previous activations of W7O/SC-071 reached the summit from the hang glider parking area to the north at the end of Woodrat Mountain Rd.  When I looked at Google Maps satellite view, I noticed a distinct trail from an earlier spot on Woodrat Mtn Road, to the east of the summit.  Woodrat Mountain Road is reached via Griffin Creek Road and Sterling Creek Road from the east.  It begins with asphalt pavement and then turns to gravel/dirt but is in very good shape compared to other forest roads in this area.  I was able to easily find where Woodrat Mtn Road was inter

Yesterday's SOTA adventure took me to the top of Mount Maria near Horseshoe Bend, Idaho for a first time activation.  The hike up was right at 1 mile in length and took about 45 minutes.  The last section was very steep, so had to slow down the pace quite a bit.

The view from the top was spectacular.  To the south you could see the town of Horseshoe Bend.  To the southeast, Shafer Butte.  To the north was a nice view up the Payette river.

Great day weather wise, about 70 degrees and sunny.  Hardly a breath of wind on the top.

This is a 1-point peak in Stimson Logging land, accessible via a hike from their gate on the edge of the Clatsop State Forest. The majority of this hike is on gravel and grass logging road, but the last section of the approach requires a climb across open clear-cut land. This peak would combine well with NC-085 in the same day, as that peak can be accessed by some of the same forest roads without too much backtracking.

I was driving by Negro Ben every week for a job so decided to give it a try on my way home one morning, being that it was “just a 2 pointer” I thought no problem. It was a little exciting for my first solo activation. The majority of the walk up was easy, just a gated road. Then you have to bushwack your way up from the end of the road (SEE UPDATE). A few yards in I had a rattlesnake slither right across my foot as I took a long stride up the bank. Yikes! I set up in the timber, there is some open areas at the very top but I was looking for shade in July.

Took a drive to see if this neglected butte was easily accessible for a Sunday afternoon drive. Turns out all roads were open and you can drive to the contour line if you wish. Road finishes in contour with a large open area and fire pit. The weather was shifting so we chose to build a campfire and set up within the contour but did not bushwack to the peak. No real view other than from the road coming up. I walked down and enjoyed some of the views looking towards Woodrat Mtn and Ruch. There was a fair amount of target shooting at a pit about 1.5 miles below but the summit was peaceful.

Self explanatory as it is just walking up the road to the lookout, I guestimate from memory 1/2 mile walk from gate. Dutchman Peak Lookout is the last of the original cupola lookouts still in use, and is also one of the oldest, built in 1927. Outstanding views of course, and you can go into the lookout and check out some of their mapping and compassing tools. A bit steep and rocky at the top. You won't have trouble finding any spot for a pole.

Wagner Butte is a harder hike mainly due to distance, but is at the top of my list of favorites. It will be a good 10 mile hike round trip with about 2200' gain, if using the trail. (SEE UPDATE at bottom for alternate route).Wagner is part of our family cattle range and being familiar with the area we took a short cut through some NF up past the trailhead, to knock a couple miles and a few hundred feet elevation off the hike. It wasn't part of our daily plan to activate, we were checking on a natural spring (Cold Spring) and getting a feel for if a shortcut could be possible in the future.